It is charming, seducing and attractive. Even though is not a woman, it is alike. I am discussing about a place described as suitable for a luxury travel. This place is Panarea. That is the second smallest isle of the Aeolian Islands. Included in the town of Lipari and in the district of Messina, Panarea faces the Ionian sea and lies in the North East of Sicily This is a volcanic isle coming from a mountain chain shaken by ancient geological upheavals.
Today, in front of the isle, you can admire the stunning view of Stromboli volcano. Under an historical point of view, Panarea is a Greek settlement that was destroyed by the Vandals after the fall of the Roman Empire. Its ancient Greek name was Euonymus. During archaeological missions, pottery was found in this territory. All these findings are now in a public museum, which grants access for free. But Panarea, a few miles away from Salina, just north –east of the nearby isle, is above all known for its wonderful rocky beaches and the whitewashed buildings that are typical of its Greek origins.
panarea basiluzzo
The most famous beaches are Cala Junco (see the featured image), Cala degli Zimmari and the beach of Calcara. Panarea is also surrounded by a constellation of beautiful islets who can fascinate you and give the sensation to plunge into their untouched nature. There are some stunning beaches in these islets, the most known is Basiluzzo (see the image). Cala Junco is placed in the ancient prehistorical village of Punta Milazzese, southwest of San Pietro port. The surrounding bay is an amphitheater framed by rocky and extravagant line-ups that create a natural swimming pool. The Cala degli Zimmari is the only sandy beach in Panarea.
The Calcara beach is the most suggestive due to the unmistakable volcanic scent you can breath. The beach of Basiluzzo got the name of the namesake islet, one of the most uninhabited and secluded of the Aeolian Archipelago. This beach is formed by very steep slopes and magnificent white reefs. Unfortunately, in Panarea, the facilities are very expensive and closed from November to Easter. All this caused the isle gained the fame of a luxury place suitable only for famous and wealthy people.
These crowd the island in the summer, the only season where it is visited by tourists. The total inhabitants of the isle are a bit less of 300. In the summer, expensive yachts fill the shore, while tourists who walk on foot can admire breathtaking views of the sea and the beaches. The island awakes in the night with discothèque, dance and music, while when the sun rises, the entertainment facilities are out of use and the landscape becomes more quiet. If you want to spend a relaxing swim in this isle, I suggest that you go to the south beaches.
These are not suitable for families with children because they lack of sandy planes. The rocky morphology of these beaches depends on the volcanic origin of the Island. Panarea, is, indeed, an inactive volcano. This place fits for scuba diving. You can also find shops to buy diving gears. In the Isle, there are also hiking trails that allow you to admire flora and fauna and untouched zones. In the summer, there are several accommodation options, such as hotels, break and breakfasts and restaurants.
At the restaurants in Panarea, you can taste excellent Sicilian food and also find a couple of exotic restaurants where two Japanese chefs offer you the original Japanese sushi. The downtown of the island is characterized by a tangle of narrow alleys and lanes where getting lost is not a trouble, but an immense pleasure. Along these streets there are fashion and gadget shops. Many goods are, however, expensive. You can reach Panarea only by ferries and boats leaving from Milazzo, in the province of Messina. When you land at Catania airport, take a bus to Milazzo. Beware, there are no cars in Panarea, but only golf carts and electric bikes.
To find accommodations in Panarea where the owners speak English, please send me a message. I’ll give all information you want.
Rosalba Mancuso is a freelance journalist born in Sicily. Passionate about her loved island and with extensive writing experience, Rosalba worked as a contributor for the main Sicily’s newspapers and as a bilingual Italian – English writer. Thanks to her skills, she also founded four websites in English. On Sicilyonweb, Rosalba tells every corner of her beloved Sicily. Furthermore, she writes this blog thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you book your travel or buy products through the affiliate widgets or links you find in her posts.
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