Italy has hundreds of islands, and each has its own character. Sicily and Sardinia are the two giants, but the smaller islands offer just as much variety. The Aeolian Islands off Sicily are volcanic, and Stromboli erupts regularly. Capri sits in the Bay of Naples and is known for its limestone cliffs and the Blue Grotto. Ischia nearby is famous for its thermal springs and gardens. Elba, in the Tuscan Archipelago, is where Napoleon lived in exile in 1814. Far to the south, Lampedusa has some of the clearest water in Italy, and Pantelleria produces capers and sweet passito wine from black volcanic soil. In the north, the Venetian Lagoon holds Murano, home of glassmaking, and Burano, with its brightly painted houses.
Arno Hoffmann
Islands Around