'Everything here is just right': TOM PARKER BOWLES has lunch on the small Aeolian Island of Salina
Everything moves slowly here, a life lived in thrall to the island's ancient rhythm. This is the land of volcanoes and obsidian, of Odysseus and Aeolus, of capers, swordfish and pungent wild herbs. We order wine – crisp, white and cool, the grapes grown on the lushly fertile slopes of Mount Etna – and eat raw grouper, sliced tracing-paper thin, mixed with shavings of parmesan and slivers of red onion. It may sound a little odd (fish! cheese!), but it's a dish of gentle elegance – a joyous symphony of the sweet, soft and salty.
Tuna tartare is more robust, great chunks in various degrees of crimson, meaty but mellow, the acidity perfectly judged. There are pieces of celery and a handful of capers, all bathed in a slick of golden oil. When the raw ingredients are this fine there's little point in mucking them about. Spaghetti vongole next, the pasta tight and taut, a dash of pasta water added at the end to emulsify those juices into a sauce. A generous dusting of grated bottarga adds an extra blast of ocean depth.
Frito misto arrives hot from the fryer, the squid wearing the very lightest of batters, the butterflied anchovies clad in a breadcrumb crust. Prawns, naked and fried for mere seconds, are incandescently fresh, delivered, like everything else, by the fisherman that morning. You will not eat better fish. Then coffee, joltingly strong, and a glass of local malvasia with homemade biscotti. We linger late into the afternoon, gazing out over the sea towards Lipari. Everything here is just right, seasoned with the exquisite ennui of nothing much to do. The afternoon ferry slides in, and out once more. The rest of the island sleeps.
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Times
11 hours ago
- Times
Europe's heatwaves: the holiday destinations with heat warnings in place
Several countries in southern and eastern Europe are battling with a heatwave that's seen temperatures rise above 40C during the last few weeks. Heat warnings are in place across large parts of France; Spain and Portugal broke temperature records for June, and in some regions of Italy hospital admissions have risen by a fifth due to heat-related illnesses. 'Roll clouds' — created when cold air flows from the bottom of a storm cloud and pushes warm air upwards — have been spotted in Portugal. The heatwave has also lowered water levels in the Rhine, hampering the amount that cargo ships can transport, while a string of wildfires have been breaking out across western Turkey. Here's everything you need to know if you're unsure whether to go ahead with a planned holiday, from how to stay safe to whether you're protected if you decide to cancel. Météo-France, the national weather service, issued France's highest level alert for Paris at the end of June 2025. It warned that a heatwave of 'scorching magnitude' was affecting large parts of the country. The top of the Eiffel Tower is closed at the time of writing. French ecology minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher reported two deaths linked to the heatwave, while 300 people have been taken to hospital. Temperatures are starting to drop in the country. The health ministry has put 18 cities — including Florence, the country's hottest city at present, and Rome — on its highest alert. Regions including Tuscany have reported an increase in hospital admissions. A lorry driver has been found dead in the province of Brescia with doctors believing that the extreme weather may have been a contributing factor, while there have been reports of at least two other fatalities potentially linked to the heatwave. Temperatures will peak in the country on Friday, according to forecaster il Meteo. Warnings from weather service Deutscher Wetterdienst remain in place for parts of the south and west, including cities such as Dusseldorf and Stuttgart. Heat warnings are in place in Spain and two people have died in Catalonia following a wildfire. The country's weather forecaster AEMET has predicted temperatures of 43C in Cordoba for today, July 2. Portugal's Directorate-General for Health issued a severe weather warning and has advised citizens to stay indoors between 11am and 5pm. The town of Mora in the centre of the country recorded a high of 46.6C this week. Warnings are also in place for some parts of Croatia and the Balkans with temperatures expected to remain very hot this week. Meanwhile, the rise in temperatures has seen an increase in wildfires, with the island of Chios in Greece being affected last week and western Turkey suffering over the past few days. Emergency medical services are on standby in many countries and people have been warned to stay inside as much as possible. • Turkey wildfires: is it safe to travel?