An Italian Island and Active Volcano
Congratulations to Richard Sims for correctly identifying this week’s Destination Photo of the Week!
Stromboli, a small island in Italy, is one of the Earth's most active volcanoes.
Stromboli, a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily, is one of the Earth’s most active volcanoes.
Famous for its small but regular eruptions of glowing lava visible at night from long distances, Stromboli is known as the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean”.
Most of Stromboli’s volcanic activity consists of brief and small bursts of glowing lava fragments to heights of 700 feet above the craters. Occasionally, much stronger explosions or periods of more continuous activity can occur. Because its eruptions are distinctive and well known, geologists use the word “Strombolian” to describe similar eruptive activity at other volcanoes.
Small but open for tourists
While only a few hundred people live on Stromboli, it is one of the world’s most visited volcanoes. Tourists come to hike the volcano through guided hikes.
The island has two small villages but no cars. Walking, motor bikes and boats are the only modes of transportation.
A view from cruise ships
A number of Mediterranean cruises sail by Stromboli, south of Naples, Italy, before they enter the Straits of Messina, a narrow passageway between mainland Italy and Sicily.
A movie, a villain, and a pizzeria specialty
Ingrid Bergman starred in the 1950 movie Stromboli directed by Robert Rossellini.
The movie, filmed on the island, focus on a World War II refugee who marries a local Stromboli man, but has difficulty adjusting to the harsh rural lifestyle. A red-painted house used in the film remains as a tourist attraction.
In the 1940 Disney classic Pinocchio, “Stromboli” is the villain.
Said to be created by a Philadelphia Italian restaurant and named after the movie, a “stromboli” is a pizza/calzone-like food that consists of top and bottom crusts or rolled bread layers and a mix and meats, cheese and vegetables.
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