Salina is an island in the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily. It is the second largest island in the archipelago. Salina is divided between three comuni: Santa Marina on the eastern coast, Malfa to the north, and Leni to the south-west. It is the greenest island of the Aeolian archipelago. Its name comes from the salt mines exploited in ancient times a lake, an abandoned village of Language. It is also famous for its starring role in the 1994 film Il Postino. Santa Marina Salina, the main port, is notable for its long, traffic-free main street, where chic boutiques and down-to-earth food shops occupy the ground floors of the substantial 19th-century houses built by those who made their fortune selling sweet Malvasia wine to the British.

credit: Flavio Bernardotti

Catania is Sicily’s second largest city, with a population of around 300,000. It is among Italian hottest cities with a summer temperature that can exceed 40° degrees. It lies on the Ionian Sea, near Mount Etna, or “A Muntagna” as the locals refer to it. Subjected to Etna’s fickle temperament, Catania has been damaged by lava flows and earthquakes on several occasions. A particularly destructive volcanic eruption in 1669 was followed by a serious earthquake in 1693. The city has a history dating back 2700 years, dominated by several different cultures like Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, etc. The city is full of attractions, offering historic and artistic wonders for everyone.

credit: Jesús Cabrera