The island of Vulcano is named after the Roman god Vulcanus; its activity is in state of dormancy, but it is possible to observe some phenomena called “fumarole” , thermal and mud springs which attest its state of activity. In Roman mythology the island of Vulcano is considered the place where the Hephaestus workshops’, god of Fire, were situated. For those who cannot give up a naturalistic excursion, the visit of the Great Crater is a must. The path leading to the peak is situated about 5 minutes on foot from Levante harbour, the principal port of the island. The excursion is not demanding, it does not need particular equipment or preparation, and is suitable for everyone.

Advises:

• In summer avoid climbs during the hottest hours; the temperatures can reach 40°C; the path, although is not demanding, has no shades.
• Bring supplies of water with you.
• It is recommended to put on comfortable shoes with socks, because sandy soil can be quite annoying.

The Path of the Great Crater

The access to the volcanoes, making part of the commune of Lipari, is bound to the payment of a little toll. In case of Vulcano the toll could be directly paid at the beginning of the path; near the ticket-office there is a small kiosk, good for those absent-minded who forgot to bring drinks. The path towards the peak is a pleasant walk of 45 minutes between brooms, volcanic boulders, and black and sandy soil, mostly compound of volcanic dust.

One of the principal reasons to reach the Great Crater is surely the view. As further you climb you can admire Alicudi, Filicudi, and Salina, but it is only when you reach the peak that you completely appreciate the charm of this archipelago. It will be possible to distinguish the shapes of all the seven isles and the peninsula of Vulcanello. The Great Crater of Vulcano is the only place where it is possible to admire the whole archipelago in a unique glance; turning around towards south, on the contrary, it is possible to admire the northern coast of Sicily, and Etna. Some of the most evocative photos of the archipelago derive from this place. Once reached the peak we move towards the discovery of the crater, a depression of wide dimensions of a diameter of around 500 meters. One of the particularities are the “fumarole”, the unique manifestations visible after the last eruption occurred in 1890.

The fumarole are mostly compound of sulphur, whose bacterial action is the cause of a yellow-ochre and red coloured patina, which covers the soil and the stones making part of it. While getting closer to them, be attentive; if you chose a guided tour, you will be asked to put on a supplied mask; on the contrary, bring a handkerchief with you, in order to put it upon your nose or mouth, because of sulphuric gas.

The descent occurs on the same path.

The yellow colour of brooms which enchanted Leopardi, the beauty of the nature which overwhelms and fascinates, the splendour of finished and unfinished nature , have always attracted the attention of man who remains in a religious admiration in front of such immense and generous views. The Vulcano island, of a majestic and imperious beauty, is famous for the Sagra della Ginestra ( Festival of the Broom), the event organized in June, lasts three days or the whole week, with programs varying each year. These are the days dedicated to amusement, there is celebration in the air, folklore, typical products, and dancing in the square.

“Therassia”, literally “land of heat”, is an ancient name of the island sacred to the god Vulcano. The Vulcano island is recognized at mythological level, in Greek tradition, as a seat of Hephaestus’ forges, the god of fire, technology and metallurgy. We cannot evade the Latin derivation and the mythological meaning gave by the Romans to god Hephaestus, in fact, the Roman mythological tradition identifies Hephaestus with god Vulcano, from whom the present name of the island derives. It is said that god Vulcano, helped by Cyclops, forged the arms for gods. As we learn from literature documentation during the classic era, the island is a result of the fusion of some volcanoes, and exactly four. The biggest one is the most active, at regular intervals; it is the Vulcano della Fossa, flanked to the smallest, Vulcanello.

Geologically the island was used, for many centuries, for works of extraction of alum and sulphur. Historically, we deduce that the population was mostly constituted by slaves forced to work as miners. The picture seems to be that of a sulphurous infernal circle of Dante. Under the Bourbons’ domination the mining activity has reached its climax, later to be transformed in a real industry. Once ceased the Bourbons’ domination, during the first half of the 19th century, an Englishman Stevenson, who continued the mining activity, and planted the first vineyards in Piano, bought the island. Today it is possible to admire his villa, the Castello, situated near the muds. The Englishman left the island after a dangerous eruption, maybe the last one, in 1888. The few colonies who left used as best they could the recourses of the island but the most representative activity under the economic aspect of the “hot land” is surely the activity turning around that volcanic cone so near and mighty, but at the same time, so quiet and silent; remember that the volcano has been inactive for more than a century. It remains, however, a land full of life: hissings, the heat of evaporating steams, and the colourful structures of sulphur, are there to remember the majesty of nature which can change the fate of a landscape, and redraw the morphology of a land which, for this reason, remains magic and mythological in each century. It is said that men become immortal if a masterpiece, of literary or other genre, keeps their memory. Vulcano is not only the mythological land, the cradle of the Greek god Hephaestus, but it made immortal, after decades of silence and indifference for this natural paradise, the cinema director Dieterle, who in 1949, shoot the namesake film, performed by the passionate Anna Magnani.

