# Monte Cito Solfatara and Fumaroles **At a glance:** The Monte Cito solfatara is the hottest fumarole field in Casamicciola Terme: according to the Civil Protection Department, its emissions reach temperatures close to 100 °C. The acidic steam colours the ground white, purple and yellow and produced the alunite once mined here. It is reached on the Celario and Alum trails. ## Useful information - **Type:** Fumaroles and geothermal phenomena - **Area:** [Upper Casamicciola](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/areas/upper-casamicciola/) - **Address:** Monte Cito, via Montecito, 80074 Casamicciola Terme NA - **Coordinates:** 40.739130, 13.895430 - **Where:** Monte Cito, western hills of Casamicciola Terme, on the boundary with Lacco Ameno - **Temperature:** Maximums close to 100 °C (Civil Protection Department) - **Appearance:** Altered ground coloured white, purple and deep yellow - **Mineral:** Alunite, from which alum was obtained - **Getting there:** Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca trail or Alum Trail ## What it is On [Monte Cito](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/monte-cito/), in the western hills of Casamicciola Terme, on the boundary with Lacco Ameno, lies an area where the ground is bare, hot and streaked with unusual colours: this is the fumarole field, which because of its appearance is also called a solfatara. Here water vapour and gases of volcanic origin escape from small vents and cracks in the ground, and the view opens out over the Gulf of Naples. ## The hottest fumaroles on the island According to Italy's Civil Protection Department, fumaroles on Ischia reach maximum temperatures close to 100 °C in only three areas: the slopes of Monte Nuovo, those of Monte Cito and the Maronti coast. On the rest of the island emissions do not exceed 46 °C. Monte Cito is therefore one of the places where the heat beneath Ischia shows itself most clearly. ## How they form A fumarole is a spot in the ground from which water vapour and gases of volcanic origin escape. Water circulating underground on the island is heated at depth by the volcanic system and rises to the surface as steam along faults and fractures. According to INGV, Ischia is characterised by intense hydrothermal activity, documented since the early 16th century, with a close relationship between the hot-water circuits and volcano-tectonic processes: thermal waters, fumaroles and hydrothermal springs are a sign that the island's magmatic system is still active. Ischia is monitored by INGV's Vesuvius Observatory, which also carries out regular sampling of water and gases; the alert level set by the Civil Protection Department is green. ## The colours of the earth and alum The hot, acidic fluids rising along the fractures chemically alter the volcanic rocks: the ground bleaches and turns purple and deep yellow. These transformations also give rise to alunite, the mineral from which alum was once obtained. Monte Cito was one of the mining sites: along the old Via Crateca, the “via dei carri” (cart road), the mineral was carried for processing and then to the port of Casamicciola. The story of this industry can be traced along the [Alum Trail](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/alum-trail/). ## The fumarole papyrus In the warm, humid microclimate of the emissions grows the fumarole papyrus (_Cyperus polystachyos_), a plant of tropical regions that on Ischia survives only in these special environments. Admire it respectfully, without trampling or picking it. ## How to get there - From [Piazza Maio](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-maio/) on the [Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca trail](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/celario-monte-cito-crateca-trail/). - From Fango in Lacco Ameno on the Alum Trail. Before walking to the Monte Cito area, check with the Town Council of Casamicciola Terme or local guides on whether the trails are passable, and respect any bans. ## Safety rules - Stay on the trails: the ground of the solfatara is hot, crumbly and may give way under your weight. - Do not bring your face close to the steam vents and do not touch the emissions. - Hold children by the hand and keep dogs on a lead. - Do not collect minerals or plants. - Hiking shoes, water and sun protection are essential. ## Frequently asked questions ### Are the Monte Cito fumaroles the hottest on Ischia? They are among the hottest: the Civil Protection Department gives maximum temperatures close to 100 °C only for Monte Nuovo, Monte Cito and the Maronti coast. Elsewhere the island's fumaroles do not exceed 46 °C. ### Why is the ground so colourful? Hot, acidic vapours chemically alter the volcanic rocks, which bleach and turn purple and yellow. The same process formed alunite, the mineral from which alum was obtained. ### Is it dangerous to visit the Monte Cito solfatara? The ground is hot and may give way, and the steam can scald. If you stay on the trails and do not touch the emissions, the visit is safe. ### How do you get to the Monte Cito fumaroles? On foot from Piazza Maio on the Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca trail, or from Fango in Lacco Ameno on the Alum Trail. Before setting out, check whether the trails are passable. ## Also worth seeing - [Monte Cito](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/monte-cito/) - [Celario – Monte Cito – Crateca Trail](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/celario-monte-cito-crateca-trail/) - [Alum Trail (Sentiero dell'Allume)](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/alum-trail/) - [Piazza Maio](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-maio/) ## Sources and further reading - [Dipartimento della Protezione Civile – Ischia, rischio vulcanico](https://rischi.protezionecivile.gov.it/en/approfondimento/ischia-0/) - [Ischia.it – Il sentiero dell'Allume](https://www.ischia.it/sentiero-dell-allume) - [Ischia.it – Celario, Montecito, Crateca](https://www.ischia.it/celario-montecito-crateca) - [Komoot – Campo fumarolico di Monte Cito](https://www.komoot.com/highlight/3916268) - [INGV – Ischia, pubblicata la prima carta dei complessi idrogeologici dell'isola (2024)](https://www.ingv.it/en/urp-press/Press-office/Press-releases/Ischia-publishes-the-first-map-of-the-island%27s-hydrogeological-complexes) - [INGV Osservatorio Vesuviano – Ischia, inquadramento](https://www.ov.ingv.it/index.php/monitoraggio-sismico-e-vulcanico/ischia-3/ischia-inquadramento) - [OpenStreetMap – coordinate dei luoghi](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)