Lava tourism booms as Mount Etna erupts in Sicily

Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, has drawn large crowds of tourists eager to witness its ongoing eruption up close, even as local guides raise concerns over safety and overcrowding on its slopes.

The volcano, located on the Italian island of Sicily, has been spewing ash and lava for several days, forcing repeated closures of the nearby Catania airport, a major gateway for visitors to the region.

Companies organizing nighttime hikes to view the eruption have reported being overwhelmed with requests, with one local guide, Daniele Perricelli, saying his group now receives about 300 inquiries a day, three times the usual volume during peak summer season.

Perricelli explained that many visitors are drawn by the rare opportunity to observe flowing lava in relative safety, though he cautioned that Etna remains unstable and stressed the importance of climbing with an experienced guide who can read the mountain's conditions.

Another local guide, Ernesto Maria Magri, described the phenomenon as a "touristic eruption," noting that it attracts large numbers of people, including local residents who sometimes gather around the lava flow in a disorderly manner.

According to Perricelli, as many as 2,000 people have been climbing the volcano each evening, leading to overcrowded footpaths, with some visitors spotted wearing inappropriate footwear such as flip-flops.

Several climbers, including Italian television host Diletta Leotta, have faced criticism on social media after being photographed standing what appeared to be dangerously close to the glowing lava.

Guides noted, however, that it is possible to safely approach the lava flow within a few meters in lower-altitude areas where it has already cooled, and that current regulations allow visitors to climb unaccompanied up to about 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) of altitude, with a guide required beyond that point toward the 3,324-meter summit.

Italy's civil protection agency has issued a yellow alert for Etna, the second level on a four-step scale ranging from green to red, indicating frequent eruptions and the possibility of explosions.

Ash emissions have repeatedly disrupted flights at Catania International Airport, which handled around 12 million passengers in 2024, with the airport operator confirming that arrivals and departures would remain suspended until 4:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT) on Thursday.