Clear waters full of life , the history made of eruptions, seaquakes, invasions, and piracy have always attracted sailors and tourists from all over the world. In spite of the touristic vocation this destination acquired during the last 50 years, it is possible to affirm that man’s intervention has not mutated or changed the wonderful landscape and such evocative and wonderful sea. Such multi-coloured seabed, a rocky coast full of creeks, stacks and caves, made of Vulcano the favourite destination for all those who are fond of scuba diving. There are a lot of sites where you can dive in Vulcano, each of them having its own fashion and always giving new emotions.

Capo Grillo

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 18mt 41mt.
Visibility: excellent.
Current: light.

The mooring occurs at 6m on the northern side of the island; the diving takes place along the volcanic ridge, coloured by several sponges and starfishes. At the depth of 18m a little cave creates an accessible creek full of shrimps to the skin-divers. The immersion continues admiring the ridge where it is not difficult to see lobsters, morays, and every kind of shoals. At the depth of 41m another creek creates a cave populated by a thick colony of shrimps, and musdea.

The wall of the Little Mermaid

Difficulty: very demanding
Depth: 12mt 45mt
Visibilità: Excellent.
Current: light

The diving occurs under the volcano’s slopes on the western side of the island. The point is not hard to locate thanks to the statue of the mermaid which surmounts a big rock at a few meters of the coast, the peak of a platform of volcanic rocks. At 12m of depth there is a stair where you will notice a wall; swimming around you will find lobsters, pentagon stars, sponges, and blackbelly rosefishes. For more expert skin-divers, at the depth of 35m it is possible to find some red corals. The scuba diving is exciting both for gas emissions from the seabed and fro the presence of a small creek which leads to the internal air bubble.

The landslide archipelago

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 25mt 45mt.

The diving occurs in front of the northern coast of Vulcanello between two hotels, easily seen from the sea. The discovery of the seabed starts with a light slope alternated to rocks and Posidonia oceanica (also known as Neptune Grass) till the depths of 10m, where a more steep descent starts, compound of stones, which become always bigger with the increase of the depth; they create an evocative seabed at 45m of depth.

Capo Grosso

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 20mt 40mt
Visibility: excellent
Current: Media

The diving on the northern-east side of Vulcano, where from the surface a vertical wall goes down till 50m on plateau. The diving is really evocative because it permits the discovery of the ravines which appear along this wall full of indentations and canals, and is populated by a myriad of the colonies of sponges, parrotfishes, anemone, astroides, and sabella spallanzanii. The numerous creeks create an ideal habitat for octopus, morays, blackbelly rosefishes and groupers.

Scoglio’s Quaglietto

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 20mt 30mt
Visibility: excellent
Current: slightly

Lo Scoglio del Quaglietto is among the most appreciated diving places of the Aeolian Islands. The rock is situated on the western coast of the Vulcano island, at a little distance from the coast. The diving is also right for the less expert skin-divers, and it occurs along the vertical wall of the rock until you reach a cave with many chambers, where the statue of Madonna surrounded by sabella spallanzannii is situated. In the second chamber there is a colony of prawns living. Adjacent the cave, on the seabed, a landslide makes the landscape full of creeks, a perfect shelter for groupers, lobsters, and octopus.

Capo Testa Grossa

Difficulty: Difficult
Depth: 20mt 50mt

The diving is recommended to the most expert skin-divers. Capo Teresa Grossa is situated on the western coast of the Vulcano island. The discovery of the seabed starts in the northern bay of the header next to rocks. One of these rocks creates a vertical wall populated by sponges. The diving continues going towards the extreme point of the header, where initially you follow a nearby vertical wall till you arrive to a steep landslide reaching depths major then 50 metres. The landslide creates a perfect habitat for burrow fishes; in fact it is not difficult to meet groupers, morays, octopus, lobsters ,and breams.

