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Fumarole are jets of steam which exit from fissures in the soil thanks to volcanic activities. There are 69 fumaroles on the island of Ischia, whose temperature varies between 30° and 100°C. The most famous ones are in the so called “Spiaggia delle Fumarole”, on the sea side, next to the Spiaggia dei Maronti, in the municipality of Sant’Angelo.
In this case, the underground activity is not shown by the exit of steam, but by the high temperatures of the sand and the formation of bubbles of gas in the sea, which can be observed thanks to a diving mask in the area around the shore. The romans used the hot sand to prepare san baths, which were used to cure people suffering from rheumatism: a bed is dug with the use of hands, the person lies in it and is covered by sand leaving only the head outside. The temperatures are so high that it is possible to roast fishes, potatoes and eggs. Thanks to the heat produced, a tropical plant Cyperus polistachius grows along the sea shore.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)