8 Small and Beautiful Italian Islands You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Italy has few, if any, unexplored corners. Places like Capri or Taormina can sometimes seem like a caricature of themselves, their natural beauty suffocating amidst tourist hoards and souvenir shops.

Yet, many spots are still as authentic and pristine as they were some 50 years ago. Italian islands that have escaped the trap of mass tourism are fascinating in their rugged beauty. Some of these islands have only limited tourist facilities, and you may find yourself the only English-speaking person around. Others are more developed, have their own airports, and can get very busy in August – the peak season. Their popularity ranges from unpolished and virtually unknown to non-Italians to those that are frequented by the rich and the famous. What these unique islands have in common is unspoilt nature – and total absence of package tourists.

Giglio

The island of Giglio belongs to the Tuscan Archipelago, famous for the bigger and much more crowded Elba and the uninhabited Montecristo Island. Giglio is basically a granite rock with only a few patches of cultivated land and a wild untouched feeling about it.

It has a handful of hotels and restaurants, which are quite modest, but offer very good value for money. Giglio is a good base to explore other Tuscan islands. However, keep in mind that the Tuscan archipelago is a marine reserve and access to some islands, notably Montecristo and Pianosa, is restricted to protect the environment. Besides, the island of Gorgona is a site of a penal colony, and no tourists are allowed to disembark on it.

Getting there: By ferry from Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany. Ferries run several times each day throughout the year.

Pantelleria

This arid and incredibly windy volcanic island has been a favourite retreat of many celebrities, including Gérard Depardieu, Sting and Madonna. Pantelleria is an enchanted place, with steam spraying from the rocks, with mud baths and sauna caves, fumaroles and thermal sources. The emerald Specchio di Venere lake has healing waters that are fed by thermal springs.

Pantescan dammusi, unique lava stone houses with whitewashed cupola roofs, have been converted into chic hotels or solitary rented homes. A visit to Pantelleria is also a gastronomic delight. Highly recommended is the local Passito wine and dishes such as bitter ravioli, stuffed aubergines, fish couscous and the famous capers.

Getting there: Daily overnight ferries run from Trapani year round, with faster hydrofoil services available in the summer months. Planes fly in daily from Palermo and Trapani, with additional direct flights from Rome and Milan in the summer.

Lampedusa

Of all the Italian islands, Lampedusa is perhaps the most notorious due to its illegal immigrant problem. This southernmost Italian territory is situated just 113 km from Tunisia and is geographically in Africa rather than Europe.

It could have been described as bleak and arid, had it not been for some of Italy’s most beautiful beaches and lagoons. One of the cultural highlights of the island is on the 22nd of September, when a festival of Madonna di Lampedusa is celebrated with fireworks, processions, games and concerts.

Getting there: Siremar ferries from Porto Empedocle near Agrigento run all year, on most, but not all, days of the week.

Ponza

Ponza is a beautiful, narrow and long island with ragged coast, cliffs, hidden coves and beaches, and picturesque houses lining the slopes of the hills. It is a well known and well-visited, yet largely unspoilt island where life seems to flow as it always has, untouched by the rush of meodernity.

The downside of Ponza’s popularity is a certain lack of privacy, but the facilities are many and the hotels good. The most dramatically beautiful spot of the island is the beach of Chiaia di Luna, which can only be reached through a Roman tunnel.

Getting there: The easiest way to reach Ponza is from Naples by SNAV hydrofoil with a connection at Ventotene.

Panarea

The smallest of the fabled Aeolian islands, Panarea is the favourite of the jet-set crowd. However, this island with a population of just over 200 is too small to accommodate any substantial number of tourists, and has only a handful of unique hotels and rented homes. Boasting views of Stromboli, Panarea is a paradisical get-away-from-it-all island with a lifestyle as laid-back and relaxed as it can get in Italy. No cars are allowed, and the only modes of transportation are the electric golf buggies and a few scooters.

Watching the stars is a truly magical experience on Panarea. There is no electric street lighting, only Moroccan lamps and lanterns to light up outside stairs and terraces in the dark.

