Islas Lípari / Eólicas

Hi there!!

For some places, the legend comes first, and Strómboli is one of those. The sight of the crater as we approach the island is astonishing.

BOAT TOURS: Strómboli and Strombolicchio

We start the boat tour by the Schiara Vecchia. The fall of the hill with fine grey ash in its interior is impressive. To the sides the green vegetation is beautiful.

Just afterwards we pass by Ginostra. The zone close to the coast seems a little bit changed; perhaps part of the rocks were eliminated when constructing the pier.

We arrive at the Schiara del Fuocco, the part of the hill which serves for the flow of lava and rocks. The contrast of colours is again impressive. From time to time we can see some incandescent rocks fall down into the sea.

We are surprised by the fact that we cannot fins the lighthouse of La Brunzu. We will have to inquire why so …

A few miles after we are already in front of Piscità.

The view of San Vincenzo, the largest village in the island, with a little hill just behind is beautiful.

Finally, just in front of San Vincenzo, we have Strombolicchio. It is really an impressive islet. From every different perspective is astonishing.

The lighthouse is the most differential element compared to the Archduk´s drawings.

The natural battlements of Strombolicchio have very abrupt, and random, forms, which awaken our imagination when watching them from different angles.

WALKING TOURS: Climbing of the Crater

Thanks again to Robi Archetti we meet now Beatrice who organizes excursions to the top of the crater.

The sight of Strombolicchio is impressive from the first moment; it will only abandon us at the top of the hill …

At the beginning of the hill there is a zone with a large amount of “canne”. When arriving at aroung 400 metres we can see marvealous prairies full of ginestra.

When arriving at 500 metres suddenly the vegetation disappears. Now we walk on grey ash.

We keep on climbing. At around 700 metres there is a huge field of vulcanic bombs.

We arrive to the edge of the crater just in time to watch a marvelous sunset over the clouds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2NQHuvN5OM

Finally the top of the old crater is situated at 960 metres of altitude. It is almost dark, and just below we have an ocean of clouds, which cover partially the crater.

While at the top we have observed three eruptions. Two of them are more interesting: a first one, short, and with an intense explosion that gets quite high; and another one that lasts approximately one minute, and gets only half way compared to the other one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiaRQm-H8Jw

The descent in the dark is an experience … For a while, the boats desappear inside the ash. The guide, Marco, advises us to walk Adriano Cellentano’s style …

Beatrice tells us that Ana Magnani, extremely gealous, was very angry when she learnt that Rosselini had chosen Ingrid Bergman for his film Strómboli. She managed to convince others to produce another film based in Vulcano, in which she was the star. Actually the vulcano and its crater is the only star of Strómboli; the same day that we were leaving the island there was a huge explosion around 18.00 that was heard in Panarea, more than ten miles away! Some, at Panarea, thought that the sound was related to the celebrations of San Pietro …

Best wishes!

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