The little island in Europe loved by locals that Brits never visit – with black sand beaches and daily ferries
A EUROPEAN island described as having “raw scenic beauty” is home to its own special type of wine and, if you visit at the right time of year, it will feel like you’ve got it all to yourself.
A remote private island is a lot of people’s idea of a dream holiday, but few Brits realise how close they are to a place where a similar experience can be found.
Salina in Italy is a small island – one of the Aeolian Isles just north of Sicily.
Its unique landscapes and nature offer a slightly different island experience, with volcanic black sand beaches replacing the typical white sands seen in archetypal tropical locations.
That’s not to say Salina isn’t a paradise however, with its visitors describing it as fondly, if not more, than other beach destinations in Europe.
Among them are Never Ending Voyage who visited just after the end of the school summer holidays when the weather was still perfect for a trip to the beach.
However, by that time, the few tourists who head to the island had left, providing a private island experience.
They described it as “an island of raw scenic beauty with dramatic volcanic cliffs plunging into the sea, sleepy villages amidst verdant mountains and colourful fishing boats on pebbly beaches”.
They continued: “In mid-September the summer crowds had left and it felt like we had the island to ourselves.”
Elsewhere, Liv Tours were also pleasantly surprised by how quiet the island’s beaches were, especially given how much sun the island gets.
They wrote: “Due to the island’s volcanic origins, most of the beaches on the island of Salina are covered in beautiful black sand.
“Salina is a great place to escape the large crowds of the more popular tourist beaches and enjoy a nice beach day in the Mediterranean sun.”
The beach isn’t the only nature worth exploring on the island, with Never Ending Voyage also raving about the hills “covered in wild capers, and vines heavy with grapes for sweet Malvasia wine“.
This is a certain type of wine that comes from a grape grown in the Mediterranean.
The Aeolian Islands are particularly known for producing dessert wines, with distinctive orange notes.
Wine experts Vinello also recommend pairing it with fish, seafood and capers, which is fortunate because Salina hosts its own caper festival every year.
Everything you need to know about visiting Italy
- Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country.
- Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in 180 days.
- Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border.
- Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance.
- Italy is one hour ahead of the UK.
- The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- Flights to Italy from the UK take between 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the destination.
According to Love Olie it takes place on the first Sunday of June in the beautiful square of Sant’Onofrio in Pollara, “a small village on the island, facing a stunning view”.
They added: “For the occasion, many local volunteers cook caper-based dishes to offer to the numerous visitors who take part every year in the festival.
“It is a special occasion to taste the delicious capers of Salina, but also to savour the particular atmosphere of this paradise and to taste other typical products of Salina.”
Getting to Salina isn’t too difficult, with ferries travelling to the island from various ports in Italy.
Services run from Palermo, Milazzo, Messina, Reggio Calabria, Vibo Valentia and Naples, with some journeys taking just 1.5 hours to get there.
A night in a bed and breakfast on the island can be booked from £54.
Meanwhile, this holiday island in the UK has been compared to the Maldives.
And this UK island is like going back in time.
