Stromboli Island
The most spectacular island of the entire Aeolian archipelago , it is little more than a volcanic cone emerging from the sea. This very active outlet of the volcanic chain emits rains of lapilli and incandescent stones at regular intervals of about twenty minutes, rains visible only at night, sometimes even from Calabria.
It is precisely from the Stromboli crater that Professor Lindebrook and his colleagues emerge from the bowels of the planet of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth . In the last hundred years there have been some more serious eruptions, in 1930 the serious damage suffered by numerous houses induced many inhabitants to emigrate; recently in 2002 an eruption caused a landslide of volcanic rock which, plunging into the sea, generated an anomalous wave another 10 m which reached the Calabrian and Sicilian coasts, flooding the waterfront and breaking a tanker in Milazzo in two. In 2003 there was a similar eruption, while in 2007 new craters opened at the top, resulting in the release of new lava flows that poured into the sea. Although these eruptions did not cause any casualties , they reminded that Stromboli is a still alive volcano.
The permanent population is around 500 people, and the place has very rudimentary characteristics, but despite this it has become a very chic vacation spot . Its beautiful black sand beaches are dominated by luxury hotels, while thrill seekers come from all over to climb one of the most accessible volcanoes on the planet.
The boats land in Porto Scari / San Vincenzo , at the foot of Stromboli city. With a short walk you can reach the hotels in via Roma; to go to the crater you have to follow the road that runs along the sea
What see
Outside the village on the right after the church of San Vincenzo is the reddish house where Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini lived during the shooting of the film Stromboli in 1949. Dolce & Gabbana created a villa, which was then sold, which was obtained from the union of three different houses by the sea.
The beaches of Stromboli are the most beautiful in the entire archipelago , the wide expanse of black sand under the main hotels is stunning.
The volcano
Formed just 40,000 years ago, the Stromboli crater is in a state of permanent eruptive activity , with constant explosions that throw ash and lapilli. Due to the recent volcanic activity it is forbidden to attempt the ascension to the volcano without a guide. Local authorities have placed a limit on the number of visitors allowed to climb the crater (max 20 people per guide). The spectacle offered by the sun plunging into the sea and the volcano explosions that launch incandescent magma into the air is a unique beauty.
You can stop at the top 40 minutes before starting the descent. It takes about two hours to reach Piazza San Vincenzo , the climb is not demanding but you have to be fit to keep up and find it pleasant. If you don't feel like completing the complete excursion, you can reach up to 400 m of altitude, where a fantastic view of the Sciara del Fuoco opens up, reachable even without a guide.
The explosions normally occur every 20 minutes and are preceded by the very strong roar produced by the gases that push the magma into the air, it is an incredibly exciting sight. On windless nights the fiery Sciara and the glow of the explosions offer a highly suggestive spectacle.