Destinations > Europe > Italy > Sicily
Aeolian Islands
These seven islands just north of Sicily’s northeastern tip are easily accessible from the mainland, and each has its own special character. Lipari is the largest, most developed and most popular. Vulcano, the first port of call for ferries and hydrofoils from Milazzo, is famous for its great beaches and thermal baths. Panarea, the smallest of the islands, is arguably the most picturesque, and has become an exclusive tourist destination with a number of high-end resorts. The other islands all have their attractions, but as they are mostly visited by day-trippers, offer little in the way of accommodations. We recommend staying on Panarea, and hiring private boats to visit various sites around the islands.
Summertime offers idyllic sunny days and warm waters, but can be unpleasantly crowded, especially on the major tourist islands. A better option is to come during May-early June or late Sept-Oct, when the weather is still warm and pleasant but the crowds have thinned. In the wintertime, rough, high seas can make traveling to the islands difficult, and sometimes impossible.
topGetting There
Travel by car to Milazzo (1.25 hour from Taormina), board a hydrofoil to Panarea (2 hours). In the summer months, hydrofoils operate out of Messina as well. It's also possible to arrive by helicopter.
topPanarea
With beautiful cliffs and coves, the ruins of a Bronze-Age village, and its own archipelago of islets, Panarea is an enchanting place to spend a few days. The main village is San Pietro, where the ferries dock and services like ATMs are offered. There are no cars allowed on the island, but it’s small enough to navigate on foot. The golf-cart taxis are another convenient way to get around.
topSights
Islets
Panarea’s six tiny islets are only accessible by boat. Hire one to visit the lovely beach on Datillo, or dive the shipwreck off Lisca Bianca.
Punta Milanezze
The remains of a Neolithic village were discovered here in 1943. Pottery, tools and other artifacts from this site are on display at the museum on Lipari.
Beaches
Cala Junco, a stunning cove with turquoise waters, can be accessed via stairway from Punta Milanezze. North of the village of Ditella is the isolated Spaggia Fumarola, aka Stone Beach.
topAccommodations
Quartara Hotel
Each of the 13 rooms in this four-star hotel has a different theme (colonial, Chinese, etc.). Furnishings are of hand-made teak, views are spectacular, and all the modern amenities are offered.
Hotel La Piazza
Surrounded by a luxuriant garden, this four-star hotel offers splendid panoramic views from its terrace. Most of the 31 rooms also have views of the islets off the coast. Seawater pool, private beach access, gastronomic restaurant.
topLipari
The largest and busiest of the islands, Lipari offers the most in the way of sightseeing. Even if you’re staying on one of the other islands, it’s worth visiting Lipari for its excellent archaeological museum, variety of restaurants, and the chance to slide down a pumice chute into the sea. The main town is also called Lipari – there are four other quiet villages on the island if you feel like exploring.
topSights
Museo Archeological Eoliano
Castello, Lipari
Tel: +39 09 0 9880174
Open 9am-1:30pm daily; Classical section open 3-7pm daily
Housed in several museums within the castello (or upper town) area, this museum’s collection of Mediterranean historical artifacts is one of the finest in Europe. The archaeological section is devoted to tools, pottery and other prehistoric and Roman finds from the Aeolian Islands. The classical section displays objects from Lipari’s ancient necropolis, including vases, statuettes, and the world’s most complete collection of Greek theatrical masks.
Cattedrale di San Bartolomeo
Via di Concordato, Castello, Lipari
The original Norman cathedral here was destroyed, along with much of the rest of Lipari, by the rampaging pirate Barbarossa – only the 12th century cloister remains. The elegant Baroque façade dates from 1654.
Belvedere Quattrocchi
This overlook 1.9 miles west of Lipari town offers phenomenal views of the island of Vulcano, to the south.
Cave di Pomice
Pumice is Limpari’s primary export. At these quarries just past Spiaggia Bianca, visitors can slide down pumice chutes into the sea, colored a brilliant azure from the pumice dust. The easiest way to access the chutes is by boat.
Beaches
Spaggia Bianca, on the island’s northeastern coast, is the most popular beach – its sands were once white from pumice dust, but have washed away to a darker gray. A few miles north, the village of Porticello has a small, stony beach.
topVulcano
This island is popular with the Italian jet-set, and has a number of upscale hotels. True to its name, it is home to a weak but active volcano (Gran Cratere). Many visitors come to plunge themselves in the smelly but reportedly therapeutic volcanic mud baths, Laghetto di Fanghi, or unwind in the nearby thermal pools. Spaggia Sabia Nera (Black Sand Beach) is one of the nicest beaches on the island; Spaggia dell’Assina (Donkey Beach), which also has black sand, is very pleasant too. More adventurous visitors can climb to the top of Gran Cratere. It’s about an hour’s climb over shadeless, rugged terrain, but the views from the summit are impressive.
topSalina
The second-largest of the islands, and the most fertile, Salina is famous for the sweet Malvasia wine produced here. Though relatively few visitors come here, the island boasts a nature reserve, rich in colorful plant life and gorgeous views. There’s great snorkeling at black-sand Pollara beach, (featured in the film Il Postino) as well as a natural stone bridge.
topStromboli
The primary villain in the film Pinocchio is named Stromboli, which doesn’t seem quite fair. Though the island’s smoldering volcano and craggy shoreline can make it seem forbidding, the landscape is very scenic, and the deep waters off the coast are excellent for scuba diving. The crater is the only continuously active volcano in the islands, occasionally producing showers of lava – climbing it is possible, but should only be done with a guide.
topFilicudi and Alicudi
These remote, sparsely inhabited islands can be difficult to reach for short visits, and have very limited facilities. If you do decide to make the trip, Filicudi has a few small villages and a prehistoric site, but is best appreciated on a boat trip around the island, where you can view its grottos and impressive stacks of basalt. Alicudi is rather barren, but unbeatable for quiet and solitude.