The natural lake of warm muds is the perfect result of the balance between the intervention of man, and nature. The artificial human intervention has not changed anything of an already existing natural heritage; on the contrary, works of removal of the soil’s crust, did in the 60s of the twentieth century to create a volcanic lake , permitted a man to better overwork the properties of the place, without artificially changing its original qualities. The volcanic lake has emissions of water from lower slope with a presence of vapours of sulphur, anhydrite, metal saults, and natural radioactivity. It seems impossible to manage to immerge into the waters of a place where the strong smell of sulphur is perceived at the distance, but the landscape’s suggestion and benefit effects of volcanic muds give a sensation of great well-being, making the experience of immersion into muds unique and unforgettable, if considered as a souvenir of well-being, relax, and enjoyment of all the senses. Among rocks and in muds there are breathes which the crater makes; the immersion into the natural lake of warm muds of Vulcano is really the realisation of the symbiosis between man and nature. The continuous emission of these breathes creates mud of clay, whose elevated acidity and the elevated concentration of sulphur do not permit germs’ creation. Muds’ bathes do not only produce a sensation of a psychophysical well-being; on the contrary, they are real therapies. In fact, they are advised those who suffer from breathing and skin diseases, and those of the human musculoskeletal system.

The benefits concerning the human musculoskeletal system’s diseases refer to the analgesic and the relaxing action of mud, useful for the treatment of bursitis and tendinitis. For a mud bath, concerning the post-trauma of the bones, it is always recommended a doctor’s opinion.

In case of dermic pathologies, or more simply for those with a type of dry skin, there are some useful and needful advices. Mud must not be applied on one’s face by whoever as if it were a beauty mask. For example, those who have dry skin will not obtain the same benefits of who has more oily skin; the doctor’s advice is then indispensable, in order to avoid the aggravation of latent dermic pathologies, or those present in a light or a not serious form. The sulphuric emanations are also a perfect treatment for breathing pathologies. A natural way to do aerosol is to inhale the emanations at the safe distance of 50 cm from geyser. In conclusion, the natural lake of muds of Vulcano, is not only a unique scenery from landscape’s point of view, but is a kind of “natural clinic” for the treatment of body and soul. Both physical and psychological benefits are achieved, if we consider that treating your body in such a special and evocative place , you obtain an immediate sensation of well-being and relax. In short, the muds of Vulcano are a Spa in the open air, a natural thermal centre.

The island of Vulcano is named by the Roman god Vulcanus; its activity is in a state of dormancy, but it is possible to observe some phenomena as fumaroles, thermal springs, and muds which prove its state of activity. In the Roman mythology the Vulcano island is considered a place where the forges of Hephaestus, the god of Fire were situated. For those who are not able to give up a naturalistic excursion, the visit to the Great Crater is a MUST. The path leading to the peak is situated at about 5 minutes on foot from Levante mooring, the main port of the island. The excursion is not demanding; it does not require particular equipment or preparation; and is suitable for anybody.

Some advices:

• In summer avoid to climb during the hottest hours because the temperatures can reach 40°. The path, even being easy, has no shades. Bring a little supply of water with you.
• It is recommended to put on comfortable shoes with socks; the sandy ground can provoke bother.
• The access to the volcanoes, making part of the commune of Lipari, is linked to the payment of a small tax. Concerning Vulcano the tax can be directly paid at the beginning of the path; close to the ticket office there is a small kiosk, useful for the absent-minded who forgot to bring any drink supplies with them.

The path towards the peak is a pleasant walk of 45 minutes among brooms, volcanic boulders, and black and sandy soil, mostly compound of volcanic dust. One of the principal reasons to reach the Great Crater is surely the landscape. As you climb you can admire Alicudi, Filicudi, and Salina, but it is only when you arrive to the top that you obtain full awareness of the magic of this archipelago. It will be possible to distinguish the shapes of all the seven islands, and of the Vulcanello Peninsula. The Great Crater of Vulcano is the unique place where it is possible to admire the whole archipelago in a single glance. Looking towards the south, instead , it is possible to admire the northern coast of Sicily ,and Etna; the most evocative images of the archipelago come from this place.

Once reached the peak, we move to discover the crater, the depression of vast dimensions of a diameter of about 500 metres. One of the details that catch your eyes are the fumaroles, unique visible manifestations after the last eruption, occurred in 1890. Fumaroles are generally composed of sulphur, whose bacteria action gives an ochre yellow and red patina to the ground, and to the stones which compound it. While drawing near to it, be careful: if you choose a guided visit you have to wear a mask, given as a supply; in the contrary case, bring a handkerchief with you, in order to put it on your nose and mouth in proximity of sulphuric gas.

The descent is to be done on the same track

Black sand

The island of Vulcano is famous almost all over the world for its black beaches, Porto di Ponente, called so for the sand’s colour of volcanic origin. Crystalline sea waters are like a mirror for the intense black lava stones, which do not deny, under the sun rays, that effect so similar to crystals; all this only for tourists’ pleasure who love to enjoy the spontaneous artistic production of nature which creates and offers superior sights, for purity and beauty, in comparison to those created by man.

Fumarole beach

Fumarole beach is peculiar because it is bathed by waters warmed by sulphuric vapours. In many points water boils because of the presence of these submarine gassed sources, which make each swimming pleasant and beneficial.

