Places
Cave·Hard·Scenic·Popular
Grotta del Gelo
Sicily
Formed inside a collapsed lava tube at around 2,000 metres, this cave holds a permanent ice formation despite its position on an active volcano in the Mediterranean's far south, insulated by the tube's rock walls from the summer heat outside. The long approach crosses old lava fields from the Frisia flow near Piano Provenzana, with views toward the Nebrodi mountains across the valley. A local speleology group monitors the ice, which has thinned over recent decades of warmer winters.
Duration
5 hours
Distance
12 km
Elevation
+600 m
Best season
June – September
Highlights
- Europe's southernmost permanent ice formation
- Remote lava-tube approach
- Views toward the Nebrodi mountains
With your dog
Long lava-field approach; dogs on leash, cold interior, sturdy footwear needed.
