Mount Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and shaped the eastern part of the island. The eruptions and the earthquakes it provoked radically changed the geology of the territory around Catania during its history. Inhabitants in Catania still have to deal with the fickle behaviour of their neighbour. The eruptions from Etna have been good for the territory making it fertile, and Catania a thriving city. The area, which stretches from the top of the volcano to the towns nearby, is equipped with state-of-the-art tourist infrastructures.