Salina Island: beaches and volcanoes in the Aeolian archipelago

Salina belongs to the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands and is the second largest after Lipari. Despite its surface is of just 27 square kilometers, it boasts three beautiful beaches and six volcanoes, now extinct for some time.

The name of this Sicilian island comes from a pond located on the inside from which salt was extracted, then used for the conservation of fish and capers. Salina is divided into three autonomous municipalities, S. Marina, Malfa and Leni, in their turn divided into the fractions Lingua, Rinella, Val di Chiesa, Pollara and Torricella.

The island of Salina is home to six volcanoes on its surface: the oldest, located in Pizzo di Corvo, Monte Rivi and close to Capo Faro, have disappeared over the course of millennia, while the two of Fossa delle Felci and Monte dei Porri still retain the characteristic shape of a cone.

But the real great beauty of Salina are the beaches. The most beautiful is undoubtedly that of Pollara, at the northern end of the island, near the homonymous village. It's characterized by a coastline of rocks and gravel for the dark-colored volcanic origin and is easily accessible by sea, while it is rather challenging by land.

The Beach Scario of Salina is located on the northern side of the island, near the town of Malfa. The coast of rounded pebbles and stones is surrounded by Mediterranean maquis and is lapped by a crystal clear sea. Finally there is the beach of Santa Marina Salina, located on the eastern side of the island, close to the main port and town. This beach is very wide, and consists of large rounded stones washed by a very clear sea.

No wonder that the island of Salina has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, especially because of its worth for vulcanology.