The capital Lípari (4,500 inhabitants) lies on the east coast. Its center is the castle mound, bordered by the Marina Lunga (in the north) and the Marina Corta (in the south). This was where the ancient acropolis was situated. It was replaced by a medieval castle (13th century) and by the fortress which Emperor Charles V had built in the 16th century for the protection of the inhabitants ater the plundering by Chaireddin Barbarossa. Until the 18th century this area was occupied by the old town of Lípari; now there are important public buildings and installations in this same place: town hall, cathedral, museum, archeological park and archeological zone.
New town
To the west of the castle mound stretches the new town with its main street, the long straight Corso Vittorio Emanuele, on which shops are situated.
Traveling along the east and north coast from Cannetto, we reach after 6.5km/4mi Acquacalda, a docking place for ships plying to the island of Salina. At this point the coast is left behind and the road takes us up through Quattropani (5.2km/3mi), situated on a plateau, southwards to the farming village of Pianoconte (4km/2.5mi).
The Archeological Park in Lípari has been laid out at the south end of the Via Castello and includes a small theater in the ancient style as well as Greek and Roman sarcophagi. These mainly come from the part of the town called Diana, where Greek settlers from the sixth century B.C. built a necropolis on the site of a Neolithic village, which was later used by the Romans. From the park there is a fine view of the town.
There is good bathing on the north beach at Lípari Town and at Cannetto, as well as in the many bays. Water pursuits and underwater sports are also well catered for.
Boat trips
There are rewarding boat trips available which include the cliffs along the south and west coasts (Faraglioni, Pietra del Bagno).
At the Belvedere di Quattrocchi near the south coast there is a wonderful view across the island and over to the neighboring island of Vulcano. Here the road turns eastwards and returns to the town of Lípari (9.5km/6mi southeast of Quattropani).
From the harbor, by climbing the Salita Melingunes, the visitor reaches the spacious Piazza Mazzini, in which the town hall and the Church of Sant'Antonio are situated. At the south end of the square there is a flight of steps, which leads along the town walls to the castle. Another way of reaching it is via the stepped street Via Concordato, which leads directly to the cathedral. This whole complex of buildings is dominated by the 16th century walls, but there is also a Greek tower dating from the fourth-third centuries B.C.
At the end of the Via Concordato in Lipari stands the cathedral of San Bartolo, which was built in the 12th century by the Norman King Roger II. It no longer has its original features, however - in 1654 it was altered in the Baroque style and in 1861 was given a new facade. Other churches include the Chiesa dell'Immaculata and the Chiesa dell'Addolorata (to the northwest of the cathedral) as well as the Chiesa Madonna delle Grazie (to the south).
Soon after Quattropani a by-road turns off right to the thermal baths of San Calägero, where there is a hot sulfur-bicarbonate spring (60°) and spa rooms dating from 1887.
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Archeological Museum
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Acquacalda, Italy
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Belvedere di Quattrocchi, Lipari
