The Gole dell’Alcántara is a dramatic and evocatively romantic gorge with fantastic rock shapes, some 50 meters deep and only five meters wide. The Alcántara River flows along the northern side of Mount Etna, and several thousand years ago, a lava flow from an eruption blocked the river.
The water caused the lava to cool much faster than usual, so it crystallized into a column formation. Over time, the river eroded the columns, regaining a channel through and wearing them into the dramatic shapes you see today.The gorge is now part of the Gole Alcantara Botanical and Geological Park, where you can descend to the river level by a lift; walk the trails; and in the summer, wade across the river. More adventurous travelers can join a guided bodysurfing tour through the canyon. The gorge is about 30 minutes from Taormina by bus, even less by car or taxi.