Getting there: Siremar and Ustica Lines have daily hydrofoil services from Milazzo and Messina. There is also a hydrofoil and ferry connection from Naples, Palermo and Cefalú several times a week.

Favignana

Favignana, off Trapani in Sicily, is a smooth, sun-drenched and wind-blown island. Accommodation is simple and family-run and the lifestyle is unpretentious. Favignana’s western part is dominated by Montagna Grossa which, despite its name, rises to a mere 302m.

The eastern part of the island, is flatter and the jagged coastline is interrupted, here and there, with short stretches of sandy beach. You can take a boat from Favignana to other Egadi islands, of which Levanzo is particularly beautiful, even if somewhat unkempt.

Getting there: there are ferry and hydrofoil services from Trapani every day, operated by Siremar and Ustica Lines, as well as additional ferry services from Naples during the peak summer months (June to September)

La Maddalena

Off the north-east coast of Sardinia, La Maddalena islands boast pink sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. The main and the largest island that gave the name to the archipelago has a population of about 11 000.

La Maddalena is linked to the island of Caprera by a 600 metre long dam and together they are the only inhabited islands of the archipelago. The US Navy has a submarine tender stationed on the island of Santo Stefano, and consequently you will find many Americans living on La Maddalena. It is worth visiting the minor islands – Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria, which together form a beautiful lagoon of Porto Madonna.

Getting there: Year-round ferries from Palau in Northern Sardinia run frequently, up to four times an hour, 24 hours a day.

San Domino

The biggest of the Tremiti Islands off the Adriatic coast of Italy, San Domino is one of those hidden gems few people have heard of. Because of its isolated nature, in the year 1000 it was chosen as an hermitage for Benedictine monks, who subsequently moved to the neighbour island of San Nicola.

San Domino has a rugged coastline with secluded coves and beaches, where fragrant pine woods go right to the water’s edge. It is a diver’s paradise with rich marine life, underwater caves and even a Roman shipwreck. San Domino is the only of the Tremiti islands with tourist accommodation, even though San Nicola is the official administrative centre.

Getting there: Tirrenia Ferries operates daily services from Termoli year round (one hour by train from the nearest airport of Pescara in Abruzzo).

10 Weird Food Delicacies From Around the World

Travelling is often about trying the unusual and attempting to experience the different culture of the country you are visiting. One of the best ways to do this is to try the foods the native people eat.

They may not be to everyone’s tastes, but the following foods, whilst considered weird and bizarre to some of us, are considered delicious delicacies in other countries. Although eating these foods might seem like a form of ‘extreme dining’ to us, they are in fact quite normal to the people who eat them.

1 – Birds Nest Soup, China

You wouldn’t necessarily think a birds nest would be edible, but the Chinese use Swifts’ nests to make this soup, known as the ‘Caviar of the East’. Right now you’re probably imagining a nest made out of twigs and leaves, but Swiftlets make their nests predominantly out of saliva.

It’s something in the saliva of the bird that makes it have this unique gelatinous, rubbery texture and it’s one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. It’s expensive because the swiftlets build the nests during breeding season over a period of 35 days and nests can only be harvested around three times a year. The nests are typically built in coastal caves and collecting them is a treacherous process involving climbing and nimble skill, which adds to the hefty price tag.

With an increase in demand for birds nest soup however, manmade nesting sites are often constructed. Hong Kong and the US are the largest importers of birds’ nests and a bowl of soup can cost around $30 to $100 per bowl, whilst a kilo of nest can cost between $2,000 and $10,000. The soup has been a tradition for centuries and is believed to be nutritious in proteins and minerals and have aphrodisiac qualities.

2 – Fried tarantulas, Cambodia

Eensy weensy spider, climbing up the spout…if you suffer from arachnophobia you probably don’t want to try eating these eight legged monsters. They’re not tiny little house spiders, they’re great big tarantulas and you can buy them in the streets of Skuon, Cambodia.

They’re fried whole – legs, fangs and all. They were first discovered by starving Cambodians in the bloody, brutal days of the Khmer Rouge rule and have gone from being the vital sustenance of these people to a delicacy tourists come far and wide to try.

