The Aeolian Islands form an archipelago comprised of seven islands, which also include islets and rocky cliff outcrops from the sea. The 7 islands are arranged in the shape of a Y, with the bottom portion pointing towards the west.
These are located off northern Sicily, in front of the Tyrrhenian coast of Messina . They are, therefore, visible from most of the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily when visibility is good and there is no haze.
The seven islands are:
Lipari ( 37.6 km² – about 10,700 inhabitants)
Salina ( 26.8 km² – about 2,300 inhabitants) , with the Scoglio Faraglione
Volcano, at the southern end of the archipelago (21 km² – about 300 inhabitants)
Stromboli, with the islet of Strombolicchio, at the north-eastern end of the archipelago ( 12.6 km² – about 400 inhabitants)
Filicudi ( 9.7 km² – about 250 inhabitants)
Alicudi, at the western end of the archipelago (5.2 km² – about 100 permanent residents )
Panarea ( 3.4 km² – about 240 inhabitants) , with the islets of Basiluzzo , Dattilo, and Lisca Bianca.
The Aeolian islands, all of volcanic origin, are located in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of the northern coast of Sicily, across from Capo Milazzo, a distance of less than 12 nautical miles.
Discover the Aeolian Islands in a video by Maria Teresa de Vito
Lipari
In the main town, which has the same name as the island, the busiest street is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, known by the inhabitants simply as “il Corso”. However, the most characteristic street is Via Garibaldi, from which radiate numerous alleyways and streets that make it picturesque.
This street joins the Castle of Lipari with the Ugo Sant’Onofrio Piazza, known as “Marina Corta”. This is one of the most fascinating squares in the Aeolian Islands. With its irregular shape, it is full of cafés and restaurants.
At the extreme east of the square there is the fortress of the Castle of Lipari, while on the sea side of it stands the historic Church of the Souls in Purgatory. The square, due to its location, is very busy, especially during summer evenings.
Another square in the historic center of Lipari is Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, known as “Sopra la Civita”. From here you can access the castle and the cathedral.
The square, which is being renovated since 2011, was the seat of the Town Hall until a few years ago.
Another important street is Via Francesco Crispi , known as “Marina Lunga”, a promenade that connects the town of Lipari with Canneto.