Gole dell'Alcantara

Gole dell'Alcantara is a canyon in the town of Castiglione di Sicilia in Italy, where the river of the same name cuts through walls of black lava. The vertical columns of frozen rock form geometric patterns that repeat along the entire length of the canyon, creating crevices and alcoves.

The canyon formed when lava flows from the nearby volcano met the cold river water and cooled rapidly, creating the characteristic columns. Over millennia, the water carved deeper into the frozen rock, shaping the walls that stand today.

Locals use the river water to irrigate vineyards and orchards that climb in terraces along the surrounding hillsides. Fishermen sometimes stand in the shallow water upstream from the canyon, casting their nets into the currents that have been shaping these rocks for centuries.

You can reach the canyon floor by a path or an elevator, and sturdy footwear is necessary because the water flows over rounded stones. The best time to visit is in the morning, when the sun is low enough to light up the interior of the canyon.

The water temperature stays consistently cool throughout the year, even in midsummer, because the water flows through underground channels in the volcanic rock. In some spots, you can see air bubbles rising from tiny cracks in the basalt, a sign of the still active volcanic processes beneath the surface.