Filicudi – Aeolian islands

by f.ajello

Filicudi – Aeolian islands

Filicudi is a small island, and we advise you not to bring a car. Other scooters may be rented on site. Motor boats can be rented in the island for tours around the island.
The Aeolian islands derive their name from Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds who, according to Homer, had his kingdom here. It is an archipelago full of contrasts and surprises.
There are active volcanoes, bizarre rocky islets and coastlines thrown up by volcanic explosions and sculpted by wind and sea, as well as luxurious vegetation, prehistoric villages and, on display in the prestigious Museo Eoliano on Lipari, many archaeological treasures.
The Aeolian islands have strong traditions and ways of life. Many people fish, if not for a living, at least for the family table, and have small holding where they grow fruit and vegetables. In autumn grapes and olives are harvested – again, mostly for family consumption, although there are prestigious wine makers on Salina – while the main commercial crop is the caper, a flower bud preserved under salt, which is harvested in May and June.
The Aeolians are kind and warm people and they will receive you with full heart.
Spring arrives early on FILICUDI, when the island can seem to explode with multicoloured flowers. This is a perfect time to explore the island on foot, along narrow mountain paths, where donkeys are still the main means of transport.
Capers and vineyards, olive and carob trees give a strong character to the landscape, which is dominated by craggy red rocks.
The sea can change from green to blue to violet. Perhaps the most striking natural phenomena is La Canna, a 70 meter high phallic rock surrounded by splashing waves.
The lack of lights on the island makes Filicudi is the perfect place to skywatch at night.

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Questo articolo è stato pubblicato il giovedì, 15 dicembre 2011 alle 16:24 e classificato in sicily. È possibile seguire tutte le repliche a questo articolo tramite il feed RSS 2.0. Puoi lasciare un commento, oppure fare il trackback dal tuo sito.

Why Sicily?

by f.ajello

sannicola21With active volcanoes, stunning beaches, a spectacular climate and dramatic gorges and mountains, Sicily is a fascinating and beautiful island. It is also the largest island in the Mediterranean and, thanks to its strategically vital position and fertile land, its history is one of an endless series of invaders and colonizers, each of which has left its trace in the architecture, in the food, in its traditions, and in the character of its people.

“ Sicily has a history and outlook derived not from its modern parent but from its erstwhile foreign rulers from the Greeks who first settled the east coast in the eighth century BC, through a dazzling array of Romans, Arabs, Normans, French and Spanish, to the Bourbons seen off by Garibaldi in 1860. Substantial relics of these ages remain temples, theatres and churches scattered about the whole island. But there are other, more immediate hints of Sicily’s unique past. A hybrid Sicilian language, for a start, is still widely spoken in the countryside; the food is noticeably different, spicier and with more emphasis on fish and vegetables; even the flora echoes the change of temperament– oranges, lemons, olives, prickly pear cacti and palms are ubiquitous. Add to this some tremendous beaches and a dozen or so fascinating offshore islands, and you have enough to keep you busy for a lifetime, let alone a holiday…

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Questo articolo è stato pubblicato il martedì, 7 luglio 2009 alle 13:58 e classificato in sicily. È possibile seguire tutte le repliche a questo articolo tramite il feed RSS 2.0. Puoi lasciare un commento, oppure fare il trackback dal tuo sito.