The Aeolian archipelago has some seventeen islands, but only
seven of them are inhabited. The island group, also better known as the Lipari
islands –Eolian islands, are located north-east of the Sicilian coast and can be
reached by ferry from Sicily, Nales, Reggio Calabria. Lipari is the main
island, and generally offers the best accommodations and has a few beaches. If
you're feeling energetic, hike to the top of Mount Sant'Angelo. 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 pomice-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.
The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari is also the only one with a sizeable town, a substantial year-round population and much in the way of industry. Pumice quarries have taken huge bites out of the mountains, though mining has recently been banned and there are plans to create a 'geo-park' with an eco-museum and thermal baths. Although the town has its attractions (the fortified acropolis, some flower-hung alleys, the pretty harbour of Marina Corta), it's not a very sophisticated place. Gaudy sarongs, mass-produced jewellery and overpriced tourist menus compete for visitors' attention with hardware stores, chandleries and the archipelago's main supermarket.
The coast around here is wild, rocky and, best of all, undeveloped, with splintered rocks offshore and extraordinary views. It's inaccessible by car, but you can reach it on foot at Valle Muria, where there's a beach (and, in season, boats to and from the port), or at Punta delle Fontanelle.
Lipari Town
The town on this
island is the only true town in the whole archipelago. There are two main
roads across the town, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Garibaldi, which are
connected by Via Umberto, Via Maurolico and Via XXIV Maggio. To the south of the
rock, Via Garibaldi reaches Marina Corta, a traditional gathering-place for
local inhabitants.
This is where you
can find the restaurants, outdoor cafés and ice cream parlours where you can sit
a table in the shade of a large parasol. From here live also all boat trips to
the beaches and the other islands. These places are very busy on
summer mornings, when the traditional Sicilian breakfast is served – “granita
caffè con panna e brioche” crushed ice flavoured coffe with cream served with
fresh brioches. Marina Corta has a host of restaurants and places where
friends can meet.
In order to preserve its habitual tranquillity, the town centre
is closed to traffic in the summer, when you have to take one of the small local
buses to get from the northern side to the southern side of the town centre.
Thus, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Garibaldi become peaceful streets where
you can go for a nice stroll or sit in an open-air café or restaurant without
having to cope with the noise and smell of cars and mopeds.
Best places are along Corso Vittorio Emanuele: Bar La
Precchia, Eden Bar , here you can sit outdoors and taste some of the delicious
local cakes and ice creams.
Among the many tipical home-made Aeolian products are delicious biscuits covered with sesame seeds that can be dipped in
Malvasia wine, a desert wine made in Lipari or Salina. Other interesting
grocery products are wines from the Eolias , excellent superior-quality
extra virgin olive oil, capers , which grow in abundance on the island and
iare exported to the mainland and abroad.
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 - Malvasia - produced and bottled in the Aeolian islands.
Aeolian sweet specialities are the local pastries “Nacatuli” and
“Spicchitedda”, ice creams and cannolo alla siciliana (filled with sweet cream
and ricotta cheese).
Lipari’s History (Roman Lipara,
ancient Greek Meligunis) is the biggest of the
Aeolian Islands, in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily, and
also the island's main town. It has approximately 11,000 inhabitants and during
the tourist season (May-September) its population reaches up to 200,000. Lipari is one of a
chain of seven islands in a volcanic archipelago that straddles the gap between
Vesuvius and Etna. It is supposed (H. Pichler) that the island was created by a
succession of four volcanic movements, the most important of which should be the
third one, presumably lasting from 20000 BC to 13000 BC. A further important
phenomenon should have happened around 9000 BC (C14 exams by Keller). Steaming
fumaroles may still be seen. Its position has made
the harbor of Lipari strategic.
In neolithic times Lipari was, with Sardinia,
one of the few centers of the commerce of obsidian, a hard black volcanic glass
prized by neolithic peoples for the sharp cutting edge it could produce.
