Salina Island - The Garden of the Aeolians
Black, rocky volcanic beaches and deep green hills greet the weary sailor who ventures to the islands of Salina. Quiet villages, sleepy towns and a large natural reservation which inlcudes extinct volcanoes and reminders of a more violent past, all make up the main attractions, but there also the famous Sicilian food that will have you coming back here as soon as possible.
General Info
One of the Aeolian Islands, Salina is located north of Sicily, in southern Italy and apart from being the second largest of its groups, it’s known to locals and Yacht Charter aficionados as the Garden of the Aeolian Islands due to its large green spaces.
However, the island of Salina won’t show up on any major Yacht Charter travel routes due to its remote location, its lack of sandy beaches and tourist facilities. But the island still manages somehow to attract visitors to its rocky shores. A testament to the beauty of Salina is the fact that the famous movie Il Postino was shot here.
Travel & Arrive
Yacht Charter visitors who come here in search of rest and relaxation find that they’ve made a wonderful choice. The only means of transportation to the island are the ferries and hydrofoils which arrive at the two ports S. Marina and Rinella. Salina gets hydrofoil runs from Naples, Reggio Calabria, Messina, Cefalu, Palermo, and car ferries from Naples and Milazzo. This last option is for the Yacht Charter aficionados who want to arrive by car.
There is also the option of taking a plane to one of the connecting cities. The biggest and closest ones are in Palermo, Catania and Reggio Calabria, but if you really want to blow a hole in your Yacht Charter budget, you should try flying in by helicopter or hydroplane.
Avant & Apres Sail
The reason they call Salina “The Green Island” is because most of it is covered by a nature preserve that includes two estingueshed volcanoes, Monte dei Piori and Fossa dei Felci, which earned the island the nickname “The Twins Island” by the ancient Greeks. The main towns where most of the Yacht Charter crowds congregate are Santa Marina on the east coast and Malfa in the north.
You should also visit the salt lake in Lingua which actually gives the name of the island Salina, as sea salt used to be produced here at one time. Another interesting sight for Yacht Charter tourists are the Saracen Caves, dug into the mountains by the locals to escape the Saracens and which are connected by interior passages.
There are also art galleries in Leni, Malfa and Santa Marina which reflects the culture of the Aeolians (some of the older inhabitants still speak in the ancient dialect). A sight in its own that is appreciated by Yacht Charter guests is the village of Pollara, which is set in what has to be one of the most idyllic places on earth, in a bay made up of black volcanic tuff which contrasts beautifully with the blue waters. The famous Pablo Neruda used to live here.
The boom of tourist life in later years has led to the development of numerous restaurants and cafes massed together in the many piazzas found in town centers. Most of these excel in the local cuisine which the Yacht Charter gourmet will find consists mainly of fish dishes but also has local ingredients such as capers and olives. The most popular dishes are spaghetti with olives and capers, roasted squids, linguine al cartoccio (mussels and clams with tomato sauce) and for drinking there’s the very aromatic Malvasia wine, locally produced of course, made from raisins.
Activities & Events
Capers and olives are a big deal on the island, which is why the natives have deemed it necessary to hold an annual celebration in their honor. The annual Caper festival goes on during the first week in June which is why the Yacht Charter travelers should come here around that time. And alternative to that is the Aeolian Food and Wine Week, which is another food festival held in the first week of October. This one was designed specifically for the tourist population.