Sicily - Italy - page 557

€

Of all the restaurants on the main square, Piazza del Duomo, the only one
offering good value is the Ostaria del Duomo (Piazza del Duomo; % 0921-
421838). Expect very filling plates of traditional Sicilian cuisine, mainly seafood-
based, for under € 10. They have an extensive wine list, even by the glass, and the
view of both the imposing cathedral and the evening passeggiata complete the din-
ing experience.

Another good bet is Al Gabbiano (Lungomare G. Giardia; % 0921-421495),
on the waterfront, which offers a decisively romantic dining experience. The spe-
cialties are seafood--I like the swordfish rolls for

€€

€

11, but pastas are also avail-

able and are a decent deal at € 7.
AEOLIAN ISLANDS
Wildly diverse and seductively appealing for anyone in search of an island get-
away, Sicily's Aeolian islands are among the best offbeat escapes in the
Mediterranean. The tiny islands are the peaks of a 3,000m (9,840-ft.) volcanic
mountain range that was formed more than a million years ago. Today two of the
islands, Vulcano and Stromboli, still smolder and sizzle, but the rest are largely
dormant. In the warmer months, hydrofoils and ferries leave from Cefalù,
Milazzo, and Messina, and hop from island to island. The main island is Lipari
and almost all mainland ferries stop here first. A standard fare from Milazzo to
Lipari (about a 2-hr. journey), with one or more side trips to other islands, is

€

11.

The hydrofoils, of course, are faster and more expensive.

Hydrofoil & Ferry Travel Times from Lipari
Destination

Hydrofoil Travel Time Ferry Travel Time

Alicudi 2 hours N/A

Filicudi 1 hour 30 minutes N/A

Panarea 50 minutes N/A

Salina 35 minutes 45 minutes

Stromboli 1 hour 3 hours 45 minutes

Vulcano 10 minutes 25 minutes

LAY OF THE LAND
I recommend that you base yourself in Lipari, as it offers the widest range of
rooms and apartments. As the capital of the Aeolian islands, it also has the most
to see. The Citadel is the focal point in the only real town in the Aeolians. Start
at the Via del Concordato, with its 17th-century Cattedrale di San Bartolomeo
and its 12th-century Benedictine cloister. Then head straight for the archaeolog-
ical dig, which is a quarry for the nearby Museo Archeologico Eoliano (Via del
Castello; % 090-9880174; € 4.50; daily 9am-1:30pm and 3-7pm). You can easily
spend a few hours poking around the vases, sculpture, and other ancient artifacts
in the two buildings that make up this museum. German and Italian tourists
come here for the clear waters, the snorkeling, the scuba diving, and its beaches.