Better to stay upwind as much as possible and be accompanied by an environmental guide.
Panarea
This is the smallest and oldest island of the Aeolian archipelago and forms a tiny archipelago together with the islets of Basiluzzo, Spinazzola, Lisca Bianca, Dattilo, Bottaro, Lisca Nera (few remnants are left), and the rocks of Panarelli and Formiche. According to many, it's also the most beautiful but perhaps too frequented by a certain social life that has distorted the perception of the characteristic white houses, bodegas, and shops.
Stromboli
Of the seven islands on the archipelago, Stromboli is the only one with permanent volcanic activity. This is enough to explain the charm of this island loved by hiking tourism. VIP evenings of Panarea are far away: Stromboli's streets are not illuminated and the municipality of Lipari (where it belongs) care to leave things exactly as they are. Stars and the volcano light the island. The volcano is among the most monitored in the world, given its activity. For obvious safety reasons, reservations and the help of volcanological guides are required: with a little luck you can watch the "Sciara del Fuoco"—the lava flow that goes down to the sea.
Salina
Salina is the ancient "Didyme," meaning "Gemini" in ancient Greek. This name is derived from the island's shape: two reliefs separated by a dip. It's the greenest island, famous for the nature reserve that occupies over half the territory, reachable by suggestive naturalistic itineraries that allow for enjoying a view on all the nearby islands. The higher of the two reliefs is Monte Fossa delle Felci (962 masl) whose cone houses a wonderful fern forest, while Monte Porri (860 masl) is home to Eleonora's falcon. This was the shooting location of "The Postman", a film directed by Michael Radford and Massimo Troisi, nominated for five Oscars in 1996.
Alicudi and Filicudi
Always mentioned together, these are the archipelago's westernmost islands. The first and most far island sits West of the Archipelago of fire as a perfect truncated cone. Its ancient name, "Ericusa," means rich in heather. The second one, elongated into Capo Graziano promontory, used to be called "Phoenicusa," meaning full of ferns. These twin sister islands are the last landing before the open sea and even the rhythms of man seem to adapt to such a fate: the houses of the less than 500 inhabitants were connected to the electric grid just 20 years ago. The best way to enjoy them is obviously by boat. However, many believe that autumn and spring, and not summer, are the best seasons to fully grasp the essence of these territories so full of charm, where one gets used to living with very little. Alicudi, for example, offers two grocery stores, a post office, a hotel, a church, a small number of houses, and an immense charm.
Author : The Slowear Journal