Known for
OBSIDIAN
Neolithic trading center since 5000 BC for the volcanic glass quarried from Rocche Rosse and Forgia Vecchia flows.
UNESCO 2000
Aeolian Islands inscribed on the World Heritage list for their volcanism, with Lipari as the archipelago's administrative center.
THE CITADEL
Castle rock above Marina Corta with the regional archaeological museum, San Bartolomeo cathedral and Greek-Roman necropolis layered together.
When to visit
Best · May–Oct
- J15°
- F14°
- M14°
- A16°
- M20°
- J24°
- J27°
- A28°
- S26°
- O22°
- N20°
- D17°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. The sea is warmest in August at 29° and coldest in February at 16°. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
The festa: Bartolomeo, 24 August
Why come
Lipari sits forty kilometers off Sicily's Tyrrhenian coast, the largest of the seven Aeolian islands and the only commune that administers six of them: Vulcano, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi and Lipari itself. Humans have lived here since 5000 BC, drawn by deposits of obsidian, the volcanic glass that made Neolithic Lipari a Mediterranean trading center. The Rocche Rosse obsidian flow on the north of the island dates to the last eruption in 729 CE.
The Spanish rebuilt the castle walls after Hayreddin Barbarossa sacked the town and enslaved the population in 1544; the citadel above Marina Corta now holds the Museo Archeologico Eoliano, one of the most important archaeological collections in the Mediterranean. The archipelago joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2000 for its volcanism. Around 12,500 people live here year-round.
In summer the population doubles. Ferries from Milazzo arrive every two hours.
The Sunday letter
Lipari is on our list. Its letter is still to come.
We are writing about all 1,000 of these towns, one at a time, in a free letter every Sunday: the photo, the food, the festa. That is our mission. Sign up and you will be there when Lipari comes up. By Peter & Sophia, from Pietrasanta.
Read on
Lipari in our articles
The best coastal towns in the province of Messina6 towns, Lipari among them.
The best hidden coastal towns that eat well in Sicilia9 towns, Lipari among them.
Alternatives to Taormina: every coastal town in Sicily, in one list14 towns, Lipari among them.
Alternatives to Capri: every island town in Italy, in one list16 towns, Lipari among them.
How to get there
Lipari is on an island and is reached by ferry.
What to see
Castello di Lipari
Fortified citadel on a volcanic rock fifty meters above the sea, rebuilt by the Spanish under Charles V after the 1544 Barbarossa sack.
Museo Archeologico Regionale Eoliano
Six-section museum founded by Bernabò Brea and Cavalier in the 1950s, with prehistoric, classical, epigraphic and volcanological collections from the archipelago.
Cattedrale di San Bartolomeo
Cathedral on the castle plateau, ninth-century foundation rebuilt several times, dedicated to the patron saint whose relics were moved to Benevento in 839.
Rocche Rosse
Obsidian and rhyolite lava flow on the north of the island, product of the 729 CE eruption and the source of Neolithic Lipari's trading wealth.
Marina Corta
Small fishing harbor at the foot of the castle, ringed by cafés and the departure point for boats to the smaller islands.
Marina Lunga
Main port on the eastern side of town, where ferries and hydrofoils from Milazzo and Naples arrive.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Lipari fits in a slow Italy circuit.
Answer five questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.
We recommend
Where to eat and stay
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
I TenerumiRistorante
I Tenerumi carries two Michelin stars, three Gambero Rosso forks (91/100), plus a La Liste score of 87.5.
FilippinoRistorante
Filippino has a place on Italy's historic-locali register and a spot in the Michelin Guide.
Il CapperoRistorante
Il Cappero holds one Michelin star and two Gambero Rosso forks (86/100).
Broccia dell'Hotel QuartaraRistorante
One Gambero Rosso fork (78/100), at Broccia dell'Hotel Quartara.
Castellaro BistrotBistrot
Castellaro Bistrot holds one Gambero Rosso table.
Il CannetoTrattoria
Il Canneto has one Gambero Rosso prawn to its name.
Le MacineRistorante
Le Macine carries a Slow Food snail.
Osteria San BartoloTrattoria
One Gambero Rosso prawn, at Osteria San Bartolo.
Trattoria del VicoloRistorante
Trattoria del Vicolo has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.
Therasia Resort Sea and SpaHotel
Therasia Resort Sea and Spa carries a Leading Hotels of the World listing.
Living here
- Population 12,565
- Remotei
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Regional capital Palermo, ~143 km
Thermal baths in town: Terme di San Calogero.
Common questions
- What is Lipari known for?
- Lipari is the largest Aeolian island and the only municipality that administers six of the seven, with a clifftop castle citadel rising above two harbors.
- Where is Lipari?
- Lipari is a comune in the province of Messina, in Sicily, at 44 meters above sea level.
- How do you get to Lipari?
- Lipari is on an island and is reached by ferry.
- When is the best time to visit Lipari?
- Best in May–Oct. August is the warmest month, averaging 28 degrees, and November the wettest, with about 14 rain days.
- Is there a sagra or a festival in Lipari?
- The town keeps its patron saint's day: Bartolomeo, 24 August.
- Which other towns are like Lipari?
- Riposto, Giarre and Sciacca.
- How many people live in Lipari?
- 12,565 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 44 m
- Population: 12,565
- Surface area: 89.72 km²
On the map
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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