Sights in Lipari
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
Observatory
Just south of the town is Lipari's observatory, a small place with a big job - monitoring all the volcanic and seismic activity in the Mediterranean. Follow signs south to the Hotel Carasco and Porto delle Gente, which will lead you out to a promontory formed by Monte Giardina and Monte Guardia. From here a track leads through the vineyards to the Observatory with fantastic views across the water to Vulcano.
The route is clearly marked on the Isole Eolie o Lipari 1:25,000 map produced by Litografia Artistica Cartografica.
reviewed
-
A
Museo Archeologico Eoliano
The fabulous Museo Archeologico Eoliano is one of the very best museums in Sicily, tracing the volcanic and human history of the Aeolian Islands. It is divided into three sections: an archaeological section devoted to artefacts from the Neolithic period and Bronze Age to the Roman era; a classical section with finds from Lipari’s necropolis (including the most complete collection of sensational miniature Greek theatrical masks in the world); and a section on vulcanology and finds from the other islands.
reviewed
-
Cattedrale di San Bartolomeo
You enter the castle via a set of steps that leads up to the 17th-century Cattedrale di San Bartolomeo. It was built to replace the original Norman cathedral, which was destroyed by Barbarossa who, despite his Arab name (Khair-ed-din Barbarossa), was actually an Italian mercenary. The only original element to survive is the 12th-century Benedictine cloister. The interior is hung with chandeliers.
In the northern transept is a silver statue of St Bartholomew (1728) with his flayed skin tucked under his arm.
reviewed
-
Parco Archeologico Contrada Diana
The only worthwhile sight outside the citadel is the Parco Archeologico Contrada Diana, which has revealed part of the original Greek walls (5th and 4th centuries BC) and Roman houses. At the southwestern end of the park is the necropolis, where the tombstones are still visible in the overgrown grass. The park, alas, is rarely open but all of the important finds are in the museum.
reviewed
-
B
Archaeological Dig
Around the Cattedrale di San Bartolomeo are a couple of other ruined baroque churches, but the real area of interest is the archaeological dig where finds from the Neolithic period to the Roman era have been unearthed. You won't make much sense of what's here without visiting the museum.
reviewed
-
Citadel
After Barbarossa rampaged through the town in 1544, murdering most of the citizens, enslaving the women and desecrating the relics of St Bartholomew (charming fellow that he was), the Spaniards rebuilt and fortified Lipari with the citadel.
reviewed
-
Spiaggia Valle i Muria
reviewed
-
Spiaggia della Papesca
reviewed
-
Spiaggia Bianca
reviewed
