Villa Meligunis

Do you like to swim? Do you like pristine sea breezes, sweetly-scented tropical flowers, fresh seafood, warm sunshine, friendly locals and an unlimited selection of secluded bathing, snorkeling and diving areas? And consider this: would you like your Italian vacation to really be a vacation, one that includes a few days of true relaxation and dolce vita blended with the most fascinating cultural pursuits?

We thought so! The ironic thing about foreigners who travel to Italy is that we so rarely treat ourselves to what Italians consider to be the best possible vacation their country has to offer: a week at the seaside. Of course this is a country with seacoast to spare, but certain spots are cleaner and less crowded than others, and the Aeolian Islands are at the top of the list. Just north of Sicily, less than an hour by hydrofoil from Milazzo, they are actually the remains of five very ancient volcanoes, and this is part of what makes them so unique.

Stromboli, made famous by the film starring Ingrid Bergman, is still erupting colorfully and harmlessly every single evening. Vulcano is indeed a volcano, but it's been dormant for ages. Salina is at the perfect stage of a volcano's lifestyle: her gentle slopes are lined with superb vineyards that thrive in the rich former lava. Filicudi and Alicudi are the babies, barely big enough for a few pure-white vacation homes. As one ancient Roman historian records, Filicudi actually rose from the sea in one day while he and several other astonished islanders stood and watched! Panarea is the jet set island, a tiny mecca for fashion designers and Milanese moguls.

The capital of the Aeolians, and the most interesting to visit, is Lipari. Today it is centered around a lively port with plenty of shops and night life. Three other villages are set at strategic intervals along the coast, surrounding the wonderfully fertile and largely uninhabited center of the island. On a plateau above the harbor, overlooking the whole scene, is a massive 16th-century wall, inside of which are carefully the maintained remains of a 6000-year-old neolithic settlement, a Hellenistic settlement, and a Roman settlement, as well as the beautiful 11th-century cathedral and one of the finest archeological museums in Italy (not only does it have an extensive collection, but there is a great deal of educational material to clearly explain what you are seeing - in Italian, French and English).

When the ancient Greeks lived here, they called this village Meligunis. Today that name lives on in the island's most gracious inn. Located just a five minute walk from the harbor, this four-star hotel occupies a palatial 18th-century home. Accommodations feature private bathroom, sea views, air conditioning, direct-dial telephone, satellite TV, mini-bar, and wireless Internet throughout. Surrounding the hotel is a quiet shady garden with a cocktail bar, and there's a fabulous rooftop restaurant serving sophisticated Sicilian fare made with terrifically fresh seafood and local produce.

Villa Meligunis has a rooftop swimming pool, and it also has a shuttle bus which can take you back and forth to its own private beach at Canneto, where you'll find chairs, umbrellas, snacks and attendants to help you. But we suggest you opt for the authentic Italian experience: hire a boat to take you around the island, stopping at a quiet cove or by a shimmering grotto to swim or snorkel, or to cook you a lunch of pasta, fresh fish, wine and watermelon. The same extremely affordable boats, which all seem to be manned by friendly young locals named Bartolo, will also take you to visit the other islands. Your destination will depend on which way the wind is blowing, for the wind is king in these islands. After all, they are named after, Aeolius, Roman god of the wind, and Lipari, his father-in-law. The hotel will be happy to help you arrange these special day trips, or just saunter down to the port and hire your own Bartolo for an hour or a day. Our favorite excursion from Lipari is the afternoon departure for Stromboli. Enjoy the sail, stop for a swim or two along the way, have dinner prepared on the boat, then sit back and watch the volcano erupt from your front row seats on the sea. Afterward you head back to Lipari under the stars, for another night of pleasant island dreams.

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Nightly B&B Rates for 2008 (per room) Two-Night Minimum Stay
Includes taxes, services & breakfast
	Jan. 1-March 31 Nov. 1-Dec. 22	April 1-May 31 July 1-31 Oct. 1-31 Dec. 22-Jan. 2, 2007	June 1-30 Sept. 1-30	August 1-30
Single Room	103.50 EURO	155.50 EURO	202.50 EURO	235.50 EURO
Double Room	150.50 EURO	202.50 EURO	249.50 EURO	287.00 EURO
Triple Room	211.00 EURO	283.50 EURO	349.50 EURO	402.00 EURO
Quadruple Room	271.00 EURO	364.50 EURO	449.00 EURO	517.00 EURO
Sea View	30.50 EURO	30.50 EURO	30.50 EURO	30.50 EURO
Suite Supplement	80.00 EURO	80.00 EURO	80.00 EURO	80.00 EURO

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Half Board (including lunch): add 32 Euro/day per person
Full Board (including lunch and dinner): add 60 Euro/day per person
Children 0-10 years deduct 20% in their parents' room
Children 11-14 years deduct 15% in their parents' room

Prices are based on full room occupancy
Prices include shuttles to and from Canneto beach

Transfer from the hydrofoil dock to the hotel costs 7 Euro/person. Please let us know if you would like this service.
Cars can be parked easily in Milazzo. Please ask us for information about garages.

Click here for information about getting to Sicily.

Click here for information about private transfers to the property.