A Travel and vacations forum. TravelBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » TravelBanter forum » Travel Regions » Europe
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Mt Etna train



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 6th, 2004, 09:09 PM
Dee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Dan Stephenson" wrote in message
...
I want to visit Mt Etna, the top in particular. But my guidebook says
there is a nice train called circumetna that goes almost all the way
around it. What do people think of it? It lasts 5 hours, and
apparently does not go 100% around it - I'll have to take a bus or
something to really get to my starting point.

Are the views of Mt Etna pretty good, all the way around? One thing
I'm considering is a virtual movie..., akin to
http://www.virtualbigbend.com/tour/sphinx_qt.php

... but of a much more impressive mountain: Etna. But for this to work
the mountain needs to be in view pretty much the whole time.

RSVP,

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda


Dan, I spent a few days there some months ago.
There really is no such thing as "Mount Etna" (IMHO)
I mean no single large crater into which you can gaze!!
There are many craters of all ages, shapes, histories and sizes.
Some very recent with photos etc etc.
I would not take the train.
We drove (hire car) to the few tourist 'centres'. Park car and walk to
craters.
And we took a few guided tours.

If you want a serious close encounter with a 'real' volcano take a boat
trip to Vulcano and walk up to the smouldering crater - unforgettable.
Off the ferry and walk for an hour or so. Easy to do.
Or a boat trip at night near Stromboli - I am told!! :-((
We didn't have time to stay overnight for that. But the walk to the
top of Volcano and the smell of sulphur was memorable.

Dee


  #2  
Old September 6th, 2004, 10:29 PM
Lennart Petersen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Dan Stephenson" skrev i meddelandet
...
I want to visit Mt Etna, the top in particular. But my guidebook says
there is a nice train called circumetna that goes almost all the way
around it. What do people think of it? It lasts 5 hours, and
apparently does not go 100% around it - I'll have to take a bus or
something to really get to my starting point.

The railway Ferrovia Circum Etna starts from Catania and ends at Giarre.
The first few km out from Catania have been rebuilt to a metro.
It's a real nice trip, I've done it. The line climbs to an altitude of
976m, first it's running through fertile landscape with farms and lemon
trees, then climbing and finally being in a fantastic black volcano
landscape. Now and then the railway is destroyed by erruptions but have
always been rebuilt.
Don't think there's a timetable on-line nor a website for the railway.
As I can remember the trip wasn't 5h , that sounds unlikely as the line is
just a little more than 100km long.
Some unofficial:
http://www.pabel.it/502-00Circumetnea.htm
http://www.bronteinsieme.it/2st/circum.html


  #3  
Old September 7th, 2004, 02:33 AM
Lennart Petersen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Mt Etna train


"Lennart Petersen" skrev i meddelandet
...

"Dan Stephenson" skrev i meddelandet
...
I want to visit Mt Etna, the top in particular. But my guidebook says
there is a nice train called circumetna that goes almost all the way
around it. What do people think of it? It lasts 5 hours, and
apparently does not go 100% around it - I'll have to take a bus or
something to really get to my starting point.

The railway Ferrovia Circum Etna starts from Catania and ends at Giarre.
The first few km out from Catania have been rebuilt to a metro.
It's a real nice trip, I've done it. The line climbs to an altitude of
976m, first it's running through fertile landscape with farms and lemon
trees, then climbing and finally being in a fantastic black volcano
landscape. Now and then the railway is destroyed by erruptions but have
always been rebuilt.
Don't think there's a timetable on-line nor a website for the railway.
As I can remember the trip wasn't 5h , that sounds unlikely as the line is
just a little more than 100km long.
Some unofficial:
http://www.pabel.it/502-00Circumetnea.htm
http://www.bronteinsieme.it/2st/circum.html

More or less by accident I found a website for the railway:
http://www.circumetnea.it/en/
Mostly you've to change trains at Randazzo where there's probably bus
connection to Taormina.
Otherwise Giarre and Catania are both on the east main line.


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Copper Canyon Mexico Train Trip - March 2004 Donald Hazle Latin America 3 March 19th, 2004 04:19 AM
Rome to Pompei Albert F. Europe 15 February 27th, 2004 10:01 PM
Tangier, Morrocco - Ferry Port to Train Station JoeK Africa 1 January 20th, 2004 03:57 AM
Train travel in the UK Mark Hewitt Europe 4 October 22nd, 2003 12:21 AM
Train travel in the UK Philip George Europe 2 October 19th, 2003 03:52 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 TravelBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.