Catania Airport Closed by Etna Ash: Flights Diverted to Palermo

Catania flights halted by Etna ash

Catania's Fontanarossa airport suspended all incoming flights on Monday 14 September after Mount Etna sent an ash cloud about four kilometres into the sky (Wanted in Rome). Airport operator SAC closed flight sector C1, with arrivals stopped until at least 16:00 local time, and aviation authorities raised the alert level to red. Catania-bound flights were diverted mainly to Palermo, on the opposite side of the island, so a rerouted landing is not a quick fix if your hotel is in Catania.

That 16:00 figure was a provisional target, not a guarantee (The Local Italy). Check your airline before leaving for the airport. If you are heading for Taormina or the eastern Sicily coast, build a spare half day into your first day and keep your booking reference handy.

Rome opens the Baths of Trajan mosaic

Rome city council has completed restoration and enhancement work on the great exedra and underground gallery of the Baths of Trajan at Colle Oppio, and the spaces now open to the public (Wanted in Rome). The draw is what is believed to be the largest wall mosaic ever found in the Roman world, displayed alongside a rare fresco of an unidentified walled city.

The complex sits in the Colle Oppio park, on the hill above the Colosseum, which makes it a natural stop before or after a Forum visit and an easy addition to a Rome morning. Because this is a newly opened site, confirm current opening hours and whether booking is needed on the city's official channels before you go. Entry arrangements may still change.