A EUROPEAN island described as having "raw scenic beauty" is home to its own special type of wine and, if you visit at the right time of year, it will feel like you've got it all to yourself. A remote private island is a lot of people's idea of a dream holiday, but few Brits realise how close they are to a place where a similar experience can be found. Salina in Italy is a small island - one of the Aeolian Isles just north of Sicily.
Its unique landscapes and nature offer a slightly different island experience, with volcanic black sand beaches replacing the typical white sands seen in archetypal tropical locations. That's not to say Salina isn't a paradise however, with its visitors describing it as fondly, if not more, than other beach destinations in Europe . Among them are Never Ending Voyage who visited just after the end of the school summer holidays when the weather was still perfect for a trip to the beach.
However, by that time, the few tourists who head to the island had left, providing a private island experience. They described it as "an island of raw scenic beauty with dramatic volcanic cliffs plunging into the sea, sleepy villages amidst verdant mountains and colourful fishing boats on pebbly beaches". They continued: "In mid-September the summer crowds had left and it felt like we had the island to ourselves.
" Elsewhere, Liv Tours were also pleasantly surprised by how quiet the island's beaches were, especially given how much sun the island gets. They wrote: "Du.