Forget Ibiza and Magaluf: this obscure Italian island could be the world’s new sex capital. Wild, sizzling; refined, Filicudi – along with its big sister, Stromboli – is a Mediterranean beauty which plays host to constant little eruptions (and not all of them are volcanic).
The two molten mountains, situated in Sicily’s Aeolian archipelago, are said to have aphrodisiac powers perfect for those trying to get their mojo back (or simply have a particularly passionate consummation).
Known as the “fertility atolls,” some travellers report life changing experiences on Filicudi and Stromboli.
CNN Travel reports the islands have become ‘sex pilgrimage’ sites, according to locals, because of “their apparent ability to raise libidos” as well as providing an environment which “encourages couples to engage in bedroom experimentation.”
“Newlywed couples longing to have a baby are said to flock here from all over the world, while young women hoping to find a man say silent prayers in front of odd-looking sea stacks that thrust into the air like… well, you get the idea.”
However, it’s not for the sex we’d argue you should see these islands for yourself, but the sheer serenity (that’s right: all it takes is the threat of a deadly volcano and you have a veritable, reasonably uncrowded paradise, even in 2020).
This is perfectly summed up by the following Filicudi photo, posted on May the 3rd by @italysegreta (via @gigglesandtonic), a lifestyle brand based on the appreciation of the small pleasures of Italian life.
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Now that’s a Sunday mood.
Across the water Stromboli – the lighthouse of the Meditteranean – has even more aphrodisiac properties, and even more bubbling beneath the surface: it is also home to about 300 full-time residents and a ticking time bomb – a volcano which rises 924m from the sea and extends more than 1000m below.
But danger, apparently, yields horniness.
“It’s a very sensual place, an isle of fire and passion,” Maria Puglisi, a local wine trader, told CNN Travel. “You can feel the constant vibrations inside of you each time the pinnacle erupts; it’s like if the volcano explodes in your body. It’s a powerful, aphrodisiac pull.”
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According to Puglisi, many of those who take the eight-hour trek up to Stromboli’s crater strip naked and lie with their bellies on the quivering earth to feel the eruptions and vibrations run through them.
“The volcano is alive, we call it ‘Iddu’ (him), and he’s guilty of turning folks on. He’s a naughty boy.”
Cestrum nocturnum, a plant which grows greenish-white flowers, which bloom when the sun sets, and which produces an (apparently) libido-boosting fragrance, grows on the island of Stromboli, and is rumoured to help couples conceive.
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It doesn’t end there: Filicudi is less of a second fiddle island as the place you put your new skills to use: its secluded grottoes are said to be often enjoyed by couples who, “on the pretext of using them to shelter from the sun, often end up conceiving babies,” (CNN Travel).
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“Sailing on sparkling green waves, local fishermen have been known to drop couples off in so-called ‘fertility caves.’ They also offer a service taking young single ladies on a boat tour that includes touching unusually shaped rocks said to offer luck in the search for love,” CNN Travel reports.
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Should you be fortunate enough to travel to Italy in these tricky times, now could be the perfect time to visit Stromboli or Filicudi.
According to Champion Traveller, though June – August is the busiest season with perfect weather, you’ll be able to score cheaper, less crowded lodging (as well as “very nice” weather) in October and November.