Vulcani-Etna Festival
Three days of scientific outreach, culture, photography, and music in the shadow of Mount Etna
About Vulcani-Etna Festival
A festival at the foot of the volcano
The Vulcani-Etna Festival is a scientific and cultural outreach event held in Trecastagni, a town in the Metropolitan City of Catania on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna, in Sicily. Launched in 2023, the festival is promoted by the Trecastagni Patrimonio dell'Etna Foundation and directed by Sicilian science communicator Giuseppe Riggio, with the aim of bringing the general public closer to the world of volcanoes through science, art, photography, and music.
Science, culture, and volcanic identity
For three days, Trecastagni becomes a meeting point for researchers, scholars, and enthusiasts. The program alternates between lectures held by volcanologists from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and Italian volcanological observatories, and moments of theater, storytelling, documentary screenings, and concerts, in a choral narrative that links knowledge of the volcano to the culture and memory of the Etnean territory. The event is supported by the INGV and the Italian Association of Volcanology (AIV).
Venues
Activities take place in several iconic locations in the historic center of Trecastagni:
- the headquarters of the Trecastagni Patrimonio dell'Etna Foundation, the heart of the festival;
- the Municipal Library, which hosts conferences and meetings;
- Largo Abate Ferrara, an open-air space for evening events.
Beyond the conferences
Alongside scientific meetings, the festival offers photographic exhibitions, an introductory course on volcanology curated by the AIV, and Etna excursions with environmental guides to observe the landscape of Europe's highest and most active volcano up close. The artistic dimension finds its place in traditional Sicilian music and tributes to local culture, starting from the deep bond between Mount Etna and its people.
A late June appointment
The Vulcani-Etna Festival is held at the end of June and has become a highly anticipated event in the Etnean cultural calendar, capable of combining scientific rigor with accessible outreach in the evocative setting of Trecastagni and eastern Sicily.
Vulcani-Etna Festival — edition 2026
Vulcani-Etna Festival 2026: the fourth edition
The fourth edition of the Vulcani-Etna Festival takes place in Trecastagni from June 26 to 28, 2026, featuring three days of scientific outreach, culture, photography, art, and music dedicated to the allure of volcanoes. The event, promoted by the Trecastagni Patrimonio dell'Etna Foundation (chaired by Giovanni Barbagallo) and directed by Giuseppe Riggio, is supported by the INGV and the Italian Association of Volcanology.
The program
Among the announced highlights: the inauguration on Friday, June 26 with Stefano Branca, director of the INGV Volcano Department, and the opening of the photographic exhibition on Gaetano Ponte; in the evening, the meeting "Ustica: geology, memories, and images of a volcanic island" with Franco Foresta Martin (INGV Palermo). Saturday, June 27, Lucia Pappalardo, director of the Vesuvius Observatory in Naples, will discuss the Campanian volcanoes (Vesuvius, Phlegraean Fields, Ischia). Sunday, June 28, at the Municipal Library, Mario Mattia (INGV Etna Observatory) will address the role of volcanoes in history.
Exhibition, course, and excursions
Throughout the festival, visitors can explore the exhibition "Gaetano Ponte (1876-1955), Sicilian scientist and photographer". The AIV also hosts an introductory course "An introduction to volcanoes and their activities on Earth," while FederEscursionismo guides lead the Etna excursions.
Programme Vulcani-Etna Festival 2026
Friday, June 26
- Inauguration with Stefano Branca (Director of INGV Volcano Department) and opening of the Gaetano Ponte exhibition
- "Ustica: geology, memories, and images of a volcanic island" with Franco Foresta Martin (INGV Palermo) and journalist Gaetano Perricone
Saturday, June 27
- "In the heart of the volcano": Lucia Pappalardo (Vesuvius Observatory) on Campanian volcanoes (Vesuvius, Phlegraean Fields, Ischia)
- AIV introductory course on volcanology, photography, and traditional Sicilian music
Sunday, June 28
- Mario Mattia (INGV Etna Observatory) on the role of volcanoes in history, at the Municipal Library
- AIV course, archaeology, history, and music
Throughout the event: "Gaetano Ponte (1876-1955)" exhibition and Etna excursions with FederEscursionismo guides.
Highlights Vulcani-Etna Festival 2026
- Fourth edition of the festival dedicated to volcanoes
- Patronage of INGV and Italian Association of Volcanology (AIV)
- Speakers from INGV, Vesuvius Observatory, and Etna Observatory
- Photographic exhibition on Gaetano Ponte
- Introductory course on volcanology and Etna excursions
Prices Vulcani-Etna Festival 2026
Practical information — Vulcani-Etna Festival
Getting there
Trecastagni is located about 17 km from Catania, on the slopes of Mount Etna. By car, it can be reached via the SP10 or SP4 roads in the direction of the Etnean towns; from Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, the journey takes about 30-40 minutes. Bus connections are available from the Catania train station to the Etnean towns.
Venues
Events take place at the Trecastagni Patrimonio dell'Etna Foundation, the Municipal Library, and Largo Abate Ferrara, in the historic center.
Tips
Meetings are mainly held in the evening. For Etna excursions, hiking boots and layered clothing are recommended. It is useful to check the updated program and any booking requirements for the volcanology course and excursions.
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Where does it take place — Vulcani-Etna Festival
Fondazione Trecastagni Patrimonio dell'Etna