Italy, the best place for volcanoes lovers

A feature on Italy's volcanoes, from Etna to Stromboli and Vesuvius. Written and illustrated by Slawka G. Scarso, first published in LifeinItaly - September 2005.

Incipit
Numerous areas in Italy have volcanic origins where volcanic activity occurred thousands and thousands of years ago. From the Castelli Romani area, just outside Rome, with its gorgeous volcanic lakes, Albano and Nemi – providing an excellent alternative to the not so clean seaside near the Eternal City - to the Colli Euganei near Venice and Padua, and to the island of Pantelleria, which is in fact closer to Tunis than Rome. Often these areas are covered with vineyards, as vines thrive in soils rich in potassium and other minerals left after the eruptions. But Italy can boast a few very interesting active volcanic areas too. In fact, Vulcano, Stromboli, Etna and Vesuvius are the most famous active volcanoes on Earth.