Alicudi

The senses tell Alicudi

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The sea merging with the sky

Alicudi’s geographical position and its distance from the coast mean that as you climb the steps of the only lane that leads from the sea to the top of Monte dell’Arpa, you lose the magnitude of the sea. Even halfway up the coast, looking towards the infinite, it will seem like the blue of the sea has mixed with the blue of the sky, leaving no clearly defined horizon in front of you.

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Heather

Alicudi’s name comes from Ereikousa, related to Erica (heather). You need only go just beyond the main roads to find lots of them. Find one and get lost in the intense scent they give off, especially after sunset.

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The flying squid of Alicudi

Though the community of Alicudi now lives off of tourism, by renting out the few houses, a small part of the population is still devoted to fishing. And the fresh fish you will eat here is something else entirely. If you are in Alicudi during the summer, buy freshly caught squid from the local fishermen: they are incredibly soft on the palate and full of the taste of the sea.

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Silence alicudi

The silence in Alicudi is absolutely dominant, even along the only lane that goes from the sea to the top of Monte dell’Arpa. If you want to immerse yourself in absolute silence, interrupted only by the singing of the summer cicadas, head for the top of the mountain.

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The night-time warmth of the steps

Like all the other islands of the archipelago, Alicudi is not intensely (or even averagely) urbanised. This means that in the evening the heat is never insufferable, due to the ground breeze cooling down the summer heat. Sometimes, this light wind can become too much. If so, stop along the lava rock steps to feel the heat they release in the evening, after accumulating it for an entire day

The Aeolian Islands, where volcanoes were first studied

Lipari, where history intertwines with volcanoes to create archaeology

Pollara, between poetry and beauty

The hidden part of the Aeolian Islands

The Gran Cratere of the Fossa

Alicudi, where time has stood still

Filicudi, a submerged paradise

At the heart of trade in history

Volcanoes

Vulcano, the most famous volcano in the world

Where do Vulcano’s gases come from?

The fumaroles of the port of Vulcano

The Cathedral of Lipari and the Norman Cloister of the Benedictine Monastery

The pure white of the pumice quarries

Panarea, the island of Stacks

The malleability of Vulcano’s mud

The Sciara del Fuoco

The prehistoric village of Cala Junco

The ancient production of salt

The summit craters

The senses tell Alicudi

Myths and legends about volcanoes

The polis of the living and the necropolis of the dead

The Village of Capo Graziano

The senses tell The Gran Cratere of the Fossa

Lipari Castle, “fused” with lava

Lipari at the centre of Mediterranean history

The senses tell The prehistoric village of Cala Junco

Seven islands, dozens of volcanoes

Seven islands with different faces

Filicudi: small island, big history

Salina, the green island with twin mountains

The senses tell The Stacks of Panarea

Wine, oil and capers, masterpieces of nature and launching pad of the Aeolian economy

The senses tell the port of Vulcano

Stromboli, the volcano that breathes

The senses tell The summit craters

The Stacks of Panarea

The salt lake of Lingua

The senses tell the Lipari Castle