The Aeolian Islands

The Aeolian Islands


or Lipari Islands (in Italian called Isole Eolie), are a volcanic archipelago* in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, named after the demi-god of the winds Aeolus. The locals residing on the islands are known as Eolians.

The islands are Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Basiluzzo.

There are two active volcanoes - Stromboli and Vulcano - the former (northernmost), is visible on most nights. All the islands have some form of vulcanism - such as steaming fumaroles and thermal waters.

The archipelago is a "volcanic arc" and the outcome of continental drift as the African continental shelf collides with Europe. This has created a volcanic area with breaks and ruptures in the crust with magma outpourings and eruptions. This "Eolian Arc" extends for more than 90 miles, but the geological instability caused by the collision of Africa and Europe is very much larger. It includes Sicily, Calabria, Campania together with Greece and the Aegean islands.

The complex of the eight Aeolian Islands, covering an area of over 600 square miles - and climbs up from the bottom of the Tyrrhenian sea.



So ... this has to be a sailing area for a holiday - please note Stan!

* In Italian, perhaps from tradition dating back into antiquity, the Arcipelago (from Greek) was the title of first the Aegean Sea and, later, the Aegean Islands, given the Aegean's large number of islands.