Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Of the seven Aeolian Islands, this enchanting island near Sicily captivated me the most. It’s surprisingly green and the most laid-back of them all. It’s a place where you naturally start walking at a snail’s pace and have time for long walks along the coast and through the local vineyards.
What would you like to see at this nature reserve?
The island has no fewer than two volcanoes, and with its highest peak, Monte Fossa delle Felci (962 m), it is even taller than Stromboli. The mountain features a beautiful forest with many ferns. The island’s second-highest mountain, Monte Porri, is home to the “Eleonora’s falcon” (falco della regina).
The island is known for its nature reserve, which covers more than half of the island. The unique flora and the scent of flowers and herbs invite you to take long walks along peaceful trails and capture the most beautiful photos.
Salina is also known as “Il Giardino delle Eolie.” Its lush natural beauty is due to the numerous freshwater springs that make the island so green. Salina has many forests and vineyards on its very fertile soil. The so-called “Malvasia” dessert wine is a DOC wine on all the islands but is produced primarily on Salina. The harvest takes place in the first half of September. Salina’s capers— a Slow Food Presidium —are also world-famous for their strong flavor, thanks to the ideal conditions on this island for the caper bush.
Salina is the only one of the Aeolian Islands to have administrative autonomy, a status it has earned thanks to the island’s hugely successful wine production. Salina has 2,500 residents and is actually divided into three municipalities: Malfa, Santa Marina, and Leni.
Santa Marina is the largest tourist port in the Aeolian Islands. The name Salina comes from the salt production (sale) that used to take place on the island. The island’s former Greek name was Didyme, meaning “twins,” named after the twin volcanoes on the island.
From the harbor in Santa Marina, after about 2 km, you’ll reach the hamlet of Lingua, with its lighthouse and a brackish lake where salt used to be harvested.
Archaeology in Portella
The archaeological site of Portella, a Bronze Age village ( 15th – 13th century BC), is also worth a visit. It is situated on a steep volcanic ridge that you can climb via a long staircase. Here you will find round huts, carved into the volcanic rock, which are well preserved. You can reach it via the Provincial road between Santa Marina and Malfa. Perfect for a morning walk.
Malfa, City of the Amalfitans
Malfa is the largest municipality on the island, and it’s also where you’ll find the most hotels. The name Malfa comes from Amalfi because the island was settled in the12th century by several families from Amalfi. In the last century, many “Malfitani” emigrated to Australia after their harvest was destroyed. Malfa is located on the north side of the island; it is hilly and lies about 90 meters above sea level. It is pleasantly cool and green here.
In Malfa’s town square—Piazza Immacolata—you’ll find several restaurants and bars. From Malfa, you can take beautiful hikes to Monte Fossa delle Felci.
The Cliff from *Il Postino*
Part of the film *Il Postino* was shot in the beautiful bay of Pollara. Pollara is a small village situated on the volcanic floor of a crater. The small beach of Le Balate is famous for its boathouses carved out of the rock.
It’s about a 30-minute walk from the center of Malfa. Eventually, a steep path leads you down to the sea. From Santa Marina and Rinella, you can get there by bus or scooter.
Capo Faro, located between Malfa and Santa Marina, is a small hamlet with a high cliff overlooking the sea and a lighthouse atop it. Today, it is a resort featuring the vineyards of one of the region’s leading wine producers.
In the village of Serro dell’Acqua, in the municipality of Santa Marina, you’ll find the Saracen caves, which were once used as a refuge by the barbarian Saracens (650 AD).
Hiking on Salina
Salina is a beautiful island for walking and hiking. You can climb both of the island’s volcanoes. The best place to start is at the Santuario della Madonna del Terzito in Valdichiesa. However, the experience here is quite different from that on Stromboli or Vulcano because Salina is much greener.
Two beautiful hikes on the island:
The Monte Fossa delle Felci trail is a challenging hike of about 10.6 km starting from Santa Marina. It’s a steep climb, but the dense vegetation offers plenty of shade from the sun. You’ll pass beautiful, large chestnut trees and a mix of Mediterranean plants and trees. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic view of Salina and the other islands. Be sure to allow at least 5 hours for your hike, and it’s best not to plan your route for the hottest part of the day.
The Monte dei Porri is about a 5-km round trip from Valdichiesa. You can get there on foot, by bus, or by scooter. The trail is mostly well-marked. In some places, it’s steep, slippery, and rocky, so good shoes are a must. At the top, you’ll enjoy a stunning view of the island and can see the other Aeolian Islands in the distance. Be sure to allow at least 3 hours and be mindful of the heat. Bring plenty of water, as it’s a sunny climb.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
8-day hiking trip Rota Vicentina: the Fishermans trail with local specialist Self-guided, fully taken care of by a local specialist: Fishermen's Trail from Cercal to Odeceixe On day five you board a boat to cross the mouth of the Mira River. No bridge, no timetabled...
Hiking across smoking volcanoes: an organized hiking tour of the Aeolian Islands On Vulcano, you know you’ve arrived before you even set foot on shore. The sulfur already hangs over the harbor. A smell that hovers somewhere between a match and a boiled egg—and one you...
Sleeping in nature in Sardinia: handpicked accommodations, booked directly with the owner A unique place to stay in Sardinia. No nameplate on the door, no reception desk. Instead, an owner who pours you a glass of local wine upon arrival and tells you which trail is...
Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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