A Long Weekend Guide to the Aeolian Islands

An archipelago of seven volcanic islands, this is the Sicilian coastline at its wildest and most beautiful.

The island of Lipari at sunsent / ©Tenuta di Castellaro

Named after the mythical god of the wind, the seven Aeolian islands off Sicily are a remote destination full of wild, rugged adventure. The lack of mass flights means the islands are blissfully peaceful, a time capsule of slow-paced Italian summer holidays that belong in an Elena Ferrante novel. To write an Aeolian Islands guide is not a matter of deciding what to include, but how to possibly encapsulate it all.

To get here, take a flight to Palermo or Catania, a taxi or train to Milazzo, and then a hydrofoil ferry out into the deep blue abyss of the Aeolians. Otherwise, five of the seven islands have helipads, with helicopter transfers available from Sicily and the Amalfi Coast. However, you decide to travel, daily life slips further away with each leg of the journey, until the striking volcanic islands loom on the horizon and time slows down a notch.

Of the islands, Salina is the most verdant and picturesque, with bougainvillea climbing against the whitewashed houses and villages. The wonder you feel stepping onto the island’s ochre volcanic landscape, sprinkled with cacti and vibrant purple flowering caper plants, turns to delight as you discover boutique hotels with infinity pools and Michelin-starred restaurants.

Panarea meanwhile is the white-hot party destination, favored by Italian aristocrats, rock stars and designers – including Beyonce and Jay Z – in part because it’s so hard to get to without your own means of transport. Aside from a handful of boho cocktail bars, there are shipwrecks and the sunken Roman settlement of Basiluzzo for diving, and various lava beaches to explore. The island is car-free, so hire a boat and anchor off Cala Junco beach for a swim.

In contrast to Panarea’s white beaches, Stromboli and Vulcano are still active volcanos, the beaches an other-worldly black color. Stromboli has bubbled away almost constantly throughout history, a natural firework display that can be watched from the deck of your yacht. In Vulcano meanwhile, mineral-rich mud baths and hot springs at Faraglione della Fabbrica add another dimension to your holiday.

To avoid island fever, Lipari — the largest island — has a decent-sized town with restaurants and boutiques, as well as Malvasia vineyards and organic caper farms to visit. Lipari has been inhabited for at least 6,000 years, and relics from Neolithic, Bronze and Hellenistic ages remain. At the north of the island, the unique white pumice beach and luminescent aquamarine water of Spiaggia Bianca di Pomici is a destination in its own right.

Last but not least are Filicudi and Alicudi, the wildest and most remote of all the islands. With little to do other than walking through ancient vines and olive groves and swimming in the crystalline waters, these are places to hole up without outside distractions and pen that novel you’ve always wanted to write. In Filicudi, take a boat past La Canna rock and the Blue Grotto, home to monk seals and turtles.

What to do in the Aeolian Islands

Wine tasting at Tenuta di Castellaro, Lipari

©Tenuta di Castellaro

For a change from the Aeolian’s myriad beachside activities, head into the hills of Lipari for a glimpse into the island’s historic wine-making tradition. Beyond the classic Malvasia, the Corinto Nero selection is proof that excellent red wines can be made on these volcanic islands too (from vines that have grown here since Hellenic times, no less). Oenophiles can take a private guided tour of the 20-hectare vineyard and bio-energetic winery, a crash course in agronomic farming principles. Meanwhile, those of a more romantic disposition can book a vineyard picnic for two, or soak up the atmosphere with a sunset wine tasting, paired with some traditional specialties and the farm’s own caperberries.

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Tour to Stromboli at night

A number of locally-run businesses offer night trips to Stromboli, where on a clear night you’ll see a fantastic display of lava spluttering from the top of the still-active volcano. Walking tours are prohibited since it blew its top, but the views from the water at night are equally spectacular. Local Sergio runs bespoke private boat trips from all the islands to Stromboli, leaving in time for sunset. If you do spend plan to stay on tiny Stromboli, the best beaches, restaurants and shops are found in Ficogrande and Piscità. Ginostra has the better harbor, but is on the far side of the island and can only be reached by boat.

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Snorkeling and turtle watching in Filicudi

Putting your money back into local conservation efforts while experiencing a whole new side to the islands, Filicudi Wildlife Conservation runs regular boat trips from Filicudi. Some of these trips take small groups to remote spots on Alicudi, the ancient settlements of Seccagni, or the marine conservation park of Scoglio della Fortuna, where lucky visitors will have the chance to see and even swim near turtles and dolphins. If you don’t have time for a boat trip, it’s still worth popping into the turtle sanctuary in Pecorini a Mare, where locals and international volunteers rescue and care for turtles who’ve been caught up in fishing nets.