Less Known Aeolian Island, Filicudi: Unexpected Food And Soul Pleasures
By Margaret Cowan
On a late May morning on the hydrofoil in the Aeolian Islands off the northeast coast of Sicily, we were approaching the remote little island of Filicudi that looked like a rustic outpost with its tiny port. One street overlooking a stony beach ran between a high mountain and its foot hills on the right and a skinny peninsula with a lower hill on the left, all covered mainly in green Mediterranean scrub.
I’d traveled to the bigger, busier Aeolian Islands of Stromboli, Vulcano, Salina and Lipari. My curiosity about the smaller, outer islands led me to explore Filicudi, a haven of tranquility of 250 residents about one hour by boat from the main island, Lipari.
Little did I know Filicudi would give me unexpected pleasures.
The tourist season started in two weeks, so a handful of people got off the boat. Some restaurants and bars at the almost deserted port looked closed.
In the Rough Guide to Sicily, I’d discovered three star Hotel La Canna with 10 rooms in typical Aeolian style, brilliant white houses with big shaded patios overlooking the sea and a restaurant. I reserved three nights online at lacannahotel.it, pretty sure I could rely on my guidebook.
At the dock, the smiling hotel owner, Vincenzo picked me and an Italian couple up and drove us to the hotel set on a hill above the port. Arriving at my room door, I stood glued to the spot, stunned by the beauty saying, “Yes!” My room opened onto a huge patio with breathtaking, wide views of the port and sea all the way to islands of Salina and Stromboli. Entering my room, I smiled even more at the professional decor with pretty fabrics, interesting art and very comfy double bed.
What would I do alone in this quiet little place especially when a “scirocco”, extra hot weather of 38 degrees C, had descended? I’d live slowly in the present with no computer, let nature envelop me on walks and swims, eat good fish and pasta washed down with Sicilian wines, read books and share conversations with people.
At least once a day I walked about 20 minutes down the stone step path from the hotel to the port, main street with a few grocery stores, restaurants and bars, and beach. Very laid back, nothing fancy except the lovely clothes in the one tourist boutique. I bought cheese, bread and fruit for picnics and lay in the sun on the deserted stone beach, taking dips in the refreshing water.
One evening, I walked one hour up and down a trail along the hillside at the sea towards Zucco Grande, where vegetation covers collapsed houses of a deserted village. I was enjoying the wide views, the olive trees and the quiet, but about halfway the path got narrower with loose stones. Alone and wearing only running shoes, I decided not to run the risk of slipping and rolling down a steep hill to the sea.
From the port a short walk leads you to a stone path winding up the low hill of Capo Graziano past remains of pre historic stone huts in a closed archaeological site. You can continue to more challenging paths around the cape to a rocky coast but I was happy lingering above the ruins, admiring the splendid panoramas of the port and two coasts of the island.
One morning I walked for an hour from the hotel along the winding, main road, looking down at the sea and around me at cacti in bloom and white washed homes with colourful gardens. At a church I descended a long, narrow, stone pathway between houses to the pretty hamlet of Pecorini a Mare on the sea.
Small, white washed residential buildings and a restaurant with a shady patio and a tempting menu of local dishes, line its picturesque little piazza overlooking a stone beach. I was wishing I’d brought my bathing suit and could hang out there, but with the very hot weather, I wanted to get back to my shady hotel patio by noon.
After picnicking on the hotel patio, I lay in the peaceful shade outside for a few hours on a sun bed enjoying the hot wind gently blowing across me and gazing at the sea. I hadn’t done absolutely nothing for that long in months and vowed I’d do that more at home.
I thrive on variety so avoid eating all meals in one restaurant, but Hotel La Canna’s food was too delicious. I happily succumbed to dinners there all three nights. The outstanding pasta with pesto of capers, almonds, basil, parsley and olive oil will remain in my memory forever. A close second is their pasta loaded with wild fennel, sardines, raisins and pine nuts. Local fish were very tasty with a good choice of Sicilian wines. Fresh fruit made a perfect ending.
In the cozy hotel restaurant, I first dined alone. How to strike up a conversation? All tables were occupied by two people, except for one with two men and a woman. At breakfast by the coffee pot, I made a silly quip to the woman. This effervescent Italian invited me to join her, her Swiss journalist husband and his photographer on assignment for an article on Filicudi for a Zurich newspaper.
Over breakfasts and dinners we talked about writing, photography, what they’d discovered that day about Filicudi and laughed over our goofy remarks. I’d found a tribe of fellow creative souls!
At the hotel, I met two Swiss sisters there for the third time. One day I’ll return to Filicudi and Hotel La Canna too!
Since 1995 Margaret Cowan has owned a tour company, Mama Margaret & Friends Cooking Adventures in Italy.
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