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Rinella

Once called Arenella, it began to be populated in the 18th century by families of peasants that previously lived in the valley, who also began to adapt to a fisherman's life. Soon, what until shortly before had been a little used harbour, became a place from which craft set out to take goods to Lipari and Santa Marina. Subsequently the Rinella boats began to exchange the Lipari and Santa Marina products directly with the Campania coast.

It was in Naples that the people of Rinella came inlo contact with the cult of San Gaetano, the saint of providence and a major healer. San Gaetano became the patron saint of Rinella, and automatically the protector of fishermen. Far this reason, on 7 August there is a singular procession with boats. This is certainly not an easy event to see in anotherplace. The present-day cathedral church date from 1853, but Bishop Beaumont spoke of a San Gaetano church during his voyage to Saline as long ago as 1736, It was probably the old church, later used as a dwelling, referred to by the Duke of Hapsburg Friedrich Hawranek, According lo some sources it was precisely the inhabitants of Rinella that took the cult of San Gaetano to Acquacalda.

Today Rinella is the second commercial harbour on Salina and constitutes what might be defined the touristic outpost of Leni. The village is also famous for being the place where a part of Rossellini's famous film "Vulcano" was made, in this film there was a superlative performance by Anna Magnani, and a square is named after her. At Rinella a good craft tradition is rapidly developing and in the past few years the village has considerably increased its tourism. The sandy beach is not the only feather in the cap of Rinella, and new roads have been opened up that take visitors along routes dotted with fabulous panoramas.

In the area going towards Pollara there are very beautiful beaches surmounted by big olives trees, and there are seabeds that would fill even the Caribbean areas with envy, while the area towards Lingua might appear more nondescript, but actually there is a surprise: there still exists the very old road linking the two villages, it is not in perfect condition, but there is already talk of an immediate recovery. Moreover, there is also an old road that for anyone desiring to move fast on foot links Rinella to Leni. It is certaninly worth going along.