Aeolian Islands sailing: a 7-day itinerary from Sicily

The Aeolian Islands are seven volcanoes rising out of the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, and a week under sail lets you see all of their moods: steaming fumaroles on Vulcano, the lively harbour town of Lipari, green Salina, chic Panarea and, after dark, Stromboli throwing up glowing lava. A typical loop from the Sicilian coast covers about 110 nautical miles in short island hops, with one open-water crossing each way.

Where to charter a yacht for the Aeolian Islands?

The closest bases are on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily, facing the islands: yacht charter in Capo d'Orlando, the large canal marina of Portorosa in Furnari, and Milazzo; see all bases on the Sicily page. Charter weeks usually run Saturday to Saturday. To sail bareboat, the skipper needs a licence the charter company accepts (see boat licence in Italy and the ICC); otherwise book a skipper or a crewed yacht. Charter yachts from these bases can be booked on Ship O'Hoi, bareboat or with a skipper.

A 7-day sailing itinerary from Capo d'Orlando or Portorosa

You normally take over the yacht on Saturday afternoon and sleep aboard in the marina. Distances below are approximate, taken from the chart; plan with up-to-date charts and a pilot book.

Day 1: Capo d'Orlando or Portorosa to Vulcano (approx. 20 nm)

Capo d'Orlando Marina puts the islands about 14 nautical miles away; Porto di Levante on Vulcano is roughly 20 nm from Capo d'Orlando or Portorosa (about 18 nm from Milazzo). Leave early for this first open-water crossing. Overnight at anchor in Porto di Levante or, in the right wind, in Gelso bay on the south side. Around Levante you will smell the sulphur before you see it: fumaroles, mud baths and a sea warmed by volcanic gas.

Tip: Protezione Civile warns that carbon dioxide from the vents collects near the ground in still air. Keep children away from steaming areas; the hike up the Gran Cratere is regulated by an ordinance of the Mayor of Lipari.

Day 2: Vulcano to Lipari (approx. 3–4 nm)

A short hop across the channel to the largest island and the archipelago's main town. Anchor off Marina Corta for a swim and a walk up to the castle with its archaeological museum, then take a berth for the night. Marina Pignataro sits in a natural inlet protected by an artificial pier and takes reservations through its online form, so book ahead in high summer.

Tip: Lipari is the islands' ferry and hydrofoil hub. Keep well clear of the harbour entrances and ferry routes, and never assume a fast ferry has seen you.

Day 3: Lipari to Salina via Pollara (approx. 14 nm)

Head north-west along Lipari's coast, then round Salina to Pollara, a half-sunken crater with a bay made famous by the film Il Postino, a dramatic lunch stop. Continue past Rinella, Salina's second ferry landing, and on to the east coast for the night in Marina di Salina, the tourist harbour at Santa Marina Salina. If you prefer to anchor, Lingua bay south of Santa Marina has small restaurants on the waterfront.

Tip: Pollara sits under steep cliffs. In the bathing season you may not anchor within 200 m of steep coasts, so anchor well off and swim in.

Day 4: Salina to Panarea and Basiluzzo (approx. 11 nm)

Sail east to Panarea, a maze of lanes and whitewashed houses above the little port of San Pietro. Boats line up off Drautto and in Cala Junco; in settled weather either is a beautiful overnight anchorage. In the afternoon take the dinghy or the yacht round the islets to the north-east, Dattilo, Lisca Bianca and Basiluzzo (about 2.5 nm from San Pietro).

Tip: none of Panarea's anchorages is sheltered from every direction. Check the night's forecast and keep Lipari as plan B.

Day 5: Panarea to Stromboli, eruptions by night (approx. 13 nm)

The highlight of the week. Stromboli is the only island in the archipelago with permanent volcanic activity; Sicily's tourist board counts an explosion roughly every 5–6 minutes. Anchor off Ficogrande on the north-east coast or at Ginostra in the south-west. After dark, motor slowly towards the north-west side to watch the glow above the Sciara del Fuoco, the scar of black scree that runs from the craters into the sea, but stay outside the no-go zone at all times (see the rules below).

Tip: Stromboli has no marina. Only stay overnight in a settled forecast; otherwise watch the sunset activity from the sea and return to Panarea.

Day 6: Stromboli to Lipari (approx. 23 nm)

A longer leg back past Panarea and Basiluzzo, then down Lipari's east coast past the old pumice quarries of Porticello. Overnight in Marina Pignataro, or anchor off Vulcano again for one more sulphur bath.

Tip: top up supplies before the last crossing. Pignataro's tap water is not drinkable, so carry bottled water aboard.

