Panarea

Panarea is the second smallest of the eight Aeolian Islands, a volcanic island chain north of Sicily, southern Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Lipari. There are currently about 280 residents living on the island year-round; however the population increases dramatically in summer with the influx of tourists. In recent years, the island has become known internationally for its celebrity visitors.GeographyThe island is an inactive volcano with a total surface area of only 3.4km2. The highest point on the island, Punta del Corvo, is 421m above sea level. There are thermal springs near the village of Punta di Peppe e Maria. Scuba diving is a popular excursion on this tiny island, and you can even swim to a shipwreck between the offshore rocks of Lisca Bianca and Bottaro.HistoryIn antiquity, the island was named "Euonymos"; the nearby islet of Basiluzzo, administered from Panarea, was named "Hycesia". There is archaeological evidence on the island dating back to Mycenaean inhabitants (~ 1200 BCE); later the island was settled by Romans. There were people still living on the island until pirates and other Mediterranean raiders made life unbearable after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.