Grotta del Gelo, Ice cave in Randazzo, Italy

Grotta del Gelo is an ice cave on Mount Etna's northern slope at 2043 meters elevation, extending about 120 meters into the mountain. It features a large entrance measuring roughly 10 by 5 meters and contains permanent ice formations shaped like hanging and standing icicles throughout its passage.

The cave formed during Mount Etna's eruption between 1614 and 1624 when lava flows created the hollow spaces inside the mountain. It first appeared in published scientific work in 1880, bringing it to wider attention.

The cave's name appears in records as "Bocche del Gelo" (Mouth of Frost) in Sartorius von Walterhausen's 1880 work, though locals knew it for centuries before it was documented. Legends tell of a treasure hidden at Grotta del Gelo, a tale also attached to other volcanic caves on Etna.

The cave requires a demanding hike starting from Piano Provenzana that passes through pine forests and crosses volcanic terrain. Strong legs and sturdy hiking boots are essential due to the steep slopes and rough ground conditions.

The first written record of the cave is in Sartorius von Waltershausen's 1880 work, which names it "Bocche del Gelo". Local legends speak of a treasure hidden inside, a tale told about several volcanic caves on Etna. The ice body grew until the 1980s, then shrank after the nearby 1981 eruption and under climate change, before increasing again after 2014.