The Aeolian Islands are an archipelago situated just off the northern part of Sicily. This region forms a natural route for touring the archipelago of islands for around five days, sailing along volcanic regions, harbors and areas for swimming. There are seven islands in the Aeolian Islands Archipelago, and there are many islands that cannot be toured in five days. Some islands can be chosen for a tour. Lipari Island, Vulcano Island, Salina Island, Panarea Island, and Stromboli Island will make a nice tour.
A yachting trip through the Aeolian Islands can conveniently begin in Milazzo, on the northern coast of Sicily. When looking at yacht rentals in Italy, choosing a vessel with an experienced local skipper can make the journey easier to manage. Conditions around the volcanic islands may change during the day, so local knowledge is useful when adjusting anchorages, departure times, or the order of stops. The idea is not to spend the entire trip moving from one island to another, but to use the yacht as a comfortable base for swimming, dining ashore, and enjoying quiet evenings in small island towns.
The fact that we will be setting sail from Milazzo early in the morning implies that the first day’s stop will be Vulcano. The volcanic nature of the soil of the island can be seen through the difference in color from the shoreline. It is possible to find many spots along the shore where one can think of stepping down the ship and taking a dip. According to Italia.it, Vulcano is famous for its fumaroles and volcanic craters.
It makes no sense to cover too much ground on the first afternoon. Spending some hours in Vulcano is more than enough to walk around the coast and have some swimming in the sea.
The perfect place to begin your journey would be Lipari as it is the biggest island and will make it easier for you to get accustomed to the local customs. After spending a bit of time walking on the streets of the old center of the town, where the roads go around the restaurants within the walls of the old architecture, it could prove to be quite advantageous for you.
So, the ideal itinerary for the first day will include:
Keeping the first day simple leaves enough time to settle into the pace of the trip.
The second morning heads to Salina, an island with a green landscape due to its ancient volcanoes, villages, and fields. Since some products like capers and Malvasia wines are local to Salina, it will be perfect to use today as the time when food becomes part of the trip.
Santa Marina Salina is very helpful for getting on land, however, the yacht allows seeing more of the coast, which may not be easily accessible when on land for a shorter period. It will be possible to have lunch and head to Pollara in the west of the island.
Pollara is one location particularly designed for a leisurely afternoon. The coastline offers a fantastic backdrop to the bay, while the sunsets make you think twice about booking another big destination later in the day. Depending on the sea conditions, the yacht can stay close by to swim before going off to the right spot for anchoring overnight.
There are some visitors that prefer to take time to visit the interior parts of the island, where they can take a scooter or other transport from the port; however, it might pay to go back to the yacht with enough daylight to appreciate the coast by boat. Italia.it actually mentions Pollara, Santa Marina, and Rinella when giving instructions for sailing in Salina.
The third day would involve visiting Panarea Island. This is the smallest of the seven largest islands in the Aeolian archipelago, and the tiny size of this island is perfect for the yacht itinerary. The main area of this island is that of San Pietro, consisting of cafes, shops, and recreational spots to spend evenings in. Cala Junco and the surrounding waters near the small islands are other famous yacht destinations.
It is better to get there early enough, preferably well before lunchtime. Swimming can take part of the day, and then you can stay on land for some time. Panarea Island has a socially active lifestyle in summer months, but there are also archaeological sites and coastal routes for more adventurous tourists.
After a night near Panarea Island, we continued our way to Stromboli on the fourth day.
The volcano dominates the island from all directions. Stromboli still erupts, and it makes its volcano activity a main characteristic of the destination. Any trip on the island should be carried out according to the recent local requirements and recommendations.
The boat is one more alternative to feel the surrounding landscape without having a whole day to spend hiking. Swimming spots can be organized in the vicinity of locations such as Scari and Ginostra, whereas a stop can be arranged at the town of San Vincenzo.
The evening will be the main time of this stop. The captain can plan a path around Stromboli in accordance with the current requirements for navigation.
For the last day, there will be less need to schedule stops. Starting the cruise from Stromboli provides ample opportunity to get back to Sicily without feeling too hurried.
It is up to the skipper where to make the swimming stop – either near Panarea, Lipari or Vulcano – based on the weather and location of the final port. It is good to leave some flexibility for this part of the cruise. If the bay is calm, it is possible to have lunch anchored in the bay.
Five days is sufficient time for each point along the route to serve its special purpose. Lipari provides history and activity, Salina gives food and country, Panarea gives the smallness of the islands, and Stromboli provides the volcanic environment typical for the archipelago. A yacht travels through these places without the need for changing hotels and luggage routines every day.
Flexibility of the schedule should not be lost. Weather and other factors may affect the sequence of visiting the islands, and therefore the final decision on the anchorages should be left for the captain to make. This way, the five-day voyage around the Aeolian Islands will seem like a journey.
