Claudio Assandri, Sculptor: It matters that there’s a volcano. It matter a lot because that’s 75% of the identity of this place. The volcano is present. The volcano is breathing.


Umberto Fracassi, Seismologist: The volcano really is a living creature. It’s a bit of a romantic representation maybe, although geology does have a romantic component to it.


Emanuele Marchetti, Volcanologist : The major catastrophe here at Stromboli is a major landslide which would trigger a tsunami. There are no volcanologists who just on their desk and process data. You have to first collect the data, and to collect the data you have to climb on top of the volcano. There is no other solution.

It’s something amazing. When you climb to the summit it’s a strong climb, it’s a strong hike, and when you reach the summit, you have a very beautiful landscape, and you really can feel the explosions.

After almost thirteen years of very careful geophysical monitoring of the activity, I would say that is rather safe.


Domenico Cusolito, Fisherman (English Translation): It affects people’s mood. When the volcanic activity increases, you notice yourself getting nervous. It’s something common among locals.


Umberto Fracassi, Seismologist: Because the volcano is a living creature, somehow, it also has to be very much respected.


Giuseppe Pippo, Tour Guide: Sometimes we forget that we’re living on top of this, you know, volcano. And a lot of people reckon that this is a big, big bomb. But, you know, there are troubles wherever you go and you can die in any place so if one day Stromboli is going to explode and I’m going to die, who cares. This is the life, this is the way it goes.