Filicudi — the path to Zucco Grande
A mule track along the north-east flank leads to a village whose people left in the 1960s to emigrate. Roofless houses, terraces returned to the maquis, and silence.
- Difficulty
- Impegnativo
- Duration
- 3 h there and back
- Elevation gain
- Up and down along the ridge
- Altitude
- About 300 m
- Season
- March–June, September–November
A village that left
Zucco Grande was a hamlet of Filicudi like many others: stone houses, terraces, capers and vines. In the 1960s almost all its inhabitants left for Australia and the Americas, and since then the village has stayed there, halfway up the slope, with no road reaching it. Some houses have been restored; the others have standing walls and sky instead of roofs.
The path
You start from the Rocca di Ciauli area and follow the old mule track cutting across the north-east flank, between terraces and scrub. It isn't a continuous climb: it rises and falls along the ridge, exposed, with narrow stretches above the sea. Three hours there and back at an easy pace, more if you linger in the village — which we recommend.
When to go
Not in summer. The path is exposed, without shade or water: in July and August, in the middle of the day, it's a bad idea. Spring and autumn are the right seasons, when the island is green and the temperature holds.
What to bring
Proper hiking shoes — not sandals — at least a litre and a half of water each, a hat, and long trousers if the vegetation has grown. Help is far away on this island: it isn't a place to improvise. The island →
Frequently asked questions
What is Zucco Grande on Filicudi?
It's a hamlet of Filicudi abandoned by its inhabitants in the 1960s, when they emigrated to Australia and the Americas. It sits halfway up the north-east flank and can only be reached on foot, by mule track.
How long does it take to reach Zucco Grande?
About three hours there and back from the Rocca di Ciauli area, on a route that rises and falls along the ridge. Allow more time to stop in the village.
Stay in Capo d'Orlando
A base in the centre — and everything else becomes a day trip.
The port for the Aeolians is 45 minutes away, the Nebrodi right behind. Breakfast served early for dawn departures.
Direct booking, no intermediaries · See the rooftop →