Epic Scenes on the Volcano

This cinematic experience on Etna enters the volcano's most primordial landscapes — where George Lucas captured the lava footage that became Mustafar in Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. You do not approach Etna as a simple hike. You move through if it's a natural film set, accompanied by a professional crew that turns the day into an epic memory. Alongside Vladimir and Alfio documenting your journey, a certified volcanological guide accompanies the route and explains Etna as you move through lunar scenery and absolute silence. Each step, glance, and discovery gets captured as your story, while also entering a much longer one: that of a volcano that rose from the depths of the earth and continues to lead an active, compelling life. After an initial briefing and a regional breakfast of Etna specialties, the guided walk begins across lava fields and craters. Cinematic filming continues throughout, with guided scenes and spontaneous moments, before a picnic stop on a lava field.

Designed for only two guests at a time, this experience joins volcanic landscape, geological history, easy hiking, Star Wars and cinema, without reducing Etna to scenery alone. Vladimir and Alfio bring lifelong familiarity with the places crossed in the route, interpreting the volcano as a world formed by fire, movement, and time — and as a setting that has drawn filmmakers for years. Their perspective gives the day an epic register that comes from the mountain itself as much as from the films and legends connected to it. The presence of a certified volcanological guide provides both safety and real depth. Their knowledge lets you understand the ground beneath your feet and the forces that produced it, so Etna enters the experience as a co-protagonist with its own history and energy. The footage shot by the professional crew is later edited into a short film with cinematic pacing and music, then sent a few days after the experience as a vivid record of your special adventure.

Vladimir Di Prima and Alfio Vecchio bring together cinema, writing, editing, and a deep connection to eastern Sicily. Vladimir is a Sicilian writer and filmmaker who has been part of the organizing committee of the Premio Brancati — one of the island's cultural reference points — for over twenty years. Alfio is a Sicilian director, editor, and cinema scholar, active in documentary work and film education through Teatroimpulso in Catania. He is also part of the staff of the Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Frontiera in Marzamemi. Together, they have founded a small film production company that celebrates Sicily through film, memory, and place.

An outfit you feel comfortable being filmed in, with sturdy closed shoes for walking on lava stone and layers of ash - with layers for quickly changing weather. The walk is generally easy, though it includes a little elevation gain and some uneven ground. The pace is slow and comfortable, with several stops along the way, and is suitable for most people.