A vacation in the Aeolian Islands is just what you need during the summer, but often people are not well informed about the islands, what there is to see, and the local customs. In today’s article, we will discover together where Lipari is located.
The beautiful island of Lipari is an Italian island that belongs to the Aeolian Islands archipelago in the lovely region of Sicily. It is part of the municipality of Lipari, along with the other islands, except for Salina, whose territory is divided into the three municipalities of Santa Marina Salina, Malfa, and Leni.
In ancient times, the island was already well known by the name Lipara, which in ancient Greek means fat, greasy, and of brilliant extension, rich and especially fertile. However, the island was also called by the names Milogonide or Meligunide. What we can say about this island is that it is the result of a complex series of volcanic eruptions that have occurred over the millennia.
Having erupted for the last time in the year 1230, the island is still considered an active volcano, although in a quiescent phase. In the main town, which bears the same name as the island, the most frequented street is undoubtedly Corso Vittorio Emanuele, known by the locals as “Il Corso.” As for the most characteristic street, we know that it is Via Garibaldi, from which numerous alleys branch off.
It connects the Lipari Castle with Piazza Ugo di Sant’Onofrio, also known as “Marina Corta.” The latter is, among other things, one of the most characteristic squares of the Aeolian archipelago, with an irregular shape, overlooking the sea, and especially rich in bars and various restaurants. At the eastern end of the square, we have the rock of the Lipari Castle, while on the sea side, stands the historic Church of the Souls in Purgatory.
The square, due to its location, is highly frequented, especially during summer evenings. Another square in the historic center of Lipari is Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, also known as “Sopra la Civita.” From here, you can access the castle itself and the cathedral, while the square, under renovation since 2011 and reopened seven years later, in 2018, is now the seat of the Town Hall.
Exactly Where Is Lipari Located?
Continuing to talk about the beautiful and most important island of the Aeolian archipelago, we must mention the Aeolian Regional Archaeological Museum, which is located in the Lipari Castle complex and is one of the most important in the Mediterranean, with about fifty rooms where archaeological materials are displayed in chronological order.
The castle dominates the historic center from the fortified walls that are perched on a high cliff overlooking the sea. Initially, the settlement had no defensive curtain wall, finding defense in the elevation that dominates both the plain and the sea. The wall seems to have been built in isodomic blocks in the 4th century BC, and now only the first layers of a tower from the 4th-3rd century BC remain.
Inside the castle, you can also admire valuable materials from the settlement, funerary goods, vases, steles, and even stone sarcophagi, which are direct evidence of the evolution of the cult of the dead. Additionally, there are ceramics, theatrical masks, and terracotta statues. The visit is facilitated by captions in Italian and English, provided in detailed and summary versions for quick reading.