The black hairy arachnids found in the jungle around the market town of Skuon have become a source of fame and fortune for the region as bus loads of people stop to try them on their way to other places. They cost only a few cents and supposedly taste delicious, as they are best plucked straight from the burrow and pan fried with a bit of garlic and salt. They’re supposed to taste a bit like crickets or scrawny chickens and are crispy on the outside with a gooey body on the inside.

3 – Puffer fish, Japan

You’ve got to be careful with this delicacy or you might end up in the morgue. The deadly Puffer fish, or fugu, however is the ultimate delicacy in Japan even though its skin and insides contain the poisonous toxin todrotoxin, which is 1,250 times stronger than cyanide.

That’s why in Japan only expert chefs in licensed restaurants are allowed to prepare it. Otherwise you’re likely to become paralysed whilst still conscious and eventually die from asphyxiation because there is no known antidote.

Fifteen people died in Thailand when the fish was made illegal and people started dying it pink and passing it off as salmon.

4 – Balut, Phillipines

A bit like with a Kinder Surprise, you certainly will be surprised to open these eggs, though not in the same pleasant way as finding a toy inside. You get to eat your chicken and your egg at the same time with Balut.

Fertilized eggs are boiled just before they’re due to hatch, so your yolk oozes out followed by… a chicken (or duck) foetus. They are cooked when the foetus is anywhere from 17 days to 21 days depending on your preference, although when the egg is older the foetus begins to have a beak, claws, bones and feathers.

In Filipino culture Balut is almost as popular as the hot dog in America and street vendors yell out ‘Baluuuuuuut’ as they push their carts down the street. They are popularly believed to boost the libido and are also a hearty snack full of protein. Balut are usually guzzled down with beer and are prepared with a pinch of salt, lemon juice, black pepper and coriander, although some Balut eaters prefer it with chili and vinegar. The way to eat Balut is to crack open the egg, sip the broth and then eat the yolk and foetus…it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but apparently it’s delicious.

5 – Casu Marzu, Sardinia

This Sardinian cheese is a cheese with a difference; it’s riddled with insect larvae. “Casu Marzu” means ‘rotten cheese’ and is most commonly referred to as ‘maggot cheese.’ It’s now banned for health reasons but can still be available on the black market in Sardinia and Italy.

The sheep’s milk cheese is basically Pecorino, which has had the larvae of the cheese fly, Piophila casei, introduced to it. Fermentation occurs as the larvae digest the cheese fats, and the texture becomes very soft with some liquid seeping out. The cheese has to be eaten when the maggots are still alive because when they are dead it is considered to be toxic.

Since the larvae can jump if they are disturbed, diners have to shield their eyes or place the cheese in a sealed paper bag until the maggots are starved of oxygen and die. Health issues have arisen in relation to Casu Marzu, including reports of allergic reactions and the danger of consuming cheese that has advanced to a toxic state. There’s also some risk of intestinal larval infection.

6 – Surstromming, Sweden

One of the world’s strangest dishes can be found in Sweden. Surstomming is fermented Baltic herring and can be found on supermarket shelves all over the country, although you probably won’t see it next to the Ikea meatballs.

The herring is caught in spring when it is just about to spawn and is fermented in barrels for one to two months before it is tinned where the fermentation continues for several months. The cans often bulge during shipping and storage because of the continued fermentation process.

Certain airlines have in fact banned these cans from being taken on flights, as they consider the pressurized cans to be potentially dangerous, like fireworks and explosives. When the can is opened the smell is usually what will get to you first as the fermented fish has a really strong odour. It’s usually eaten with a type of flat crispy bread and boiled potatoes. Sometimes people drink milk with it, but beer and water are often used to guzzle it down.

7 – Live Octopus, Korea

In Korea Sannakji is a raw dish consisting of live octopus. The octopus is cut into pieces whilst still alive, lightly seasoned with sesame oil and served immediately whilst the tentacles can still be seen squirming on the plate.

Eating live octopus is a challenge not only mentally trying to get your head round eating something that’s still alive, but physically, as the tentacles stick to any surface they touch. You actually have to fight with your food before you can devour it and savour its taste.

