These islands
are on the North-east side of the island of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. One
goes there for relaxation; wonderful sight: the ocean, food and hospitality.
But you don’t come for activities: there is little! Sure, you can climb a
volcano on Stromboli (the only constantly active- very active see website - one
in Europe!) or go to the beach on Panarea or other islands, but that is about
it. At least that is what I found; I am here therefore to relax and discover
the islands!
It is around
the Aeolians that Roberto Rosselini shot (in 1949, released .in 1950), ‘Stromboli,
terra di Dio’, when he dropped Anna Magnani for Ingrid Berman (she became his
wife). The same year, ‘Vulcano’ was shot by the German-born Dieterle with Anna
Magnani and Rossano Brazzi in the islands. It is in these islands also (mostly
Lipari and Basiluzzo) (and all over Sicily!) that Michelangelo Antonioni filmed
‘L’Avventura’, released in 1960, shot with Monica Vitti.
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Panarea: one of 7 main islands of the Aeolians, the smallest
(only about a little more than 3 square kilometers!) I stayed there for the
week I spent in the islands, see separate blog entry on the B&B where I
stayed). They say it is one of the most interesting islands in the
Mediterranean, especially at low season, which is now! To get here, (by ferry
of course) you leave at Milazzo (on the « terra fimra » of Sicily, so
to speak) to the island of Lipari where you change ferry to go to Panarea. But
first you stop at the island of Volcano (they don’t tell you that unless you
ask!) Panarea is located between Lipari and Stromboli, on the east (right) side
(there is another ferry I believe going from Lipari to the other islands
(Salina, Filicudi and Alicudi), to the west (right )of Lipari. It took a good 2
hours to get there from Milazzo!
Panarea is inhabitated since the 14th century… at least on a full time (there are I am told,
some 2 to 300 people living there permanently)! For you discover later (at the
villagio prehistorico) that there were people who were there in the 15th to
13th century B.C! (They left, I am explained later on, because the people who
lived there were subject of razzia of pirates: they were enslaved; so
definitely not a safe place to live, and a good reason to leave!
There is
plenty of hotels (e.g. Raya to name the more well-known) and restaurants (many
close for the season) There are no cars, only small ‘golf carts’ or mobilettes
(one understands when one sees the “roads”). The beach is at about 2 kms from
the port, going east (right of the island) on s’y rend à pied (au moins 45
minutes du port - çà monte et puis çà descend!) or in a taxi-cart like I did the following day.
(Je me suis rendu vers
l’ouest qui mène vers le sommet de l’île (421 m – l’une des sommets les plus
bas de l’archipel, lit-on). I walked up (dizziness was bad!) to the prehistoric village (Cala Junco)
where it was established that people lived in the 15th to 13th century B.C. (see
above). Lots of cacti: the vegetation reminds me of Arizona!
Restaurants: I
had meals at: the”Cusiritati”, the “Eoliano” and the “Macellaio”. All very good!
%2BThe%2BBeach%2Bin%2BPanarea.JPG)
Stromboli
Took the ferry
to the volcano island (about half an hour ferry ride). You can see the cone
well from Panarea! Same thing: no cars; fishermen island; Very active volcano
(see on Youtube the summer 2014 film capturing the lava going down - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dXCfy7fNiQ
or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zTIl47fEaw
).
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Lipari
This is the
‘capital’ of the islands, at least the commercial center. All the other islands
above are part of the commune of Lipari. There are streets and cars there! If
you stay there, it is probably on the left of the port (the Vittorio Emanuele
II street seems to be the main touristic street!)
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Sicily (on the
train Milazzo to Palermo) October 16, 2014
