Page 17 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

DISC OVERING SICIL Y  15

A Week in the
Aeolian Islands
• Arrive Year-round, hydrofoils
(and much slower car ferries)
leave several times daily
from Milazzo, and once daily
from Messina. In summer
both services are more
frequent, and there is one
daily hydrofoil connection
with Palermo.
• Transport Island-hopping is
by hydrofoil.

Day One Wallow in a sulphurous warm mud bath on Vulcano
Arriving from Milazzo, start your
trip on smouldering, sulphurous famous granitas (p217) in the take a boat tour right around
Vulcano (p194), the closest seaside piazza, and visit the tiny the island. Dinner and sleep in
Aeolian Island to the mainland. ethnographic and prehistoric Pecorini Mare.
It has been rather carelessly museums overlooking the salt
developed, but it is, however, lake. Take a bus to Pollara, a Day Five
worth the trip to climb the remote hamlet clustered within Make a day trip by hydrofoil – or
volcano (and walk through a collapsed volcanic caldera, an organized boat excursion –
billowing clouds of sulphur). where the Italian cult classic to the remote island of Alicudi
Bring a picnic to eat on your Il Postino was filmed. Either stay, (p195) to walk the mule tracks,
descent, and leave time to relax watch the sun set and have and swim from rocks. In low
afterwards, wallowing in mud dinner, or, if there is still plenty season bring a picnic as there is
baths and swimming above of light, take another bus to the no restaurant. Spend a second
natural springs around Porto inland village of Valdichiesa and night on Filucidi – or take an
di Levante. Catch the last walk down a paved mule track evening hydrofoil, if there is
hydrofoil to Lipari (p194) in to the tiny second port of |one, to Salina or Lipari – one
time for an aperitivo and dinner. Rinella, with a sandy beach and step closer to tomorrow’s
Sleep in Lipari. plenty of little places to eat and destination, Stromboli.
drink. Sleep in Salina.
Day Two Day Six
Wander the bustling main town Day Four Island-hop to Stromboli (p195)
of Lipari, with its flower-hung Catch the first morning hydro- and spend the morning strolling
alleys and the pretty pleasure foil to Filicudi (p195), taking around exquisite Stromboli
harbour of Marina Corta, then the minibus taxi that greets town – a whitewashed labyrinth
climb to the old castle to see arrivals to the picturesque with cascades of bougainvillea
the superb and imaginatively village of Pecorini Mare. Spend and plumbago – or laze on one
presented collection of the a lazy day at the stylish Lido, or of the black sand beaches. Have
Archeological Museum. If it is lunch in town, then make the
not too hot, take a bus to the ascent of the volcano in time to
Cave Caolina and walk to the arrive at the summit at sunset.
thermal baths of San Calogero. Dinner and sleep in Stromboli.
In hot weather, head for one of
the beaches – the white pumice Day Seven
beach at Porticello is the most Hydrofoil to Panarea (p195).
unusual., scattered with hunks Explore the chic little town, then
of obsidian (black volcanic glass) wander along smartly paved
after storms. Take a late after- mule tracks to Zimmari beach
noon hydrofoil to Salina (p194). (with a good lunch bar open in
Sleep in Santa Marina or Malfa. summer), the prehistoric village
of Capo Milazzese and the
Day Three gorgeous bay of Cala Junco.
Twin-peaked Salina is the Hikers can make a full circuit of
greenest and most diverse of this small island from here.
the islands. Take a bus or walk Otherwise, take it easy on the
(30 min from Santa Marina) to beach. Sleep in Panarea, then
the hamlet of Lingua, to have The tranquil village of Salina Malfa, a good take a morning hydrofoil back
lunch and one of Alfredo’s option for accommodation to Milazzo.

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