The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari has always been the beating heart of the archipelago thanks to favorable geographical conditions due to the great availability of water, minerals, fertile soil and natural landings.
A sailing vacation in Lipari will allow you to discover breathtaking scenery, strolling through its thousand-year-old alleys or diving into its waters of infinite hues, from deep blue to the brightest turquoise.
History of Lipari
Legend has it that the city was founded by Liparo in ancient times. The island's earliest settlements date as far back as the Paleolithic period, a time when Lipari experienced considerable development due to theobsidian, a volcanic stone of glassy consistency particularly suitable for the creation of weapons and tools. The trade in this mineral continued flourishing until the Bronze Age, a time when trade relations expanded in the Mediterranean basin, reaching even to the Mycenaean civilization.
Homer in the Odyssey tells us about the god Aeolus, wise ruler of the island, who helped Ulysses on his journey to Ithaca thanks to the gift of the wineskin of the winds.
In the first millennium B.C. the island alternated between Greek, Carthaginian and Roman rule. With the end of the Western Roman Empire, the island's fortunes were troubled by repeated volcanic eruptions and Arab and Byzantine invasion.
Thanks to Norman rule, Lipari experienced a new period of growth until it became a fief of the papacy in the year 1000. The period of peace lasted until June 30, 1544, the tragic day when the Turkish pirate Barbarossa conquered the city and killed and enslaved its 10000 inhabitants. Immediately Charles V of Spain rebuilt the castle and walls in its present form. The fate of Lipari then passed into the hands of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies until it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
Lipari Harbor
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What to see
The town of Lipari is the largest of all the Aeolian Islands and is definitely worth a visit, thanks to the beautiful pedestrian boulevards full of boutiques and small restaurants, and an intricate network of narrow streets.
Not to be missed is a visit to the Castle, whose walls protect the Archaeological Museum, and the beautiful Cathedral of St. Bartholomew At the top of the steep staircase.
The saint was martyred in the land of Asia, and the pagans locked up his remains inside a lead sarcophagus that they threw into the Mediterranean. Legend has it that the coffin did not sink and reached the shores of Lipari intact, where it was recovered thanks to Bishop Agathon's premonitory dream. Since then the saint became the patron saint of the Aeolian Islands and numerous miracles were attributed to him. He is celebrated every summer on August 24 with a characteristic procession and beautiful fireworks.
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Where to eat
Our favorite restaurant in the entire archipelago is And Pulera (tel. +39 090 981 1158), which offers a menu with attention to every detail in a garden shaded a very pleasant pergola.
If you want to enjoy the best pizza on the island a great proposal is Kasbah Soul Kitchen (tel. +39 090 981 1075) where every ingredient is chosen with the utmost care, starting with the dough and tomato puree.
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Where to moor
Very fascinating is the fishermen's marina divided into two sections, Marina Corta and Marina Lunga, on which stands the 17th-century church of St. Joseph. The space is very narrow and entirely occupied by local boats, so it is not useful for mooring a sailboat.
North of the castle, very close to the center, are floating docks operated by The Good Foundation (tel. 090 9822342, VHF 13), Porto Salvo (tel. 090 9822161, VHF 6), Yacht Harbour Lipari (tel. 090 9813152, VHF 72), each with about fifty berths. Beware of considerable traffic that could cause undertow.
A little further north are two diesel stations and finally the Port Pignataro, (tel. +39 0909880354, VHF 74) a little further from the center but sheltered from all winds by the breakwater.
Alternatively, on particularly calm days it is possible to anchor the sailboat under the castle, with depths around 20 meters, or a little further south in the Porto Delle Genti, a small bay very close to the village with shallow depths of 10/12 meters.
The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari has always been the beating heart of the archipelago thanks to favorable geographical conditions due to the great availability of water, minerals, fertile soil and natural landings.
A sailing vacation in Lipari will allow you to discover scenery of rare beauty as you stroll through its millennia-old alleys, or dive into its waters of infinite hues, from deep blue to the brightest turquoise.
The best beaches of Lipari
Let's see which are the best anchorages for sailing, clockwise from the country.
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The scissors
A beautiful bay with emerald water just south of the town. The anchorage, protected by the third and fourth quadrants, is precarious because of its small size and rocky bottom, but it is definitely worth stopping for a dip.
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The stacks
Prominent among the volcano mouths are the two steep stacks of Pietralunga and Menalda Stone, one of the unmissable sights of our Lipari sailing vacation.
The classic anchorage is in front of the black beach of the Shore of Vinci in about 8 meters. If you turn the cape to the west, behind Le Formiche there is a beautiful, turquoise-water ridge that is much less frequented.
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Muria Valley
A long pebble beach that can only be reached by a path with a picturesque and wild scenery. You can anchor your sailboat in 5/10 meters on sand both south and north of the bay, redossed by first and second quadrants.
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Punta Cugno Lungo
The entire west coast of Lipari is difficult to navigate, due to sheer bottoms and unmarked reefs. We point out the bay south of the Punta del Cugno Lungo, with 10-meter depths in an unspoiled place, certainly far from the mass of tourists.
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Aquacalda
A nice little village little traveled by tourism in the northern part of the island. You can anchor in front of the beach on a 10-meter sandy bottom.
A few hundred meters further east you can anchor the sailboat near the Rock of the Monks, a perfect place for a seaside stop.
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Pumice Quarries
A sailing itinerary on Lipari cannot be said to be complete without a visit to this scenery, among the most stunning on the island. Perched on Capo Rosso stands a complex of buildings that were used for the extraction is processing of pumice. The industry has been abandoned since the 1980s and offers a unique backdrop, in open contrast to the clear water of the huge surrounding bay.
The points for anchoring are many, from the ruined pier of Porticello north to the Papesca Beach south. The seabed is shallow and sandy, an excellent reef from the mistral and west.
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Canneto
Proceeding southward the sand gradually begins to turn black again. Before the headland lies the hamlet of Canneto with a lovely promenade, good for long walks while enjoying a fresh granita. You can anchor your sailboat on sand at depths of 8 to 10 meters in the southern part of the village, well ridged by west and noon winds.
A visit to this beautiful island is a must, as a stop on our Aeolian Islands vacation by Catamaran.
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