Guide to the AEOLIAN ISLANDS 

The Aeolian Islands are a 200km-long volcanic system off the north-eastern coast of Sicily consisting, in addition to the seven emerged islands - Alicudi, Filicudi, Lipari, Panarea, Salina, Stromboli and Vulcano - of the submerged seamounts Alcione, Lametini, Palinuro, Glabro, Marsili, Sisifo, Eolo, Enarete.  

Called the "Seven sisters" because they were born from a same mother, Gea, the islands have a rugged, wild landscape. Their name comes from the god of wind, Aeolus, who according to the myth chose this remote location as his abode. And Ulysses probably landed there, where he met the monster Polyphemus, one of the Cyclops, forgers employed by the god of fire Vulcan.

The emerged islands were formed in the last million years, while the submerged parts have a slightly older age: the oldest formation - the submarine volcano Sisyphus, located north-west of the island of Alicudi - dates to about 1.3 million years ago.

On Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli volcanism is still active, while on the other islands it ceased between 5,000 and 20,000 years ago. On Lipari the last eruption occurred in 729 A.D.; on Vulcano in 1890, on Stromboli the activity has gone on continuously for at least 2,000 years. The magmas of the Aeolian Islands are similar to those of the volcanoes of the Pacific "belt of fire": with the passing of time they evolved towards ever more basic compositions, with lower silicon content and more potassium.

ISLANDS OF THE AEOLIAN