Santa Marina Salina

The history of the Municipality of Santa Marina Salina

The municipality of Santa Marina a Salina, in the territory of the Metropolitan City of Messina, is populated by about 850 people and is one of the threeSalina island, In 'Archipelago of the Aeolian Islands.

The island owes its name to the salt extraction plant from the Roman era, built in the XNUMXnd century AD and still partially visible on the island in the hamlet of Language, 3,5 km from Santa Marina.

The territory of Santa Marina was already populated in the fifth millennium BC and was colonized by the Aeolian Islands, of Greek lineage, around the third millennium BC Il Prehistoric village of Portella, which can still be visited today near Santa Marina, is a testimony of the fifteenth century before the advent of Christ.

The territory of Santa Marina has seen the passage of Greeks, Romans and Arabs and having always been densely populated, around the mid-eighteenth century, Salina became an independent municipality, electing Santa Marina as its capital.

More recent history has left great traces of its passage through the town, such as the seventeenth century Church of Santa Marina and the big one Church of Maria Santissima Addolorata, late 1965th century building, finished building only in XNUMX.

Architectures in the municipality of Santa Marina Salina and what to see

The municipality of Santa Marina a Salina is a coastal town overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea from the north-eastern coast of the island of Salina, in the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands.
Tourist port and capital of the island, the municipality of Santa Marina is surrounded by the slopes of the Monte Fossa delle Felci and in addition to the pebble beach, it therefore also has dense vegetation in its territory, with pines, elms, chestnuts, eucalyptus and many other trees. The municipal area extends along the coast until it reaches Chief Language, in the South Eastern area of ​​the island, where the little one is located fraction of Language, a village populated above all by fishermen.

In the municipality of Santa Marina a Salina, the large sacred building of the Church of Maria Santissima Addolorata stands out, which rises above the other buildings and is one of the symbols of the town, together with the Church of Santa Marina and the tanks for collecting the salt in the hamlet of Lingua.

The most typical houses of the island are built in Aeolian style, characterized by cubic-shaped environments, numerous windows and light colors, mainly made of stone or lime and formerly of tuff. The predominant architectural style in the Aeolian Islands is a mix of Arab, Campanian and Greco-Roman influences, which brings back in the architecture the passage of the populations that have lived on the island.

However, the center of Santa Marina is also the modern heart of Salina, where it is possible to find numerous clubs.

What to do in the municipality of Santa Marina a Salina and its surroundings

Despite the small size of the island, Salina can offer a lot to its guests and indeed, perhaps thanks to these, a holiday in Salina can be an opportunity to experience all the experiences that the island offers, from natural to architectural beauties , from cuisine to art, exploring the small island in every direction is possible even with a short vacation.

Disembarking at the tourist port, you can stay directly in the municipality of Santa Marina in Salina and immediately become familiar with the local restaurants, where you can taste typical dishes cooked by the best chefs on the island.
In the village, among the recommended stops for those who want to discover the history of Salina, there is the Church of Maria Santissima Addolorata, which can be reached from Piazza Santa Marina in the port area: the Church of Santa Marina also overlooks the beautiful square and from here after visiting it, you can take a walk along the Lungomare. Walking through the narrow streets of the center, you can see alleys and shops.

Those who are passionate about history and archaeology, heading south, will be able to visit the ancient plant of the Roman salt pans, Lighthouse and Civic Museum of Language.

If the town offers visitors many architectural and historical attractions, the surroundings of Salina are instead the scene of a real natural spectacle: the crystal clear sea can be reached both from the town beach and from the cliffs and a stop on the beach , it will certainly be a stop not to be missed for those who want to relax; the mountain panorama is also beautiful, with the peaks of the mountains Fossa and Rivi, where to go trekking and birdwatching.

From the municipality of Santa Marina you can reach the Saracen caves, dug into the tuff and protected by dense vegetation.

Recommended activities for a tour of the Aeolian Islands

How to get to the town of Santa Marina in Salina

The municipality of Santa Marina, in the Aeolian Islands, is home to the island's tourist port, therefore easily accessible by ferry from Milazzo and other Italian port cities such as Naples.
Once disembarked, you are directly in the center and it is not necessary to take other means of transport to visit the town.
To move around the island to other municipalities, you can take taxis or public buses.

© Andrés Maneiro from Coruña, GZ, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Pol Ferre i Samon, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons