We stayed in Julia and Richard's charming Aeolian cottage for eight days and loved every minute of it.
When you get to Alicudi, Julia will have already arranged the mule taxi up to the cottage and have sent you a comprehensive list of what to get from the local store and what to bring with you, which is a real help. Then once you've hiked and climbed and huffed and puffed your way up the very steep hill, possibly wondering what on earth you've let yourself in for (although the muleteers go up and down up to five times a day, which is sobering to see), you will get the answer.
This place really is a corner of paradise on earth and worth every ounce of effort you put into getting up there. The eco-cottage is absolutely charming - beautifully restored and furnished with a vibrant terraced Mediterranean garden, open air dining area and spectacular views over the Aeolian archipelago. You will experience dramatic sunrises and sunsets, and enjoy a place of total peace; no roads = no cars = no acoustic pollution = total silence bar the wind and the cries of the kestrels and ospreys that circle overhead.
Julia and Richard are wonderful hosts who really put themselves out for you; they will explain where the best walks, views and coastal sun traps are, plus which local stores and fishermen to frequent. And they live nearby (they're your only neighbours in fact), so you can always call on them to answer any queries you may have. On our last two days we hired a dinghy and had a day going round the island and diving off the boat into crystalline waters and one day at the nearby Filicudi - another beautiful island - although I must say we felt like we were really coming home when we got back to Alicudi.
And that's the thing: you really will feel at home here. If you love wild nature, spectacular views, gorgeous sunsets, wild mountain goats, precious silence and great company, this is the place for you. You will return invigorated and with a smile from ear to ear - and with leg muscles to match! Very highly recommended!