• Airport 100ml liquids rule: which UK airports have changed restrictions? The high temperatures look set to continue throughout the week. AEMET predicts the heatwave will continue until at least mid-week in Spain, while it is expected that temperatures in Italy will not return to seasonal averages until at least the weekend. Yes, but you should be sensible, and follow local advice and take necessary precautions to keep yourself safe. Travellers should also be mindful that some tourist destinations might be closed to visitors during peak hours to protect them from the extreme heat. The Foreign Office is not, however, advising that people avoid visiting countries currently experiencing extreme heat, such as Spain and Greece. In most cases, tour operators and airlines will not offer refunds until the Foreign Office explicitly advises against non-essential travel to a destination. However, check your travel insurance policy carefully, as coverage can vary significantly. Many policies have clauses around extreme weather, which means you should be able to recoup some of your costs if you need to cancel. However, many standard trip cancellation clauses do not cover heatwaves unless they result in severe disruption or danger in the destination. In the event of serious disruption, package holidays (comprising a combination of flight, accommodation and/or car hire) bought from the same supplier with an Atol or Abta certificate should cover you for cancellation, curtailment or repatriation under the package travel regulations. You are more likely to receive compensation for cancellation if the relevant government or local authority in your chosen destination has issued a travel warning because of extreme heat. 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The Guardian
16 hours ago
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‘He'll be happy here': papal retreat forsaken by Francis excited to welcome Pope Leo
When, soon after being elected in 2013, Pope Francis broke from longstanding Vatican tradition by choosing not to spend his summer holiday in the papal retreat of Castel Gandolfo, a sleepy hilltop town overlooking a lake about an hour south of Rome, residents were taken aback. One shopkeeper, Anna, compared the perceived rejection to a divorce, while another said it slightly ruptured a sense of belonging. Now, after 12 summers without a pontiff among them, their spirits have been restored by Pope Leo, elected in early May after the death of Francis, opting to revive Castel Gandolfo as the go-to papal holiday destination. Leo arrives on Sunday for a two-week stay and will return in mid-August for a few more days of rest and relaxation. 'To say we are happy would be an understatement,' Anna said. 'Not only because his presence generates some activity but because this is a papal town – it is the air that we breathe.' The Vatican's connection with Castel Gandolfo began in 1596 when it bought a castle in the centre of the town from a noble Roman family. Thirty years later it became established as the papal summer bolthole after undergoing renovations commissioned by Pope Urbano VIII, the first pontiff to holiday in the town in a quest to flee the stifling heat of Rome. The tradition continued almost uninterrupted until Francis, who tended to shun the Vatican's pomp and privilege. He visited Castel Gandolfo on only three occasions, and all during the first months of his papacy – twice to preside over mass and once to see his predecessor, Benedict. Francis spent his summers in his humble Vatican abode. But he did help to transform Castel Gandolfo from a pilgrim site into more of a tourist destination after the papal palace became a museum in 2015. Visitors can wander through its Renaissance-era gardens and vast rooms, which contain garments worn by popes dating back to the 16th century, and marvel at the views over Lake Albano from the windows of the papal bedroom. 'We did feel abandoned by Francis and the first few years were difficult,' said Maurizio Carosi, who with his son owns a bar and gift shop opposite the palace. 'But now we've moved on from a pilgrim town to a tourist one – so even if Francis didn't come, he gave us a spiritual charge.' The palace will remain a museum while Leo and his accompanying Swiss Guards reside in another newly renovated property within its grounds. The excitement in the town is palpable as it prepares for the American pontiff's arrival. Gardeners were preening the lawns within the palace on Friday morning while workers were putting the finishing touches to the pope's holiday home and tidying up its tennis court so that Leo can indulge his passion for the game. As with pontiffs over history, the break will not only be about resting. Leo is expected to host audiences and rosaries for the local residents and carry out Vatican duties. 'Just because they're on holiday, they don't necessarily stop working,' said Tadeusz Rozmus, the parish priest of San Tommoso dal Villanova church. 'Pope John Paul II wrote encyclicals here and others have hosted heads of state. Castel Gandolfo is a much more pleasant place for them to reside in summer as they can escape the heat of Rome, and with the way things are going, summers are only going to get hotter.' Alberto De Angelis, the mayor of Castel Gandolfo, has readily embraced the papal return, especially as it is expected to help fill the town's coffers. 'Knowing that Pope Leo has listened to the wishes of our community, which for years has been waiting to see a pope in its square, fills our hearts and souls with joy,' he wrote on social media. The town's smattering of gift shops are yet to be filled with souvenirs featuring Leo's image. 'Everyone is asking for his image but I heard he doesn't want to see his face on glasses, plates, candles or whatever,' Carosi said, claiming that whatever was being sold in Rome was bootleg. 'Leo souvenirs have not been officially authorised.' Carosi was born in Castel Gandolfo and recalls popes of the past greeting people in the square and shaking hands. When it comes to Pope Leo, he said his character was 'yet to be discovered'. 'But I know he'll be happy here,' he added. 'He'll have a view of the lake, will breathe the fresh air and will find himself among good people. Being an athletic pope, he will also have the possibility to enjoy long walks in the gardens.'
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16 hours ago
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