An island, a bunch of grapes and three stars: Leni's coat of arms immediately reveals the main attractions of the town, in the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands, part of the Metropolitan City of Messina.
One of the three stars on the coat of arms represents Leni, small village inhabited by about 680 people, where between culture, traditions, nature and good food, the stay is special for tourists and visitors who land on the island and want to know its history and traditions.
Sea and sand, millennial settlements on the mountains, Greek, Roman and Arab dominations have determined the current appearance of the island of Salina, with its magical atmospheres, fishing villages and the cultivars from which an excellent wine.
It seems that Leni, the inhabited center in the south of the island, owes its name to an instrument necessary for the production of the delicious wine that is consumed on the island…
Leni, in Salina: what to see in Leni and the history of this beautiful village
Between the XNUMXth and XNUMXrd millennium BC, the area we now call Leni was already populated, as evidenced by the settlements found on Monte Fossa delle Felci. At the end of this period, the Aeolians, a population of Greek origin, landed on the island. After them, the Ausoni arrived from Italy.
Subsequently the island remained uninhabited for centuries, until the XNUMXth century BC when the Greeks returned to the territory of Leni.
The name Leni seems to derive from a Greek word, lenós, which indicated the press used to produce wine.
After the Greeks, the Romans and the Arabs reigned on the island until the XNUMXth century. Shortly after, some Italic populations from Amalfi settled in the town.
The current municipality of Salina, of which Leni was a fraction, was born in 1867. With the new century, Leni finally became an autonomous municipality, with its own institutions, traditions and tourist attractions.
A holiday in Leni: what to see
Churches and Sanctuaries, the beauties of nature, the small port and the docks, the sea and the mountains; moreover, culture and good food are at home here and there is no shortage of opportunities to nourish the spirit and the body!
Here are some stops not to be missed in Leni: the port, in the hamlet of Rinella and the churches of San Gaetano and San Giuseppe in the village; The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima del Terzito, built in 1630 along the road to the present The Fern and Leek Mountains Nature Reserve, another natural attraction not to be missed. From the green of the woods to the blue of the sea, spend a few hours on the beautiful beaches the Scario to the north or Pollara to the west, just to mention two of the most famous beaches on the island.
Those who love art and culture can visit the Civic Museum of Leni and inside the Sanctuary in Valdichiesa, you can admire paintings from the eighteenth century.
What to do in the Aeolian Islands
Leni in Salina: typical Aeolian dishes
By reserving your table in one of Leni's restaurants, in Salina, you prepare yourself to taste unique flavours, by tasting typical dishes of the Aeolian tradition, which you will hardly be able to eat elsewhere: maccheroni incaciati with fried aubergines, veal ragù and sausage and mozzarella, spaghetti al fuoco with marinated cherry tomatoes and grated salted ricotta and casarecce with Aeolian pesto, which is made with almonds and pistachios ... the scent of these dishes will remain etched in your memories, especially if accompanied by a good glass of Malvasia local.
In Leni, between fun and tradition
Una vacation in Leni it will be a surprising stay: you can stay overnight in structures with a sea view and enjoy the beauty of the island from the panoramic points of the town or book your room in a cool farmhouse on the hills; you will taste typical dishes in the best restaurants on the island and stroll through the center enjoying delicious homemade ice cream with the typical brioche; in the evening you can dance in the disco or walk by the sea…
Find out everything that awaits you in Leni, Salina: what to see and what to do in your country vacation in Sicily, landing in the wonderful Aeolian Islands.
How to get to Leni, Salina
Leni is a fraction of Salina, one of the islands in the Aeolian Archipelago, in the Metropolitan City of Messina. To get to Leni, the ferry or hydrofoil departs from port of Milazzo and they arrive in Rinella. Departures are scheduled every day of the year, but we advise you to reserve your ticket, especially in the summer period, from July to September.
Pol Ferre i Samon, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
