Monday, August 1, 2011

AEOLIAN-PELAGIE ISLANDS

(includes Alicudi & Filicudi, Favignana, Lampedusa, Lampione, Levanzo, Linosa, Lipari, Marettimo, Panarea, Pantelleria, Salina, Stromboli & Vulcano)

ALICUDE & FILICUDI
Hotels
Hotel Ericusa – Alicudi; 011-39-90-988-9902; only hotel on island.
Restaurants
Ericusa – Alicudi; 011-39-90-988-9902; only restaurant on island.
La Sirena – Filicudi; 011-39-90-988-9997; swordfish carpaccio with juniper dressing, spaghetti in almond sauce.



LAMPEDUSA
Beaches
Cala Pulcino – need to hike over rocks & through thick vegetation to get there (about half hour), but upon arrival, you’re rewarded with powdery white sand, spectacular views & endless blue Mediterranean in front of you.



LIPARI
Hotels
Hotel Carasco – Via Porto delle Genti; 011-39-90-981-1605; carasco.it; stark but beautifully sited hotel.
Hotel Villa Meligunis – 7 Via Marte; 011-39-90-981-2426; villameligunis.it; lovely.
Restaurants
Caffe la Vela – 2 Piazza San Onofrio; 011-39-90-988-0064; notable for homemade pane cunzatu (dark, rough bread) and salads.
Filippino – Piazza Municipio; 011-39-90-9811002; island’s best restaurant; terrace dining.
Kasbah – 25 Via Maurolico; 011-39-90-981-1075; stylish with lovely outside garden.
Sights & Sites
Aeolean Archaeological Museum – 1 Via del Castello (Lipari Castle); 011-39-90-988-0174; regione.sicilia.it; recounts Aeolian Islands’ history using artifacts discovered during excavations commenced in 1949; museum has prehistoric Lipari section, interesting Bronze Age necropolis reconstruction, fine red figural krater (terracotta statuette) collection, and amazing amphorae (recovered from seabed); also, theater mask collection.
San Bartolomeo Cathedral – Via del Concordato; 17th Century; built to replace original Norman cathedral, destroyed by Barbarossa who, despite his Arab name (Khair-ed-din Barbarossa), was actually Italian mercenary; only original element to survive is 12th Century Benedictine cloister; interior hung with chandeliers; in northern transept is silver St. Bartholomew statue (1728) with his flayed skin tucked under his arm.



MARETTIMO
Hotels
Marettimo Residence – 3 Via Telegrafo; 011-39-92-392-3202; marettimoresidence.it; weekly rentals from $683; whitewashed buildings that look out to sea.



PANAREA
Hotels
Hotel Raya – Via San Pietro; 011-39-90-983-013; hotelraya.it; make sure to ask for 1 of the 30 hillside rooms because it also has less desirable rooms in town.
Restaurants
Trattoria Da Pina – Gelso; 011-39-90-985-2242; famous for gnocchi with pureed eggplant; great seafood.
Restaurant Raya – Via San Pietro; 011-39-90-983-013; hotelraya.it; terrace dining.
Shopping
Raya Boutique – Via San Pietro; 011-39-90-983-013; hotelraya.it.



PANTELLERIA
Hotels
Pantelleria Dream Exclusive Hotel – Contrada Zubebi (Tracino); 011-39-95-779-3097; pantelleriadream.com; white-washed structure with domed roof; 46 spacious rooms; wide views of seas and stone paths, lined with desert flowers; sleek bar area and restaurant; spectacular infinity pool; mid-September-mid-October; Rooms L1, L2, and L3 have perfect bay views.
Shopping
La Nicchia Bottega delle Specialita – Contrada da Scauri; 011-39-92-391-2968; lanicchia.com; gourmet foods, such as capers.



