Few people have the opportunity to visit an erupting volcano in their lifetime, but students from Loreto College did just that on a trip to Mount Etna in Sicily.

Recent volcanic activity on Europe’s most active volcano nearly caused their flight to be diverted, but thankfully, Etna calmed enough for the aeroplane to land in Catania.

The students embarked on an exciting adventure up the icy slopes of Etna via cable car and snowcat, giving them a chance to see the snow-capped craters blanketed in ash from the eruption. They also explored the dramatic volcanic landscape from different perspectives by venturing into a lava tube and snorkelling in an offshore crater.

In addition to studying tectonic activity, the students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the mythical Cyclops Riviera and visit the ancient Greek and Roman amphitheatre in Taormina. The trip concluded with a lesson in making Sicilian pizza.