The Aeolian Islands are located just north of Sicily and with a light wind can be sailed to in a few hours. The islands poke up out of the water like pyramids and although in the main they are made up of volcanic rock there are also large parts of each island that is very green with vegetation.
This was the beginning of the holiday season in a covid relaxed Sicily. There were only a few people about, however each of the islands were shaping themselves up for what they hoped would be a booming post covid summer to remember.
Our first stop was Lipari. Anchoring just outside of Lipari town can be a bit rolly because you are rather exposed to the easterly winds but mainly to the many ferries, tourist boats and fishing boats that come and go out of the harbour. We very nearly gave going ashore a miss because of the many ferry boats but decided that as leaving the dinghy was easy in the small fishing harbour, we may as well go and have a look. What an amazingly pretty place it is. The harbour entrance overlooked by a few restaurants was so picturesque and the little winding roads and narrow lanes with their shrubbery at both ground level and hanging from balaconies gave it a real mediterranean feel. We were so pleased we had decided to go ashore.
We moved up the coast a couple of miles and visited a derelict pumice factory. The coastal weather conditions has eroded it so that it looks like it had closed 100years ago, but in fact finally closed in 2007 due to the islands becoming a Unesco Heritage Site.
Our next island was Selina. The waters were so crystal clear even though they were very deep. With each island having sheer and high slopes, these dropped into the water several hundred feet just metres away from the shore in many places. Out anchorage in Selina looked up a very steep hill and once again taking the dinghy ashore was easy with a small marina that had a slip for fishing boats and a small beach next door. It's amazing how much better it makes you feel when you can easily tie up your tender in a place that you're not worried about. Selina main town was very small but quaint. There are more actual houses here than in Lipari and each one was either covered in all colours of bourgainvillea flowers or lemon trees and vegetables. Almost all of the houses also had a magnificent uninterrupted view of the sea looking towards the other islands.
Our third island was Panarea. This is one of the smaller islands with very few anchorages. The west side of the island being very steep & rocky but extremely beautiful. We anchored in a small bay where there was a beach and we could go for a hike. We didn't go to the town, deciding that we were quite happy with the stunning scenery that Panarea had to offer. Our hike didn't disappoint with views into the bay and across to Selina and Lipari.
Our final island was Stromboli. We couldn't get here last year due to engine troubles but this year we were determined to see the erupting volcano. We sailed during the day so that it was almost night when we arrived. We arrived thinking that perhaps all the hype about the eruptions was just that...hype. It was 8.30pm, we could see the peak of the volcano but nothing was happening, what an anti-climax! Then just as we thought we may just turn round and motor-sail back to Panarea the slightly darkened sky brightened with a glow of shooting lava and orange hot rocks and the volcanic show had started. We estimated it must have reached 100ft high above the lip of the crater. It seemed to breathe for a few moments and then roar so loud, we couldn't believe we could hear it from just outside of the exclusion zone in the water. Its a sight that makes you feel very vulnerable and insignificant but so exceptionally lucky to witness something that ultimately created these beautiful islands. Amazingly on the other side of the volcano there is a small village where about 300 people live. Why someone would live so close to such danger is beyond me.
Our time in the Aeolian Islands is nearly over. There are 2 smaller islands we did not visit and if the water had been slightly warmer we would have snorkelled the many rocky outcrops. We are struggling with the watermaker, which has to be returned to the manufacturers in mainland Sicily and we also have our 2nd vaccine due in 10days. I'm not sure if we will ever return by boat but these islands are definitely somewhere we could visit again. If you get the chance to visit...GO!
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