The Aeolian Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the north of Sicily, which takes its name from the demigod of the wind, Aeolus.
The islands are a popular tourist destination, attracting up to 200,000 visitors every year. The largest island is Lipari, the archipelago is also known by the name Lipari Islands. The other islands are Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Basiluzzo.
Vulcano has a surface of 22 square kilometers and is the third largest island of the Aeolian archipelago after Lipari and Salina. It is made entirely of volcanic rock. Its five hundred meter altitude above sea level is only the tip of a massive underwater volcano which is 1 km deep. There are five volcanic complexes characterizing the island, from oldest to most recent: Vulcano primordiale, caldera del Piano, Lentia, Caldera de la Fossa, Vulcanello.