Since the eighteenth century, Catania has been the second most important city of Sicily, supplanting Messina in that respect. Subjected to Etna's fickle temperament, Catania has been damaged by lava flows and earthquakes on several occasions. A particularly destructive volcanic eruption in 1669 was followed by a serious earthquake in 1693.

Ursino Castle, located in Piazza Federico di Svevia, at the end of Via Auteri between Via Plebiscito and Via Garibaldi, used to be a coastal fortress before volcanic eruptions extended the coastline .

The woods around the gorge are actually quite small, but this scenic site, on the Alcantara River off Route 185 (between Taormina and Mount Etna), offers a pleasant glimpse of Etna's geological influence on the surrounding countryside. The water that flows through this basalt formation is always cool, and bathing is permitted during the summer months.