Gelso Beach

Gelso Beach is dominated by a very evocative lighthouse, from where it is possible to admire the Saracen coast, as well as Mount Etna. The sea bathing it is blue, clear and crystalline. It can be reached by car or scooter, going all over the Provinciale, which from the Levante Port goes on till Vulcano Piano, and then forks into Gelso or Capo Grillo. It is more simple to reach it by boat: fisherman sailing there can find themselves on Spiagge Nere every day.

Asino Beach

You could never imagine it was possible to find a cove of black sand on a volcanic island, so intimate and calm during the day, and so busy and fashionable at night. Such a suggestive place is able to combine one’s passion towards the green of the mountain and the sea. It is the cradle of all the elements of nature: crystalline water of a pristine sea, warm air of fine seasons, the black soil and the faraway fire of volcanoes, producing quiet hissing sounds. This paradise is reachable by taxi boats, or walking down the steep slope on foot. It is possible to leave the scooter on the main road, to venture then between brooms and prickly pears. The beach is well equipped: there is a dancing platform on the shore, in order to enjoy the moonlight while listening to music in Arabian Nights’ atmosphere.

Climbing the crater

Climbing the crater is like to climb over the Ferris wheel. The path you have to go through along the side of the mountain offers charming views upon the archipelago: in the foreground the Vulcanello peninsula, in front of it Lipari with Salina at the left, Filicudi in the distance ( during particularly clear days you can also see Alicudi), Panarea at the right, together with its islands, and Stromboli in the background. The walk is strenuous but natural wonders make the effort more pleasant. While climbing the smell of sulphur becomes stronger, but it is really suggestive to walk upon the reddish soil, rock’s characteristics which constitutes the volcanic mountain. It seem to walk on another planet, or maybe on the border of the ancient Hephaestus arms’ factory. The view from the peak is a good reward for the efforts that the climbing requires. Amazing and charming, the great chasm of Cratere della Fossa Coronata offers, as if it nearly were some special effects on the Shakespearean theatre stage, the sight of clouds made of boiling sulphuric vapours which, emerging from soil, colour the stone of yellow ochre and red colours.

Vulcanello

In Vulcanello it is possible to visit the Monsters’ Valley (Valle dei Mostri). It takes name after the suggestion created by an afternoon dim light, by post-sunset, which makes the forms created by the rocks enigmatic. The natural forms of the rocks remind the shapes of animals, monstrous figures, or wild animals.

Asino beach

You could never imagine it was possible to find this kind of a tropical corner in a volcanic island, a cove of black sand, so intimate and calm during the day, and so busy and fashionable at night. Such a suggestive place is able to mix one’s passion towards the green of the mountain, and the sea. It is the cradle of all the elements of nature: crystalline water of a pristine sea, warm air of fine seasons, the black soil and the faraway fire of volcanoes, producing quiet hissing sounds. This paradise is reachable by taxi boats, or walking down the steep slope on foot. It is possible to leave the scooter on the main road, to venture then between brooms and prickly pears. The beach is well equipped: there is a dancing platform on the shore, in order to enjoy the moonlight while listening to music in Arabian Nights’ atmosphere.

Thermal baths

The flow of the subsoil’s energy makes the area of the Volcano Island a special place, because of the presence of sulphuric zones in the offing, adjacent to the zone of hundreds-years-old island’s mud. The refreshing mud spurts out from subsoil, and is used for obtaining benefits for the skin, for bones’ or breathing diseases.

Vulcano, among all, is the island referring to that ideal relationship of man with the primeval, the need to feel himself a part of nature which includes all the necessary of psycho-physical welfare of man. The man’s action, operated on the island, is applicable as agreement and a perfect balance, strongly wanted by those who love this kind of paradise. Only great technique and nature are able to release this kind of purpose: to interfere with the environment, without however damaging the nature, with the only purpose to find out the already present resources. It is not a case that it is possible to enjoy the benefits of thermal and sulphurous waters. Vulcano dominates the island, watches over it as an old guardian, the heir of a mythological fashion given it by the Greek and the Roman who, for its presence, called the island “terra calda” (Terasia). The peak is reachable on foot by those who love trekking and nature. The unique price to pay is the effort. It is not such a high price to pay, a little of effort, to admire this wonderful landscape, isn’t it? A perfect picture of the sky and the sea, whose colours mix to those of other six isles; you can also admire a mighty volcano of Stromboli which seems to send the signs of vapour to the visitors who look at him from the opposite peak. The natural sky, thanks to the presence of sulphurous waters and for Apollo who kisses and controls the beloved south, makes Vulcano famous for its thermal waters, and black sand beaches.

The island like you’ve never seen: