LIPARI
Low-keyLipariis themostpopulousandlargestofthe
seveninhabitedAeolians– ninekilometreslong,seven
wide– andthearchipelago’shydrofoilhub.Toappreciate
itsrichhumanhistorysinceNeolithictimes,visitthe
archaeologicalmuseumandlearnabouttheancienttrade
inobsidian,a volcanicglassprizedformakingweapons.
Dineinrusticrestaurantsorunderlemontreesincobbled
squaresinLiparitown,wheremealsaretypically
simpleandproduceis local,suchaswildfennel,cherry
tomatoesandmackerel.Followwalkingtrailsthrough
themountainousinterior,orhaila privateboatfora day
ofcove-hoppingandchooseyourswimmingspot;head
totheeastcoast,wherebrilliantwhitepumicequarries
enhancetheturquoiseofthesea,orheadnorthto
thelongpebblebeachofAcquacalda.Oneofthefew
poolsontheislandis withintheluxePosidoniavilla,
offeredbyMedvillaspecialistTheThinkingTraveller
(thethinkingtraveller.com),withprivate boat charters
andhelicoptertransfers available.SALINA
ThegreenestandmostbucolicAeolianshottofameas
a backdropforthe 1994 filmIl Postino, yetit retainsan
unpretentious,outdoorsycharm.MaremmaSafariClub
(maremmasafari.com)hasrecentlylaunchedguided
walkingtourshere,climbingpeaks,traversingvineyards
andwalkingintohiddencoves.Headtotheporttown
ofSantaMarinaSalinaforartisanalfoodshopsand
restaurantsservingAeolianfeastsoflocalcapers,
fish,tomatoesandsweetMalvasiadelleLipari.Salina’s
beaches,whiledramatic,tendtobeinaccessibleand
pebbly,sothere’smuchsocialisingaroundpoolsata
handfulofboutiquehotels.Amongthemis Capofaro
Locanda& Malvasia(capofaro.it),whereownerandSicilian
wineproducerCountLucioTascaD’Almeritahasadded
newsuitestotheproperty’scentrallighthouse.Hotel
Signum(hotelsignum.it)is a prettywarrenofroomswith
a largeinfinitypoolandsmallspaatthenorth-coast
villageofMalfa.Orthere’sAnitaMotta’s12-roomPrincipe
diSalina(principedisalina.it),featuringa geothermal
hot tub, infinity pool, shisha bar and breezy style.STROMBOLI
Volcanicactivityis everywherein evidenceonthis
archipelago– thermalsprings,steamingfumaroles,mud
baths– butnowheremoresothanonStromboli.Theisland
is,in fact,a volcanothat’sbeeneruptingsince1932,witha
smoulderingcraterandcovesofblacksandflankingcrags
ofigneousrock.FromthemainvillageofStromboli,hike
upthevolcanoandarriveatthesummitintimeforsunset.
Afterdark,thesightoffieryorangelavais accompanied
bya soundtrackofvolcanicrumbles.There’snotmuch
infrastructureontheisland(thoughfashiondesignersDolce
andGabbanakeepa villahere).Thepickofthelodgings
is LaSirenettaParkHotel(lasirenetta.it),a whitewashed
jumbleofbuildingsfestoonedwithbougainvillea.VULCANO, ALICUDIand FILICUDI
If youdon’tmindtheeggystench,jointhesteamyscene
atLaghettodiFanghi,theancientoutdoormudbaths,on
thestoriedislandofVulcano.Itssulphur-andalum-rich
waterandmudaresaidtodowondersforjointandskin
conditions.HiketoVulcano’suplandplainoflavaandtuff,
climbthevolcanoforstellarsunsetviews,anddineatthe
TherasiaResortSea& Spa(therasiaresort.it).Themost
unspoiledoftheAeoliansareAlicudi(wild,remote,with
onehotelanda handfulofshops)andFilicudi(three
villages,a handfulofshopsandeateries,crystal-clear
pebblycoves).Takea daytriptoFilicudifromnearby
SalinaonthewoodenboatBarcaJost, whichdoesa
greatlunchenroute(bellinitravel.com).Orstayovernight
on Filicudi in a rustic, photogenic villa (sopranovillas.com).●Clockwise
fromabove:
localproduce
atSalina;street
sceneatLipari;
Panarea’s port.PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 139