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Villa Meligunis Seaside Hotel - Romantic Lodgings |
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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? Do you also love ancient culture and history? Then why not fashion your Italian vacation to be a real vacation, one that includes a few days of true relaxation and dolcevita blended with the most fascinating cultural pursuits?
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 also has a panoramic rooftop swimming pool, as well as a shuttle bus that takes you back and forth to the 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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For this property:
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.
Half Board (including lunch) and Full Board (including lunch and dinner) are available.
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 near the ferry dock in Milazzo. Please ask us for information about garages.
Click here for information about getting to Sicily.
Please note that it is not possible to guarantee Internet access at any property, because the property does not generate the service, it merely provides access from a server. If the server experiences any kind of problem at all, the property regrets it cannot be responsible for any inconvenience caused by subsequent lack of service.
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