The first hurdle is to get the tentacles off your chopsticks, and once the octopus is in your mouth it will suction to your teeth, the roof of your mouth and your tongue essentially trying to preserve its own life. It is supposedly enjoyable to experience the party in your mouth as the tentacles wriggle around and stick to your mouth as you chew it. Special care should be taken to chew thoroughly, however, because if the suction cups stick to the mouth or throat, this can be a choking hazard.

8 – Kopi Luwak, Indonesia

You might want to think twice if someone offers you a cup of this coffee when you pop round to their house. Kopi Luwak is the rarest, most expensive gourmet coffee in the world. Sounds divine right? It’s actually made from the excrements of an Indonesian cat-like creature called the Luwak.

The Luwak eats only the ripest coffee cherries but its stomach can’t digest beans inside them, so they come out whole. The coffee that results from this process is said to be like no other, and the stomach acids and enzymes that perform the fermentation of the beans give the coffee a special aroma.

This process takes place on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago. With an expensive price tag of anywhere between US$120 – $300 per pound, you might want to start saving now if you want to try this gourmet coffee.

9 – Puffin Heart, Iceland

Sometimes referred to as the ‘clown of the ocean’ or ‘sea parrot’, the puffin, with its colourful beak and clumsy behaviour, is considered an adorable bird. The sight of a puffin flapping its wings and jumping from a cliff to generate enough lift to become airborne is enough to make anyone go ‘aaaah’.

In Iceland, however, these seabirds have been a source of sustenance for Icelanders on the islands for centuries. Iceland is home to one of the world’s largest colonies of puffins and ‘sky fishing’ is a sport which involves catching the low flying birds in a big net.

The best place to catch a puffin or two is in the Westman Islands, where they are sustainably harvested to prevent them from coming extinct. The heart of a puffin is eaten raw whilst it is still warm in traditional Icelandic delicacy.

Puffins are eaten by breaking their necks, skinning them and then eating the fresh heart raw. Puffin is supposed to be delicious like a fishier version of chicken or duck. It is often smoked, grilled or pan-fried. TV chef Gordon Ramsey caused quite a stir when he was seen eating this rare delicacy on TV.

10 – Snake Wine, Vietnam

Fancy some wine with a difference? A bouquet of snake with some snake blood notes perhaps? Snake wine is a bottle of rice wine with a venomous snake inside and has ‘medicinal purposes’, but is probably more useful for display purposes than to drink.

The snake is left to steep in the rice wine for many months to let the poison dissolve in the wine. The ethanol makes the venom inactive so it is not dangerous, and snake wine supposedly has many health benefits. It has a slightly pink colour like a nice rose because of the snake blood in there.

It originated in Vietnam, where snakes are thought to possess medicinal qualities, but it has spread to other parts of South East Asia and Southern China. Snake blood wine on the other hand is made by slicing the belly of the snake to let the blood drain into the wine and this is served immediately.

Photo credits:

Bird’s nest soup by wynlok on Flickr, Fried spiders by Nir Nussbaum on Flickr, Fugu by Schlomo Rabinowitz on Flickr, Balut by chadedwardxxx on Flickr, Casu Marzu by wikicommons, Surstromming by Ese-emon on Flickr, Octopus by gregoryperez on Flickr, Kopi Luwak by miscpix on Flickr, Puffin by nicholasngkw on Flickr, Snake wine by Rob Sheridan on Flickr

7 Unexpected Dive Spots Around the World

When most people envision scuba diving and snorkeling, they tend to imagine tropical locales with sandy beaches, turquoise water and brightly-colored fish. Places like the Caribbean, South America, and the South Pacific come to mind. But these aren’t the only destinations where you can plunge below the surface and discover a whole new underwater world.

There are plenty of other places where you can see local sea life and dive historic shipwrecks far from the most-popular (and crowded) hot spots. Some are hot, some are cold, some are near, some are far, some are popular tourist destinations, and others are completely off the radar. Here are a few options for unique dive experiences that you may have never considered.

Iceland

The American and Eurasian continental plates meet at Iceland’s Thingvellir National Park, where they are forming a rift in the land as they slowly move apart.

