Lipari

Lipari, the ancient greek Meligunis, with its 37.6 square kilometers, is the largest of the Aeolian Islands with about 9,000 permanent residents. The villages are five: Acquacalda, Canneto, Pianoconte and Quattropani, connected to the small town of Lipari by the scenic road that runs along the entire island.

The highest peak is Mount Chirica (602 mt) a great point of observation from where all the islands can be seen. The attractions in Lipari besides the beautiful beaches is also the Archaeological Museum, the obsidian lava flows and pumice caves, from which the famous stone was extracted in the past.

Renowned is the production of Malvasia wine. The most ancient cliffs of the emerged part date back to about 225,000 years ago. Today the volcanic phenomena are restricted to the presence of fumarole activity and hot springs, mainly located on the western side of the island. Among the buildings of historical and architectural value, we remember the castle of Lipari; the ancient Benedictine cloister from the Norman period and the cathedral dating back to the thirteenth century; the church of Purgatory in Marina Corta which also dates back to the thirteenth century; the acropolis and the remains of the Greek-Roman tombs. Along the coast between Canneto and Acquacalda, there are several white beaches of pumice. This unique stone creates an impressive landscape with the sea depths ranging from turquoise to the intense blue. In ancient times in these areas another lava stone was extracted, the obsidian.