Kaolin Quarries in Lipari
The Kaolin Quarries of Lipari are ancient quarries used since the Greek era and today abandoned that open on the western side of the island, not far from the rural town of Quattropani. They represent the geologically oldest part of the island.
In the area of the Kaolin quarries there are still secondary volcanic phenomena, such as fumaroles, clearly visible along the path that descends towards the sea that leads to the cliffs of Palmeto. These fumaroles, known since the second half of the fourth century BC, have produced showy polychromies, the result of the alterations of the rocks.
This wonderful side of the island of Lipari is covered by extensive Mediterranean poodle grasslands of great landscape importance. In spring this environment, the realm of the herring gull, is animated by the showy flowering of many spontaneous orchids, such as the "tongue of hen", the "horned" orchid and the "italica" orchid. At the edge of the paths the Aeolian cornflower is frequent, which blooms during the summer season. Along the cliff you can see the accumulations of smooth pebbles of an ancient shore line, when the sea level was higher than today.
