There is an island in the Aeolian Islands where time seems to have stopped. Few inhabitants, few roads, but a breathtaking landscape that every year is admired by many visitors who reach this part of the Mediterranean for their holidays. In the westernmost and isolated part of the Aeolian archipelago there is Alicudi, reachable and connected to the other islands by hydrofoils and motor ships. In Alicudi there are no roads, but small paths connected to each other, where the only means of transport are the donkeys also used as a tourist attraction.

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View of the island of Alicudi from the sea. Figiu - Own work CC BY-SA 3.0

Alicudi and its rich panorama

Not only a few streets, but also a few residents live in Alicudi, in small houses on the coasts where they live on a very simple economy, based above all on the . And then the main products of the island are olives, vines, capers and fishing. The surface of the island is just 5 square kilometers. And in fact, precisely because it is one of the smallest of the islands of the archipelago, it is unspoiled. An undoubtedly coveted place for those who would like to spend their holidays in serenity and silence. The paths that characterize it along the slope can be covered on foot and then reach the small town with its five hamlets, Alicudi porto, Contrada Tonna, San Bartolo, Contrada Pianicello and Contrada Sgurbio. Its name derives from “Ericusa” for the large number of heather, evergreen shrubs with reddish bark, which are present in its territory.

The Aeolian sea

And then the scenery on the sea has all its charm. In fact, the coasts of Alicudi are steep and rugged, full of caves and inaccessible beaches. To reach them you need to use boats. In addition, its sea allows you to dive to discover the habitat, marine flora and fish.

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Stairs by Alicudi Ksatiro - Own work, public domain

But few know that the uncontaminated nature of this island is the result of its geological structure. In fact Alicudi constitutes the emerged part of an extinct volcano, generated around 150 thousand years ago and remodeled by successive eruptions. It is thus possible to reach Monte Filo dell'Arpa which reaches 675 meters above sea level, the cone of the extinct volcano.

Beaches

Among the beaches to visit is that of Bazzina, located on the east coast. Not only sea, but also nature, therefore, in Alicudi. Among the excursions to the Scoglio Galera, along the west coast of the island. And again the church of San Bartolo, patron saint of the islands Aeolian. Alicudi too, like the other islands of the archipelago, has the typical local architecture. The houses have a flat roof for collecting rainwater, rooms that communicate with each other, terraces with masonry seats and truncated cone columns.

Cover image Alicudi Porto, Ksatiro - Photograph taken by the author, Public domain

An island out of time, among the Aeolian islands there is Alicudi last edit: 2022-09-01T09:30:00+02:00 da Federica Puglisi

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