L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano MARIELLA RADAELLI E ven in a country like Italy bles s ed w ith immense beauty, the Aeolian Islands are a standout destination. The Aeolian archipelago – a group of seven islands and five islets afloat in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Sicily – was named after the Greek god Aeo- lus, "the keeper of the winds," by Greek settlers. Today, it still offers impressive crystalline deep blue w aters and much more. Astonishingly beautiful, Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea, Strom- boli, Salina, Filicudi and Alicudi are a slice of paradise that emerged 500,000 years ago. The origin is volcanic. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, the Islands have provided the science of volcanology with examples of two types of eruptions: Strombo- lian and Vulcanian. Year after year, the Aeolian Islands continue to be awarded the international Blue Flag certi- fication that denotes the gold standard for the quality of water, beaches and environmental excellence. Lipari is the largest island. It is idyllic and family friendly, with a sizeable town of the same name just a 50-minute hydrofoil ride from the Sicilian port of Milazzo. Its ancient Greek name, Lipàra, translates as "the fertile." In the 1st century BC, Greek his- torian Diodorus of Sicily consid- ered Lipari a home of plenty, bountiful in fish and fruits. Today, it is also home to charming hospitality, besides being the ideal starting point for exploring the other islands. I spent an entire day visiting one of the Mediterranean's most stunning archeological museums, Museo Archeologico Regionale Eoliano Bernabò Brea. Nestled in the heart of the ancient citadel, it features six millennia of island history. Obsidian tools and floor- to-ceiling assemblages of amphorae salvaged from local shipwrecks share the stage with an unrivaled collection of minia- ture Greek theatrical masks and ceramics. The cathedral stands close by. A fine example of 17th century baroque architecture, it is dedi- cated to St Bartholomew, apostle of Jesus and patron saint of the entire archipelago. A silver stat- ue of the saint dominates the interior, his flayed skin tucked under his arm. He was martyred in Armenia and later his sarcoph- agus was transported to Lipari. A Benedictine cloister to the right of the main entrance of the cathedral dates back to the 12th century. It is what remains of the original Norman cathedral. Part of the town's action cen- ters at the harbor and the fun Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via Garibaldi, both bustling com- mercial hubs.  The long black pebble beach in the hamlet of Canneto makes fall you in love with the island's raw beauty. The volcanoes in the north- eastern part of Lipari spewed immense masses of pumice dur- ing ancient eruptions. Pumice business was the major economic activity for centuries until 2007 when the mining stopped. In ancient Rome, Lipari pumice was used in the construc- tion of thermal baths and tem- ples, while in modern times, lightweight pumice bricks were exported to the US. Former pumice workers told me proudly that a great deal of "their" pumice was used in the building of the skyscrapers of New York. They sit on chairs facing the lungomare Marina Garibaldi. They talk to one another and keep an eye on things. I loved lis- tening to them at sunset. They shared their stories of toil and sacrifice. Edoardo stands alone on the corner with Via Mussolinia. Though now aged and stuck in a slow walk, his eyes sparkle with gentleness. "Each day I carried hundredweights of pumice sand on my back," he says timidly. One day I took a 10-minute bus ride to the hamlet of Acqua- calda. There is something eerie and fascinating about these huge disused pumice quarries strad- dling the road to Acquacalda.This post-industrial landscape tells the story of a more glorious time in shaping the modern world. Lipari pumice was widely used in stone wash- ing the best American denim jeans. On my way home to Canneto, I stopped at the white beach of Porticello for a swim. White pumice sands surrounded by vol- canic rocks on one side kiss blue waters on the other. Snorkeling here brings you face to face with coral gardens. "Pumice is the color of Lipari, an important element of Aeolian architecture. And to me working with local materials is doubly poetic," says Paolo Mezzapica, a visual artist from Canneto. The whole island enraptures you: Arab-style palm courtyards, a luxuriant vegetation of palm trees, banana trees, hibiscus, bougainvilleas. Orchards of mal- vasia grapes line the mountain- side.  And think that this paradise was known as "devil's island" when the Duce deported many of his political adversaries here in the 1930s. Leonida Bongiorno, a local communist leader, helped some deportees to escape. Mus- solini's eldest child Edda Ciano fell in love with him. She was previously married to Galeazzo Ciano, a loyal fascist who rose to become foreign min- ister. He was eventually executed by his father-in-law after dissent- ing in July 1943. After the fascist regime fell, Edda was held in detention on the island, where she met Leoni- da. The illicit love affair was revealed by Leonida's s on Edoardo in 2009. When Edda w as releas ed from Lipari in June 1946, she begged his lover to "Come and live with me. Don't abandon the happiness that God is offering you." But he had by then changed his mind. Lipari is astonishingly beautiful, just like its sister islands, Vulcano, Panarea, Stromboli, Salina, Alicudi and Filicudi Idyllic Lipari: legends, labor and love amid the azure waters The Eolian Islands are a world of their own, a mix of timeless beauty and nature ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

• Cover