Five Islands of Italy.
First published: Sunday February 27th, 2022
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Introduction.
A poem my grandad loved to recite went "Long legged Italy, kicked poor Sicily, into the middle of the Mediterranean Sea". Something I always remember whenever I see a map of Italy. I've no idea if it was a rhyme he made up or if he was quoting an actual ode written by someone. The next line was something like "Along came Austria, felt a little Hungary, had a bit of Turkey, dipped in Greece". My grandad said some stupid things at times, but at least he entertained us kids. Almost 50 years ago and I still remember the poem.
Anyway, enough of my memories, let's get on with the blog !
The next five islands are in Italy, a land of many contrasts. From the Alpine regions in the north, through the plains around the River Po, to the hot and humid south.
Here are my choices for this episode......
Dino Island.
Dino Island takes it's name from either the Greek dino or the Italian aedina meaning "storm" or "temple" respectively. Both names could be correct since the waves that break over the island during storms creat a safe haven on the leeward side, however sailors did build a temple to the goddess Venus on the island. Both hypotheses have legitimate claims to the island's etymology. The island is situated in the Calabria region in the south of Italy.
In the course of their military operations the island was visited by Muslim vessels in the 9th to 11th centuries. In 1600, the island was stormed by Turkish invaders that were resisted by the local population until they were captured and killed.
The British were the next to arrive in 1806, when the island became a base to oppose Napoleon's advance into Calabria.
During World War 1, a British vessel, the Umballa, sailing from Karachi to Naples with a load of Barley, was sunk by a submarine of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, in the waters around Dino.
After the island became the property of the town of Praia a Mare it was sold to the head of Fiat, Gianni Agnelli, who proposed to build an exclusive holiday resort on the island.
Despite work starting on the resort, the contract was annulled in 2014 and the island returned to the local community.
There are many caves and grottos on the island and many rare plants, prompting the Italian government to declare the island a Site of Community Interest in 2011.
The island can be reached from Praia a Mare by boat, tours are also available around the island. Alternatively, kayaks and pedal boats can be hired nearby, or the island is within swimming distance of the beach.
A blog here describes the island with photos and videos of some of the sea caves.
Gaiola Island.
Gaiola is one of the tiny islets within the vicinity of the city of Naples (or Napoli in Italian). It is just off the coast of the affluent neighbourhood of Posillipo. The island's name derives from the Latin word caveola meaning cave, of which there are many along the coast. Indeed there are several on this tiny islet.
It is said locally that the island was originally connected to the mainland until the Roman general Lucullus ordered it's separation in the 1st century BC.
Much later in the 17th century, the island was covered by factories and two centuries later it was used for the defence of the Gulf of Naples.
At the start of the 19th century the only inhabitant of the island was a hermit known locally as "The Wizard". He survived alone on the island due to the generosity of local fishermen.
The island became the property of Nelson Foley, brother in law of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes). He built a single person cable car connecting the island with his other villa on the mainland.
Shortly after, the island gained a reputation as being cursed. The local media dubbed it "The Gaiola Malediction" and it would seem that many tragedies have been associated with the island.
A Swiss owner in the 1920's was found dead and wrapped in a rug, his wife drowned shortly afterwards. The following owner had a heart attack in the villa. Then the next occupant commited suicide in a mental institution.
Another owner, a German industrialist was bankrupted by "wild living".
The head of FIAT, Gianni Agnelli (again) bought the island but suffered the deaths of many relatives.
J.Paul Getty, rated in 1966 as the world's richest person, bought the island prior to his eldest son's suicide, the death of his youngest son, and his grandson's kidnapping.
The last private owner of the island was jailed and his wife died in a car accident. Most recently a husband and wife in a nearby mainland villa were murdered.
The island is now the property of the Campania regional government and is part of a marine preservation area.
The island can be reached (if you want to risk the curse) by either swimming or canoeing. Boats will take you around the island.
Atlas Obscura has a web page dedicated to the island.
Asinara.
Asinara is located at the north western tip of the much larger island of Sardinia, Italy's second largest island. It's name in Italian means "donkey inhabited" and refers to the wild albino donkeys that roam the island.
The island was known and used by the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. There was a time when Saracen pirates were known to inhabit there and there was contested ownership between the Republic of Genoa, the Kingdom of Aragon, and Pisa. From the 17th century the island was inhabited by shepherds until in 1885 the land became state property and a lazaretto, or quarantine station, was built. Around 100 families of farmers and fishermen were moved to Sardinia.
