Antichi sentieri di Alicudi

On Alicudi, the westernmost of the Aeolian Islands, historic mule tracks paved with lava-stone steps connect the port with hamlets on the mountainside. They once served the island’s working villages and cultivation terraces.

Why it matters

Alicudi’s historic circulation system remains centred on its mulattiere, or mule tracks, built as flights of stone steps. The island has no road network for vehicles, and the tracks connect its port and upper hamlets. This path network continues to shape the island’s settlement pattern.

What to notice

The stone steps are irregular and rise along the steep volcanic flank. The tracks connect hamlets including Fucile, Vallone, Lisca, Serro Zagami, Tonna, Serro Pagliaro, San Bartolo, Sgurbio, Montagna and Pianicello, as well as coastal Bazzina. Abandoned cultivation terraces above the village show how the path network once served farming life.

Context and history

The paths reflect the island’s settlement history. More than six hundred people lived on Alicudi after the Second World War; by the 2001 census the population was 105, and many upper hamlets became deserted or seasonal. When the island was more extensively cultivated with vines, capers and cereals, mules carried goods along the tracks. The Riserva Naturale Orientata Isola di Alicudi, established in 1997, covers the island, which forms part of the Comune of Lipari. The Aeolian Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage property for their volcanic history.