Alicudi

The most remote of the Aeolian Islands, Alicudi is in an off-the-beaten-path world of its own. Inhabited full-time by around 120 people and 16 mules, this volcanic cone emerges from the sea like a lava buoy. Known for its rugged hiking paths laced with heather and steep stone stairways that connect small houses that hug the cliffs, it's a place that attracts visitors who want absolute peace. Electricity only arrived on the island in the 1990s, and water is preciously conserved. There's no nightlife to speak of, and to eat in a restaurant (a word used very loosely) means to break bread in a private home. Addresses are given by the number of steps from the port. But this hard-earned isolation means you'll experience some of the most pristine landscapes and waters that Sicily has to offer.