At Silfra Lake, the rift runs underwater. The water, which comes from melting glaciers, takes thousands of years to filter down through volcanic ash into the lake and is unbelievably clear.

Though you won’t see fish in the ice-cold water, you will be treated to the vertigo-inducing sight of the deep fissure far below. Snorkelers will view it from above, while divers can actually descend into crack and explore the very depths of the earth.

Sudan

A politically unstable semi-desert country in northern Africa isn’t the first place that people think of for world-class diving, but that’s part of the appeal of diving in Sudan. It’s so far off the beaten path that you’ll encounter few other divers, so you’ll be able to explore its many intriguing dive sights with no crowds.

Encounter reef and hammerhead sharks, manta rays, moray eels, and sea turtles at the Sha’ab Rumi reef, explore Jacques Cousteau’s old stomping grounds at the Precontinent II, or explore the wreck of the Blue Belt cargo ship.

The ship sank in 1977 after being stuck on a reef. It’s upside-down position and the presence of all its sunken cargo now makes it an exciting challenge for experienced divers.

Alaska

Alaska’s Inside Passage offers over 15,000 miles of coastline around 1000 islands for divers to explore.

Waves are gentle in the area, and water temperatures can reach 65 degrees in the summer, allowing for nearly year-round diving.

Divers encounter plentiful crustaceans like sea urchins, sea stars, and kelp crabs and may spot orcas swimming in the distance.

Even seals and sea lions have been known to approach to investigate divers nearby.

Scotland

The ruggedly beautiful Orkney Islands are home to the shallow Scapa Flow harbor. Fifty-one German ships were sunk here at the end of World War I (with no loss of human life) and now the wrecks are popular diving spots.

Most of the wrecks are 110-160 feet down where divers can float in and around them and explore their various nooks and crannies. Drivers are free to enter the sunken ships, but cannot remove artifacts from under the sea.

Visibility varies from 6-60 feet so the ships cannot be seen in their entirety, but for most divers the chance to explore these antique warships up close is an unforgettable experience that makes up for the lack of crystal-clear water.

Egypt

Like Sudan, Egypt is another North African spot that offers surprisingly good diving. From Sharm El Sheikh, divers can descend into the warn waters of the Red Sea and explore sunken ships and underwater caves or dive among some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world.

Among the bright, colorful coral and further out in the sea, you might also encounter sea turtles, manta rays, tuna and barracuda.

The Red Sea is also home to several varieties of sharks, including reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, nurse sharks and leopard sharks, making it a great destination for those looking to get up close to these marine predators.

America’s Great Lakes

Scuba diving is most often synonymous with oceans, but there’s also great diving to be found in many lakes around the world. For residents of Midwest states like Michigan and Wisconsin, these spots may be closer than they realize.

Rough waters and storms have taken down hundreds of boats in the waters of the Great Lakes in the last few centuries. The 185-foot steamer Vernon, the 280-foor steamer Lakeland and the 124-foot, three-masted schooner Rouse Simmons are among a few of the wrecks settled at the bottom on Lake Michigan.

Sardinia, Italy

The underground topography of the Italian island of Sardinia is just as diverse as the land above. From a sandy seabed covered in seaweed to reefs surrounded by brightly colored fish, you’ll see a wide variety of underwater life diving in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

There’s ample opportunity for wreck diving too, with over 100 boats lying beneath the surface around the island. One of the most beautiful features of the sea around Sardinia is the abundance of underwater caves and unique coral formations that divers can swim over, under and through.

Whether you are an avid diver or just beginning your certification process, you’ll find exceptional dive spots all over the world. Escape the crowds and check out indigenous sea life and unique underground scenery by getting off the beaten dive path and visiting some less obvious spots for underwater exploration.

Photo credits:
Iceland by r.gielen on Flickr, Sudan by welshcathy on Flickr, Alaska by DiveKarma on Flickr, Scotland by bill larnach on Flickr, Egypt by Tom Weilenmann on Flickr, Midwest by Fellowship of the Rich on Flickr, Sardinia by danielguip on Flickr