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Sicily
and Aeolian Islands. Delicious
Italy
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Seven
little volcanic islands surrounded by a warm
 and deep sea in an out-of-time
atmosphere recalling a history of sea-adventures going back 5000 years: that's
how long man's presence on these islands dates back.
Holiday
planning offers the chance of an extraordinary range of ideas in a natural and
largely untouched environment: the main island Lipari, the green
landscapes of
Salina
, the wild nature of Alicudi and Filicudi, the sophisticated Panarea
and the charming Vulcano and
Stromboli
.
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 Basiluzzo
. More
than an island, Basiluzzo is a 500-meter- long sharp crag boldly emerging out of
the sea two miles from Panarea. Its pointed rocks, measuring up to 150 meters,
gradually slope towards the east, offering from the sea an almost
fairy-tale-vision of the island. The Roman pier is still used as a landing-area.
From here you can climb up along a path to the old ruins lying on the upper part
of the island and enjoy an unparalleled view of the rest of the islands. During
the short but extremely pleasant boat tour around the island a succession of
small coves, grottos and steep rocks vertically rising above the sea will unfold
before you. The transparency of the water near the landing-area will enable you
to spot the ruins of a Roman dockyard swallowed by the sea as a consequence of
the brady seism phenomena.
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 Filicudi.
Once it was
called 'Phoenicusa': "rich in ferns", and a major area of the island
is still covered with this type of vegetation. This island, measuring just under
10 km2, lies 9 miles from Alicudi and 19 miles from Lipari. It is the most
ragged of this group of islands and geologists believe that its conformation is
the product of six eruptive mouths, three of which represent today's peaks of
the island: Fossa delle Felci (774 m) which is the oldest; Montagnola
(333 m) which is probably the most recent; and Torrione (280 m). This
ideal holiday island, light-years away from traffic and noise has two villages
lying on a small peninsula stretching out towards the south: Filicudi
Porto and Pecorini a Mare. The remains of prehistoric settlements
from the Bronze Age have been found here. Excavations have also been carried
out in the upper area and up to the peak of the Montagnola. Subsequent
settlements were built here, probably for defense requirements and deserves a
visit. The island's only usable road is a mule-path.
Filicudi
(and smaller Alicudi) are both blessed with magnificent shores and
underwater vistas; a popular outing is to Filicudi's Grotto of the Sea Lion.
But if you're looking for wide sandy beaches, stay off these islands: they are
strictly for snorkelers and divers, sunbathing on
near-vertical slabs of lava.
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 Lipari
This isle is the largest of the
Aeolian Islands
(48 km2). It lies 22 miles from Milazzo, which is its natural link to the
mainland. Its volcanic nature is revealed by its dominating colours: the white
of the pumice stones scattered all around the coastline and the black of the
obsidian of Castellaccio Vecchio. Thousands of years ago obsidian
represented the islands principal export with the continent because it was
extremely suitable for the manufacturing of sharp tools and arms. The volcanic
phenomenon can also be observed in the island's thermal springs (up to 600), in
its solfataras and in its 12 volcanic systems converging towards the 602 metres
of Monte Chirica (although this is not the only
mountain
of
Lipari
). This elevated and craggy island (once called "Meligunis") has
spectacular beaches and breathtaking ragged coasts whose walls rise
precipitously from below the sea. Besides the town of
Lipari
there are four more villages on the island: Canneto, Acquacalda,
Quattropiani and Piano Conte.
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 Panarea
The ancient
island of "Euonimo" has a surface of only 3.5 km2, but it is the
island highly admired by elite tourism.
Tiny
Panarea is the jet-set island, and perhaps the most picturesque, with its
stark white houses and brilliant yellow ginestra bushes; it boasts three
small but famous hotels and the summer homes of many wealthy Italians (including
fashion designers). The main village, Contrada San Pietro,
consists of a group of white houses clustered along the eastern side of the
island. The built-up area is crowned with olive trees and protected by huge
walls. The other two villages north and south of San Pietro are Dittella
and Drauto. The only practicable roads join the centre with Punta
Calcara: this kingdom of fumaroles (emissions of hot gas and steam) is
situated at the northern tip of the island. The temperature of the soil can
reach as high as 100 degrees. In the exact opposite corner (the south-eastern
tip of the island) lies the prehistoric
village
of
Punta Milazzese
(a hut-village dating back to the Bronze Age), which can be reached from the
beach
of
San Pietro
in an hours walk. We recommend a boat tour to the nearby small islands of Basiluzzo,
Dattilo and Lisca Bianca, to the Scoglio Bottaro (with its
underwater "fumaroles"), and to the crags Lisca Nera, Panarelli and
Le Formiche. Fields of golden corn cover the 420-metre-high
peak
of
Pizzo del Corvo
(the island's highest point) while the mountain slopes down towards the sea on
the eastern side.
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Salina
This isle is the second largest Aeolian island
(26.8 km2). It was
named after the little salted
lake
of
Lingua
lying at the south-eastern tip of Salma where the inhabitants once used
to gather the salt needed to preserve capers and fish. This centrally located
isle, lying two miles from Lipari, is the only Aeolian island (out of seven)
covered with blooming vegetation suitable for agriculture thanks to its many
water sources. More than 400 different types of plants grow here. It is also the
island with the highest peaks such as the three volcanoes that originated it: Monte
Fossa delle Felci (962 m), which is partially covered by one of the most
beautiful strawberry tree woods of the entire
Mediterranean
; Monte dei Porri (860 m); and Monte Rivi (850 m). Besides the
three villages of Santa Marina Salma (the biggest), Malfa and Leni
there are also five hamlets: Lingua, Rinella, Valdichiesa, Pollara and
Torricella. Salma, too, can take pride in its past during the Bronze Age,
which is demon- strated by a grave, found in Malfa, dating back to the
third millennium B.C. The remains are exhibited in the
Museum
of
Lipari.
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 Stromboli
This 924 metre high lava mountain (Serra Vancori) which drops abruptly
down to 2000 metres below sea-level is
Europe's biggest active volcano after Etna. Its area of 12.6 km2 is visually dominated
by the crater: a sort of suggestive natural lighthouse situated
in the easternmost Aeolian island. During the night, the glittering "sciara"
of fire (the red-hot flow descending towards the sea) can be seen from the boats
and from Panarea. During the day, the smoke of the peak joins the steam raising
up from the water that cools down the red-hot lava detritus which have plunged
into the water after sliding down the slope of the coast. The white houses of
the little village create a unique contrast with the black lava background
dotted with dark-green bushes.
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 Vulcano
It was once called 'Hierà" (the sacred), but also "Termessa" or
"Terrasia". Today it is famous for the baths in the warm waters of its
submarine springs. This 21 km2, 500 metre high (Monte Aria) isle is the
Aeolian island closest to the Sicilian coast. Its name is a clear description of
its geography: a land of lava and fumarole, yellow sulphur rocks and black sands
all worth a visit. There are three volcanoes on the island: the first
extinguished since the prehistoric age; the second is Vulcanello (123
metres high and dormant since 183 B.C.); the last is Fossa di Vulcano (only
the fumaroles are still active).
Food
& Wine
All sorts of fish delicacies can be found on the local menus. Special attention
must be given to the swordfish, a typical fish of these waters, which is caught
according to a very ancient and extremely picturesque "rite". Other
specialities are: "maccaruni", aubergine rolls, sweet and sour rabbit,
smoked ricotta cheese and the aromatic capers (their flowers are called
the 'orchids of the
Aeolian Islands
") There is also a selection of excellent, strong and spiced local wines.
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Yacht Charter
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