Lipari's history is rich in incidents and is witnessed by the recent retrievals
of several necropolis and other archaeological treasures. Man seems to have
inhabited the island already in 5000 BC. Its continuous occupation may have been
interrupted violently when the late 9th century Ausonian civilisation site was
burned and apparently not rebuilt. Many household objects have been retrieved
from the charred stratum. Colonists from Cnidia
under Pentathlos arrived at Lipara in 580 BC and settled on the site of the
village now known as Castello or la Cittade. The colony successfully fought the
Etruscans for control of the Tyrrhenian. Allied with Syracuse at the time of the
fateful intervention of Athens in the west in 427 BC, Lipara withstood the
assault of Athenians and their allies. Carthaginian forces succeeded in holding
the site briefly during their struggles with Dionysios I, tyrant of Syracuse, in
394, but once they were gone the polis entered a three-way alliance which
included Dionysios' new colony at Tyndaris. Lipari prospered, but in 304 Agathokles took the town by treachery and is said to have
lost pillage from it in a storm at sea. Many objects recovered from wrecks of
antiquity are now in the inLipari.
Lipari became a Carthaginian naval base during the first Punic War, but fell to Roman
forces in 252-251, and again to Agrippa in Octavian's campaign against Pompey.
Under the Roman Empire, it was a place of retreat, baths (the hydrothermic
waters are still used as a spa) and exile. The 13th century AD
citadel built by the Aragonese above the town is constructed on the Greek
acropolis. During Fascism, it
was a destination for the confinement of members of the political opposition:
among them, Emilio Lussu, Carlo Rosselli, Giuseppe Ghetti. The pale pumice of
lipari is processed and exported all over the world. An unique and very interesting Archeological Museum has been created to collect a relevant part of the retrievals; its disparate
sections relating to the human history of these islands from prehistoric to
classical times, also cover vulcanology, marine history, and the paleontology of
the western Mediterranean.
This is certainly an experience not to be missed. The great part of boat trips live from marina Corta wharf (fishermen port). From here you have trips to the many beaches of the island Lipari : Spiaggia Vinci, I Faraglioni di Lipari, Valle Muria, Spiagge Bianche (white beaches-pumice sand), Pomiciazzo, and others, and daytrips to the other islands: Vulcano, Stromboli (with or without the climbing of the Crater), Salina, Panarea, Alicudi and Filicudi. In Lipari the most beautiful and exciting stretch of coastline is onj the wildest side of the island, from Quattropani when you are on land, but it is even more spectacular when see from the sea. The enchanting view begins as soon as you have gone past the channel (500 metres wide) between the islands of Lipari and Vulcano. As you round Punta Crapazza you will see the little beach at Vinci and the crags of Pietra Lunga and Pietra Menalda (the lipari’s faraglioni) Next comes the promontory of Perciato, whose layered rocks have been perforated by the motion of the sea. Then there are Pietracacata (a colourful name taken from the mess left by seagulls) and the rocks oLe Formiche.
As you continue, you will see the steep rock faces of Monte Guardia and, beyond Punta Jacopo, the pebbly beach ofValle Muria. Soon afterwards you will see the strecth of coastline that can be travelled on land by taking the old kaolin trail, with Pietra del Bagno, Cala Fico, the bay outlined by the Cugno Lungo promontory and, finally, the rocks ofLe Torricelle. The rocky coastline continues unbroken as far as the beaches of Acquacalda and the piece of coastline marked by the pumice quarrying industry. You leave the cargo docks behind you and travel back towards Lipari, going around Capo Monterosa, where the woodland is currently being restored. Those who prefer the silence of the underwater environment can contact a number of businesses offering excursions, diving assistance, oxygen refills and special diving courses. The pumice seabed at Punta Castagna is an exceptional place to explore, or you can go to the shallows at Bagno, where the crags reach down to a depth of 30 metres and you can see a host of gorgonians and fish species.
Boat trips links for itineray - informations and tarifs Excursions and trips by boats to and from the Islands:
Lipari’s History 
