Hike to Lentia, and a meal at Il Cappero (again)
Lentia
On our last full day we didn’t fancy doing much. Sam’s kayaking tour was cancelled and an all day boat trip to Stromboli isn’t the best way to relax before travelling home (though probably a trip we should have done, it sounded good). We went for a ‘casual walk’ instead, to a new part of the island. From town we found Baia Negra, and continued south from there, looking for a footpath up into the hills. But the map’s marked path was closed, so we followed the unshaded roads up to the Lentia viewpoint on the west of the island. It was baking and the tarmac was hot to the touch.
Lentia itself is a small village of expensive holiday homes, with a pool, a bar and a tennis court; the latter with its tall fences placed right against the best of the views, a tragedy. We stopped for a Cornetto and headed back. Looking south on the return journey, we could see Sicily and the rest of Vulcano. Beneath us were cute coves and miniature beaches, reachable only by boat.
It wouldn’t be a Sam and Paul holiday unless we had some fresh bread, cheese and salami as a cheap picnic lunch from the local supermarket. We picked up some snacks and Malvasia for home too, and enjoyed a homemade lunch on our hotel balcony. We spent our remaining hours in the pool until the sun began to dip. We packed our clothes, dressed up for dinner and meandered the hotel with our camera and tripod.
Il Cappero (again)
We returned to Il Cappero for our final meal, this time choosing the five course menu, but selecting the same cheap but delicious Sicilian white wine, a bottle of course, “we won’t drink all of it”, Sam said, mistakenly.
We sat facing the islands and the sea, a magical place. As the light faded, on the day and on our holiday, the islands disappeared one more time. The fishermen returned, for their nightly plunders, and in the cool night air, against the stars, with wonderful food, and in each others company, we felt lucky and couldn’t have been more happy.