Day 7: Lipari to Capo d'Orlando or Portorosa (approx. 22–24 nm)

Pass through the channel between Lipari and Vulcano and head south to Sicily. Charter companies usually want the yacht back in the base marina the evening before Saturday check-out, so start early and allow a buffer for headwinds.

Tip: if Friday's forecast looks poor, cross a day early and spend the last night in the base marina.

Option, Filicudi and Alicudi: in settled weather, swap Stromboli for the two wild western islands. From Rinella it is about 12 nm to Filicudi, with anchorages at Capo Graziano and near the Grotta del Bue Marino, and another 10 nm to Alicudi and its small pier. Filicudi to Capo d'Orlando is about 26 nm.

Rules and safety in the Aeolian Islands

The islands have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000; they gave volcanology two eruption types, Vulcanian and Strombolian. Sailing rules come mainly from the Coast Guard. The beach-safety ordinance of the Lipari Coast Guard covers all the islands during the bathing season set by the Sicilian Region, which usually runs from May to October. The key points:

• Distance from the coast: no sailing, stopping, mooring or anchoring within 300 m of the coast or 200 m of steep coasts, except in marked corridors; don't let wind or current carry you inside.
• Speed: between 300 m and 1,000 m from beaches (200–500 m from steep coasts), a maximum of 10 knots in displacement mode.
• Divers: stay at least 100 m from diver-down flags.
• Cliffs and caves: no stopping below cliffs where rockfall is visible, and no entering the sea caves listed by the Coast Guard, by swimming or by any craft.
• Waste and drones: no toilet discharge or rubbish into the sea. Flying drones below 300 m over beaches, boats and harbours is banned all year.
• Stromboli: sailing or stopping in the sea off the Sciara del Fuoco, between Punta delle Chiappe and Punta Labronzo, is banned as set by the ordinance in force of the Capitaneria di porto di Milazzo. The zone has been widened with volcanic activity, from 400 m to a full nautical mile, on Civil Protection advice. Check the current ordinance in the Coast Guard's ordinance list and the alert level before you go.

Protezione Civile explains why: landslides or violent explosions can trigger tsunamis, as in 2002, and pyroclastic flows down the Sciara del Fuoco can run across the sea for a few hundred metres. Warning sirens give voice messages in Italian and English.

Posidonia: the seagrass meadows around the islands are a priority habitat under the EU Habitats Directive, and an anchor dragged through them tears out a mat of roots and rhizomes that grows only about a centimetre a year. Always drop the anchor on clear sand and snorkel to check it.

Harbours, wind and ferries: harbours with all-round shelter are few and most anchorages are open to one side, so check each night whether the wind will come from the north-west or the south-east and pick the lee of the island. Ferries and hydrofoils serve all seven islands; keep clear of harbour entrances and ferry routes.

Licence: according to boat licence in Italy, you can drive without a licence only with engines up to 30 kW (40.8 hp) and within 6 nautical miles of the coast. The crossing from Sicily takes you more than 6 nm offshore, so a charter yacht needs a skipper with a licence the company accepts, or a hired skipper.

Best time to sail the Aeolian Islands

The sailing season runs roughly from May to October, which matches the regional bathing season, so the coastal rules above apply all season. In July and August, reserve harbour berths such as Pignataro in advance. Marina Pignataro stays open all year, with shorter hours from mid-October. For a late-season trip, for example in October, allow a buffer day for weather, especially for the crossings to and from Sicily.

FAQ

How far are the Aeolian Islands from the Sicilian coast?

About 14 nm to the nearest island, according to Capo d'Orlando Marina; about 20 nm from Capo d'Orlando or Portorosa to Vulcano's harbour.

Can you anchor off Stromboli overnight?

Yes, off Ficogrande or at Ginostra, in settled weather only. Never enter the no-go zone off the Sciara del Fuoco, and check the current ordinance and alert level first.

Do I need to book harbour berths?

In high summer it is wise. Marina Pignataro on Lipari takes requests through its online form, and Marina di Salina runs the tourist harbour at Santa Marina Salina.

Is one week enough for all seven islands?

A week covers the five central islands comfortably. Adding Filicudi and Alicudi means long legs, so save them for a second trip or swap them for Stromboli.

Can I sail here without a skipper?

Yes, if the charter company accepts your licence or ICC. Otherwise hire a skipper; it is a good choice anyway for Stromboli after dark.

More Italian sailing guides

Across the sea to the east, the Tropea and Costa degli Dei guide covers the Calabrian coast opposite the islands. For western Sicily, read sailing the Egadi Islands. Before you go, see what to bring on a yacht charter.