SALINA
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Bar Alfredo – 5 Piazza Marina Garibaldi (Lingua); 011-39-90-984-3075; open Easter to November; no sign; some of Italy’s best granita; also sandwiches.
Hotels
Capofaro Malvasia & Resort – 3 Via Faro (Santa Marina Salina); 011-39-90-984-4330; capofaro.it; new minimalist Mediterranean resort puts Aeolian Island on map; 13 rooms, 5 suites, and stellar restaurant occupy 7 whitewashed, flat-roofed cottages set amid vineyards; when volcano on Stromboli Island throws sparks at night,faro (lighthouse) and archipelago are illuminated.
I Cinque Balconi – 36 Via Risorgimento (Santa Marina Salina); 011-39-90-984-3508; icinquebalconi.it; in town center; modern rooms in traditional house.
Hotel Mamma Santina – 40 Via Sanità (Santa Marina Salina); 011-39-90-984-3054; mammasantina.it.
Salina Hotel – Via Manzoni (Lingua); 011-39-90-983-441; lasalinahotel.com; in 19th Century salt mill; includes bungalows and old warehouse; in wind-swept area; tastefully decorated bungalows, each with hammock and sea view.
Hotel Signum – 15 Via Scala; 011-39-90-984-4222; hotelsignum.it; has good restaurant and infinity pool.
Restaurants
’nni Lausta – 188 Via Risorgimento; 011-39-90-984-3486; isolasalina.com; snazzy, nouvelle cuisine.
Shopping
Amanei – 71 Via Risorgimento; 011-39-90-984-3547; amanei.com; bookshop, boutique, and gallery.
Carpe Diem – 28 Via Risorgimento; 011-39-90-984-3053; local gastronomic products.
Carlo Hauner Azienda Agricola – Via Umberto I (Localita Lingua); 011-39-339-721-3713; hauner.it; Carlo hauner is designer and painter from Brescia who trasplanted here in 1960s; created winery; visit winery and taste famous wines from April-November.



STROMBOLI
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Il Malandrino – Via Marina; 011-39-90-986-376; facebook.com/pages/Stromboli-Ristorante-Il-Malandrino/212573295447725; coffee; island meeting place.
Hotels
Hotel Ossidiana – Via Marina; 011-39-90-986-006; hotelossidiana.it; comfortable.
Hotel La Sciara – Via Soldato Cincotta; 011-39-90-986-004; Hotel-La-Sciara-Stromboli.com; lovely pool; gorgeous, peaceful (without seeming old), and friendly; grounds beautiful and well-maintained; small, stunning black-sand beach for guests’ use.
La Locanda del Barbablu – 17 Via Vittorio Emanuele; 011-39-90-986-118; barbablu.it; quirky choice; charming, isolated, little inn with only few, small-ish rooms, standing against turn-of-20th-Century breakfronts; renowned since early 1900s, when sailors used to stop for R&R en route to Naples; lovely garden; wide terrace opens onto dramatic sea and volcano views.
La Nassa – Fico Grande (Stromboli); 011-39-2-2683-0102; lanassastromboli.it; rustic, no-frills pension in what was once fisherman’s house; basic cabanas feel luxurious with orange and fuschia wildflowers and shaded patios.
Restaurants
La Locanda del Barbablu – 17 Via Vittorio Emanuele; 011-39-90-986-118; barbablu.it.
Ristorante da Luciano’s – 15 Via Roma; 011-39-90-986-088; ristorantedaluciano.it; good pizza served on breezy dining balcony with iced nero d’Avola.
Trattoria ai Gechi – 12 Vico Salina; 011-39-338-357-7559; homemade pasta and traditional, Sicilian sauces.
Services
Magmatrek – Via Vittorio Emanuele III; 011-39-90-986-5768; magmatrek.it; arrange private volcano tour; ask for Mario Zaia (“Zaza”).
Shopping
La Libreria Sull’Isola – Via Vittorio Emanuele III; 011-39-986-5755; books and computer access.
Sights & Sites
Localita Piscita – wonderful, quiet spot by sea.
Strombolicchio – seastack of volcanic origin with lighthouse on top; great for snorkeling.
Volcano – continuously active volcano; 1 of few in world where visitor can see eruption “up close and personal,” yet in relative safety most of time; conditions vary from year to year and summit region may be closed (as it was during spring-summer 2007) owing to unusual activity; in most conditions, can hike unaccompanied to 400 meters, but beyond this level, need guide.



VULCANO (better to stay on Lipari)
Beaches
Spiaggia Sabbie Nere (Black Sands Beach) – Via Ponente (20 minute walk north from mud baths); finest beach in archipelago; black sand gets so hot by midday that flip-flops are virtual necessity.
Hotels
Garden Hotel – Porto Ponente; 011-39-90-985-2106; gardenvulcano.com; large rooms have views across island to volcano.
Restaurants
Don Piricuddu – 33 Via Lentia; 011-39-90-985-2131; spaghetti with sea urchins and fresh grilled fish.
Maria Tindara – 38 Via Provinciale (Vulcano Piano); 011-39-90-985-3004; Mediterranean; reservations.
Services
Rental da Luigi – Via Provinciale; 011-39-347-760-0275; vulcanovacanze.it; Luigi Segatta rents bikes and scooters; also, advises nice day trips.
Sights & Sites
Laghetti di Fanghi (Mud Baths) – Via Provinciale; vulcanomudbaths.com; if you go, do not wear any swimsuit that you want to use again – smell will never come out.
Vulcano – 10 minute walk from port to trail; then, another 45 minute hike; lovely views.

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