The first penal colony was also built at the same time as the lazaretto. During the First World War the island was used as a prison camp to house soldiers from Austria-Hungary, in fact around 24,000 of them. Then from 1935 to 1937 for POWs from Ethiopia during the second Italo-Ethiopian War. In fact most of the prisoners were members of the Ethiopian nobility including Haile Selassie's daughter who contracted tubercolosis and died later in Turin.
In the 1970's the prison complex was refurbished and used to hold several mafia members and terrorists. The only inhabitants of the island for 110 years were prisoners and their wardens until the jail closed in 1997. Asinara was known locally as the "Italian Alcatraz"
In 1997, following the prison closure, the island was declared a National Park. In 1999 tourists were allowed to visit but only on guided tours. The prison building and village of Cala d'Oliva were restored and can now be viewed. There are several rare species on the island including the albino Asinara donkey.
The island can be reached by ferry from either Stintino or Porto Torres and have sailings several times a day. Electric bikes or golf carts can be hired on the island to get around, but cars are not allowed.
There is an excellent review of the island on the website Strictly Sardinia .
Vulcano.
Vulcano is a small volcanic island to the north of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea. In fact the name doesn't derive from the volcano on the island, it actually is the other way round. The term volcano actually derives from the name of the island.
The name comes from the Roman belief that the island was the site of the chimney of their god Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.
The island was used by the Romans, mainly for raw materials including sulphur and timber. In fact these were the main activities until the nineteenth century. In 1860 the north part of the island was bought by a Scottish industrialist, James Stevenson, to re-establish the mines and build a vineyard. Following an eruption in 1888, he sold his properties to the locals. His villa still stands to this day.
The last major eruption was in 1888 for two years, however temperatures and activity is monitored regularly. Around 150 people were evacuated from the island in November 2021 after an amber alert for increased activity was issued in October of that year. The island currently has around 900 inhabitants.
Getting to Vulcano is easy. There are multiple ferries and hydrofoils that leave from Palermo, Naples and Milazzo. The journey by hydrofoil from Palermo takes around four hours. There are apartments and villas available to rent on the island as well as restaurants and shops.
A review of the island can be found on this website.
Tiber Island.
Tiber Island is situated, strangely enough, in the River Tiber in the centre of Rome. It is boat shaped and is connected by bridges to both sides of the river. One of the bridges, the Ponte Fabrico, was built in 62 BC and is the only original Roman bridge in Rome.
There is a legend that states that after the fall of the tyrant last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, his body was thrown into the Tiber, whereupon his body settled on the bottom and silt and debris formed the island around him. Before Christianity arrived in Rome, the island was said to be cursed and only the worst criminals and the contagiously ill were sent there. This changed when a temple was built on the island.
The temple was dedicated to the Greek god of medicine and healing, Aesculapius. Several other shrines dedicated to various deities were erected on the island. In 998, Emperor Otto III had the basilica pictured right, built over the ruins of the temple.
A hospital was founded on the island in 1584 that still serves the local population today. It was discovered that the head of the hospital, Dr. Borromeo, invented a deadly and contagious disease during the Nazi occupation of Rome. He named it "Il Morbo di K" to keep the SS away and so protect the Jews that sheltered in the hospital's wards, just a short distance from the ghetto.
During each summer the island hosts a film festival, Isola del Cinema.
The island is easily accessed on foot via either of the bridges, and being in the centre of Rome is convienient for many hotels, and restaurants. Several bus routes cross the island.
The Rome Sightseeing website has an excellent review and more pictures.
Summary.
So thats that, Italy done. Where next ? I'm tempted to complete as much of Europe as I can before travelling further afield, so I have a choice.
Portugal ? Denmark ? Scandinavia ? Baltic States? Greece? Croatia ? All countries with many islands, there is even a small part of me that thinks I should do the constituent parts of the UK as seperate blogs. There are certainly enough places to justify it, so maybe.
Anyway, thats it for now. Join me on my next blog to see where I went.
You will have to see,
Won't you MG.
It may be there,
Or it could be elsewhere.
@MG17 I shall never reveal the truth ! "Do you expect me to talk?" "No, Mr.Bond, I expect you to die!"