Italy Mount Etna, Sicily

Mount Etna is an active volcano on the island of Sicily in Italy. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. At about 3,329 metres (it varies depending on vulcanism) it is the highest volcano in Europe and the highest peak in Italy south of the Alps. The mountain is a spectacle whether viewed up close or from a distance when weather conditions are favourable. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

If you are on a tour travel light. Tour groups keep on the move and a tripod is a liability and not necessary. A wide to moderate zoom lens is all you will need. If the weather is dark overcast a fast lens would be an advantage. On this occasion, the temperature was above freezing so the cold was not a problem.

Change your lens before you go up into all that wind and dust. If you don't, you better have a puffer with you. For me, everything felt better when I moved to a 16-35 mm.

Also, I found that after the whistle-stop guided tour, you don't have to catch the next bus with the rest of your group. For the €64 it cost me for the cable car and bus, I wanted more. The unguided tour was so much better for photographs.

Finally, no matter how hot the day is down below, it gets cold up towards the top - if you're going to hang around, pack warm clothes. My fingers were numb.

It is possible to drive up the mountain but the guided tour I took bussed us to the top and lead us on a spectacular walk. I would recommend a tour as it would be easy to get lost in conditions such as we experienced. If you plan to do your own thing do thorough research locally.