Lipar Islands (Aeolian Islands)
The Lipari Islands are a volcanic archipelago northeast of the coast of Sicily. Their natural and man-made beauty – the ancient fortress of Lipari, the extraordinary red, yellow and ochre cliffs – has long beckoned travelers.
General Information
The earliest settlers came here from Cnidus (580 BC) and named the islands after Aeolus, lord of the winds, and it was here that Homer’s Odysseus fought the mighty Cyclopes. The 1950 movie Stromboli, directed by Rossellini, is connected to these places, with an active volcano of the same name. Its regular eruptions still spew red streams of molten lava onto the bare rocks. The archipelago was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 because of its importance in the field of geology and, in particular, volcanology. Stromboli and Vulcano are two volcanoes with different types of eruptions and scientists have been studying them for over 200 years.
.The Lipari Islands offer tireless travelers the white sandy beaches and pale blue sea at Lipari; the tranquility of the garden island of Salina with very tasty fish, octopus, and a mild sweet golden dessert wine called malvasia; the extraordinary rock formations at Fumarole Bay, whose waters are heated by bubbling sulfur vapors. Alicudi is the most remote of the islands and is famous for its panoramic views and unspoiled volcanic beauty.
.In Fumarole Bay, you can view the incredibly shaped rock formations and black beaches. The islands can be reached by boat, ferry or “rocket” from Milazzo, Sicily or Naples.
