vista
The presence of constantly active fumaroles reminds us that the island of Vulcano is an active volcano.
The Stack, the rock overlooking the port, is a wonderful natural tower that is now completely yellow and white due to the sulphur and gypsum that have crystallised along its sides. The road that leads from the port of Vulcano to the thermal area of the Levante beach is also the same colour.
This colouring is not entirely uniform; it has patches of various intensities on a grey background, the original colour of the rock. It is slightly reminiscent of the dazzling combination of colours of the impressionists, which were uneven and never trivial.
olfatto
The smell of fumaroles is certainly not pleasant, but it is characteristic and typical of Vulcano. Its intensity changes both with the changing seasons and with the volcano’s activity. After a particularly rainy period, the smell is not very intense, as there is more rainwater, which has filtered to the depths and evaporated.
In the final years of the 20th century there were times when the magma moved in the depths, which happens naturally, and this increased the amount of magmatic gas in the fumaroles, causing the smell of rotten egg given by the sulphur in the gases to increase immeasurably.
gusto
The structure of Vulcano would seem unable to accommodate anything edible, considering that the island was never inhabited until the 1960s.
In fact, in recent years, many plots of land in the southern part of Vulcano, the part not currently active, have been used for sheep farming and wine production.
The volcanic cheese has become famous, especially the baked ricotta, produced and packaged exclusively on the island.
In the area of Gelso and Vulcano Piano, several hectares have been used in the last twenty years for the production of wine, and the results are surprising to say the least! White wine that is delicate on the palate but with a thousand aromas, and red wine that is not too robust and fresh enough to be paired with fish.
udito
On a night in absolute silence, as you approach one of the port’s fumaroles you can hear the breath of the earth.
tatto
Another typical characteristic of Vulcano’s port area is the warmth felt when you touch anything there. In any season, with or without the sun, the ground, rock faces and anything in contact with the earth give off anything between a pleasant warmth and an almost unbearable heat.
