Grotta dei Rotoli – Etna Nord
The Grotta dei Rotoli was formed in 1865 as a result of the eruption that started first from Mount Frumento delle Concazze on January 29, 1865 and then from the bottoniera formed the same year with the craters of the Sartorius mountains.
Hike details
Start: Via Mareneve
Distance: circa 5 km a/r
Duration: 2 hours
Altitude: 1600 m
Difference in altitude: 150 m
Difficulty: **
Trail: Etnanatura
The trekking to the Grotta dei Rotoli
Park your car at the side of Via Mareneve. Enter through the gate (see photo below) and follow the path. To get to the cave there are about 2,2 km with a difference in height of about 100 – 150 m. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the Grotta dei Rotoli cave.
The hike to the cave is beautiful both in summer and winter. Just have the appropriate clothes and equipment for the season.
The entrance to the Grotta dei Rotoli
The Grotta dei Rotoli at the entrance presents some difficulties to enter due to some collapses it has suffered over time. After you get inside you can see the huge cave that stretches for a few hundred meters divided into several sections.
Roll formation
The special thing about visiting this lava flow cave is to see these huge lava tubes curled up on themselves forming such natural “rolls”.
These lava rolls were created by the detachment of magma from the walls due to the drainage of lava inside the tunnel, and gradually the lava crumpled in on itself creating huge rolls.
Dog teeth inside the Grotta dei Rotoli cave
From the walls and the vault you can see real lava stalactites, these are formed due to remelting processes and create real punctiform teeth that take the name of dog teeth (Denti di cane).
