Day 4: Discovering Salina, the island surrounded by greenery

Starting point on the fourth day is the port of Lipari. I hope you had a good breakfast, it's time to take the ferry to Salina.

Welcome to Salina, the second largest island of the Aeolian archipelago. It fascinates tourists with its fascinating nature, due to the numerous sources of fresh water that have made this land the greenest in the entire archipelago. It is famous for its Nature Reserve, which occupies over half of the territory, from the top you can enjoy an enchanting view of all the nearby islands.

Here we are in Santa Marina, the main center of Salina. One of the largest towns in the archipelago, it is located on the slopes of the Fossa delle Felci, which is one of the 6 extinct volcanic craters, covered with shrubs and numerous ferns. Santa Marina is the beating heart of the island thanks to its many shops and its nightlife.

After landing in the city, I advice you to go by Bongiorno Rent for renting a means of transport, which is really helpful to move from a point of the island to another. I've thought about a scooter. You can choose what means you prefer between bikes, cars and scooters if you don't like my choise. I recommend to book the vehicle in advance. Click there for some information.

After renting your vehicle, I recommend that you go south east and leave the town of Santa Marina. Our destination is Lingua, a nice little town. We are headed to the lake that bears his name. It is a brackish lake, formerly used as a saline, from which the island takes its name -for those who didn't know yet! On the narrow strip of land that separates the lake from the sea stands a lighthouse, which we will visit later. The saline ,or salt pans, present here are no longer visible as they are entirely submerged by the lake water. From this point of the island you can enjoy a splendid view of Lipari island.

A little further on, half an hour away on foot, is the old lighthouse of the city of Lingua, a small fishing village. The lighthouse rests on a dark colored pebble beach, and I guarantee you that the view is wonderful, you'll be able to see the island of Lipari from here, better than from Lingua's Lake.

Now I invite you to go back, we will go to the town of Malfa, located to the north west of the Salina. When you'll arrive, I suggest you to take a walk in the city and leave your car. Take a look at the historical center, then from Piazza Malfa, you could be hungry, so I'm letting you go to the restaurant, which is not far from there. You'll be able to reach it on foot.

You will be hungry! So, if you want you can stop and have lunch in this restaurant in Malfa. Don't expect a lunch like the ones you've been used to on this trip! Here you can eat quick but equally tasty dishes. I recommend you to taste u pani cunzatu, the sicilian Parmigiana made with eggplant and, why not, a plate of spaghetti with fish, if you've enjoyed that in these days. Completing your meal with a nice granita, very refreshing after all the road you've done.

After an abundant lunch, I invite you to walk down to this suggestive beach. What I don't recommend is to take a bath because you have just finished eating few minutes ago! As you can see it's a beach made up of pebbles and smooth stones, immersed in a charming nature and bathed by a crystalline sea. The beach, has environmental and landscape value, takes also an important historical connotation because, perhaps you do not know it yet, it was a stopover for sailing ships that sailed the seas between Sicily and Campania. Take a moment to capture this panorama, which looks like it came out of a postcard!

Let's leave Spiaggia Punta Scario behind us, take the car because we'll go to Pollara, the place where Il Postino of Massimo Troisi was be filmed. We'll go to the bay, park the car and continue for a while on foot. Worthy of note are the Grotte dei Pescatori, which can be seen in these coves formed by the rock.

If you want you can climb the summit of Monte Fossa, leaving the car and going on foot. You may not know that it is the highest peak in the entire archipelago, in the past it was a volcano that has been extinct for centuries. Rich in flourishing vegetation such as cyst, heather, strawberry tree, mastic tree and broom and fern,too. In fact, the mountain takes its name from this plant! Even in winter, the show is guaranteed, under a blanket of snow. A network of paths runs through the reserve, giving the possibility to reach the summit of Monte Fossa from different points on the island, offering a breathtaking panorama. If you intend to climb the summit, I recommend the route that starts from the Valdichiesa locality, where we are now. After I invite you to take your vehicle and get off at the town of Rinella.

Here we are in Rinella, fraction of Leni, one of the most important city in Salina. A typical and characteristic seaside village on the sea, where the second port of the island of Salina is located, from which we will leave later. The small fishing village of Rinella rises along a steep valley that leads directly to the sea.

From Rinella it is possible to reach another beautiful beach, that of Prà Venezia. The beach is made up of stones and pebbles and can be easily reached by walking along a path of about 20 minutes. From this wonderful beach it is possible to admire the islands of Filicudi and Alicudi from a different perspective than you had in Pollara before.

Later you've contemplated the Spiaggia di Pra Venezia, I recommend a dinner here, you can choose to eat a delicious lasagna, or a few arancini. If the granita eaten in Malfa is not enough, you can also choose this option in Rinella. One of their specialties is ricotta ice cream with capers, a very particular combination that highlights the flavors of this land named by many the green pearl.

After the day we have dedicated to the beautiful Salina, we get ready to get on the hydrofoil and return to the island of Lipari.

Welcome back to Lipari, our day has come to an end. I invite you to go back to the hotel, on foot or by renting a taxi -you would be probably tired.

After this day where we had discovered Salina, in which I hope you've enjoyed, I tell you good night. I wish you have a good rest. There are left the last two islands of the archipelago to be explored. I hope you enjoy Filicudi and Alicudi islands like the other sisters of the same archipelago.