Sicily’s other
islands
PANAREA
Theupmarketespadrillebrigadefavoursglamorous
Panarea,a car-freeisletwithVIPstatus.Itscovesare
dottedwithyachtsownedbythelikesofbillionaire
RomanAbramovich,anditssummerresidentsinclude
theBulgariandBorghesefamiliesandassortedEuro
andHollywoodroyalty.A nightoutatHotelRaya
(hotelraya.it)is obligatory;thisis thechicpartyhotel
thatputtheAeoliansonthemapinthe1960s,andits
casualglamourandgreatfoodstilldrawanaristo-boho
set.Byday,houseguestscantakelonglunches,long
walksandexplorehiddencovesbyboat.Theisland’s
beachesincludeSpiaggiadellaCalcara,withsmoking
fumaroles,hotspringsandmagicalviews,andCala
Bianca,ina collapsedcrateronthewestcoast.Save
thedateinJuneforthefestivalofSanPietro,theisland’s
patronsaint,whenpassionatedrinkinganddancing
precede the ritual of his statue being carried into the sea.TheAeolianislandsoffSicily’snorth-
eastcoastareasdiverseastheyare
beautiful, writesLYDIA BELL.