Lipari

About this place

Lipari is the largest of the seven Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily, and its main town is the hub of the islands, with ferries and hydrofoils from Milazzo in Sicily and on to the other islands. People have lived here for about 6,000 years. In the Neolithic age Lipari was one of the few sources of obsidian, a black volcanic glass prized for tools and traded across the Mediterranean. The town is dominated by its castle, a fortified rock rising between the two harbours of Marina Corta and Marina Lunga and enclosed by 16th-century Spanish walls. Inside the walls stand a cathedral and the Aeolian Archaeological Museum, one of the most important in the Mediterranean. Around the island, roads lead to viewpoints such as Quattrocchi, looking across to the steaming island of Vulcano, to white beaches formed by old pumice quarries on the east coast, and to hills of volcanic rock. Boat tours circle the island's cliffs and sea stacks. Lipari is free to explore, and the museum charges an entry fee. The Aeolian Islands were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for their volcanic landscapes.