The northwest coast is pleasantly unspoiled, the active volcano nice enough. But the sloppiest of day-trippers stop there, as it's the closest of the Aeolians to Sicily. The village is a drab 1970's eyesore, full of snack bars. And the island's biggest draw, the curative hot springs, are a Must Miss unless you like muddy pools brimming with naked, package-tour Germans. Since Lipari is only an hour by hydrofoil from the Sicilian port of Milazzo and less than two hours from Reggio di Calabria on the mainland, it's a good starting point for a visit to the Aeolians.
Most people stay here and take day trips to the other islands.
On my private terrace, shaded by wisteria and cooled by sea breezes, I picture all the tall Camparis and naps to come. Not to mention the many boutiques, which carry coral jewelry, South Seas pareus, and Indonesian antiques. I hop onto a motorino and follow the island's one road, which dead-ends at a beach on the southern tip, Capo Milazzese. A cobbled trail leads to a bluff, where prehistoric ruins stand in a 360-degree universe of sea and sky. From my perch, I can look down into coves, each cradling a beach of pebbles or silky tan sand.