The Island of Filicudi is in Italy belonging to the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands, in Sicily. Administratively it is part of the municipality of Lipari; the two inhabited centers Filicudi Porto and Pecorini a Mare.

The origin of the Island of Filicudi

The Origin of the name of Filicudi

In ancient times the island was known as Phoinicussa (Φοινικοῦσσα) or as Phoinicṑdēs (Φοινικώδης), from the substantive phoinix (Φοινιξ), which in ancient Greek indicates the dwarf palm, widespread in ancient times and still present today on the promontories of the island. an island of Italy belonging to the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands, in Sicily. Administratively it is part of the municipality of Lipari; the two inhabited centers Filicudi Porto and Pecorini a Mare.

Geography and Environment of the Island of Filicudi

The island of Filicudi is the fifth largest island of the Aeolian archipelago and the second westernmost island of the archipelago (after Alicudi); it is located about 24 nautical miles west of Lipari. It is dominated by Mount Fossa delle Felci, an extinct volcano 773 m high. In addition to it, there are seven other volcanoes (La Sciara, Montagnola – Piano Sardo, Monte Terrione (also called “Torrione”), Monte Guardia, Capo Graziano, Monte Chiumento, Riberosse), all extinct for a long time and consequence strongly marked by erosion.

The population, about 200 inhabitants (which become 3000 in the summer season), is distributed between the centers of Filicudi Porto, Valdichiesa, Pecorini, Pecorini a mare, Canale and Rocca di Ciavoli, connected to each other by the only asphalted road on the island and from a dense web of pedestrian streets. The town of Stimpagnato, in the south-east of the island, is inhabited by tourists only during the summer.

The Mediterranean scrub grows on the island consisting of capers, broom, olive trees, mastic trees, carob trees, Artemisia arborescens, Erysimum brulloi, Centaurea aeolica. Among the birds, the peregrine falcon, the lodolaio, the queen’s falcon and the cuckoo falcon.

Shipwrecks in the Island of Filicudi

• Wreck A. Located in the Capo Graziano shoal and dated to the middle of the 2nd century BC, it had a load consisting of wine amphorae of the Dressel 1B type, together with black varnished ceramic pottery of the Campana A and Campana B type, from achromatic ceramic between including an askos, a pelvis and a lagynos. From the same ship come three lead anchor stocks, decorated with dolphins and astragals.
• Wreck C. Located near the Capo Graziano shoal, it is dated to the Augustan age. The cargo consisted of amphorae of the Haltern 71 / Oberaden 83 type.
• Wreck E. Discovered in 1968 near the Capo Graziano shoal, it belonged to a merchant ship armed with Venetian cannons from the 16th century.
• Wreck F. Located near Capo Graziano and dated to the first half of the third century BC, it carried a load made up of Greek-Italic amphorae and black and achromatic painted pottery.

How to reach the Island of Filicudi

There are two main landings at Filicudi, none of which can be defined as “safe” for all weather conditions:

The port, where almost all the ships, ferries and hydrofoils land, is naturally the busiest and most “commercial” area of the island of Filicudi.
Pecorini Mare represents the alternative docking on days in which, due to weather conditions or for other reasons, the means of connection cannot dock at the Port.