Visit The Beautiful Aeolian Islands!

Where are the Aeolian Islands you say? If you were to look at a map of Sicily, you would find an attractive group of islands about 25 – 20 km. to the north in the Tyrrhenian Sea which are known as the Aeolian Islands. These islands are a volcanic archipelago and are fast becoming a popular tourist destination in the summer months of July and August. Approximately 200,000 tourists visit the islands annually.

The archipelago is defined scientifically as a ‘volcanic arc’ which was formed by the continental drifting movement of the earth’s crust. The constant movement and instability of the geological area still cause the volcanic conditions that are a large part of the tourist industry’s attraction to the area.

The Aeolian Islands are listed by Unesco as one of the World Heritage Sites, however, its listing is threatened due the missing closure of a pumice quarry and some upcoming building of harbours on Lipari.

This group of islands is quite remote, which is really part of their tourist appeal. There is no air travel available to the islands, except for an expensive helicopter service that only runs during the high season. The only way to reach the islands are by the frequent car ferry services or by hydrofoil, which depart from Milazzo and Messina on Sicily, or from Reggio di Calabria on the mainland of Italy. Ferries run regularly during the summer, but are fewer in the spring, autumn and winter months. Travelling between the islands is done only by boat.

The main island of Lipari is the transport hub through its main town, also called Lipari. Lipari offers many hotels for the tourist to choose from, and can be used as a base to tour the rest of the islands. Many inhabitants of the villages also rent rooms to guests.

The island right next to Lipari is Vulcano which is dominated by the Gran Cratere volcano. This volcanic cone gives off clouds of sulphurous gas and offers the tourist a fantastic sight to see. The tourist can take the steep climb to the summit of the volcano and witness a spectacular view of the hissing sulphurous fumes and gaze out over the rest of the archipelago. Vulcano is also popular for its rocky beach and mud baths.

Tourists visiting the larger islands of Lipari and Vulcano, as well as Salina, should have no problem getting around as there are excellent bus services available. Scooters are also available for rent.

Tourists visiting the larger islands of Lipari and Vulcano, as well as Salina, should have no problem getting around as there are excellent bus services available. Scooters are also available for rent.

Although Vulcano also is popular for its volcano, Stromboli is by far the most spectacular and popular of the islands. It is the only island of the group whose volcano is currently active, and in fact has the only volcano in the world that has been continuously active throughout recorded history. There are actually three active craters at the peak, and the significant geological feature is a large horseshoe-shaped depression on the north-west side of the cone.

Of course the volcano is the most popular tourist attraction on the island and the tourist should not miss a night-time climb up to the crater to see the amazing sunset set against the volcanic eruptions. The tourist visiting Stromboli, however, should be aware that the walking tours up the volcano are not easy and they should be in good physical condition to attempt it. It is also advisable to bring a flashlight along because the streets and paths are not illuminated.

Stromboli’s larger village of the same name is a very pretty town with narrow streets for the tourist to enjoy. There is also a smaller village known as Ginostra on the island, which was a former fishing village, but it is not normally visited by tourists. Because of the island’s small size, there are no streets for cars or buses so the only means of transportation is walking, small motorbikes, scooters or by boat. There are also beautiful fine black sand beaches (made from the volcanic ash) for swimming and rocky coves to discover.

Apart from climbing the volcanos, a tourist may well enjoy a boat tour excursion around the Aeolian Islands. Small boats are available for rent to travel around each island but are not adequate for travel between the islands.

Visiting the Aeolian Islands is a treat that the adventurous tourist would well enjoy. The beautiful vistas, the wonderfully remoteness, seeing an active volcano first-hand and climbing to its summit is an activity that is not done by many. It is an accomplishment a tourist could marvel at for years to come.

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