Sun Odyssey 45 | Aeolian islands | Sailing holiday
In the North-Eastern part of Sicily, submerged in a deep blue sea, Aeolian islands are the perfect scenery for an unforgettable sailing vacation. Seven islands, all of the volcanic origin, with craters of Stromboli and Vulcano still active, rich in nature, history, culture and myths, known and inhabited even before ancient Greeks and immortalized in Homer's descriptions.
After leaving marina di Portorosa behind us, sailing along the coast of Vulcano, we'll see Lipari with its turquoise sea. Then route to Salina, the greenest one, and then eastward to reach Panarea, the most fashionable one…
AEOLIAN islands | 8 days & 7 nights Cruise - Portorosa / Portorosa
Saturday: Sicily - Lipari.
Boarding during the afternoon in Marina di Portorosa, Furnari (Messina). After food provisioning and accommodation in your own cabin, we're ready to sail: we leave Sicily behind us and with a fresh crosswind; we sail to Lipari along the coast of Vulcano that welcomes us with its still active crater. We spend the night in Lipari in the port of Pignataro.
Sunday: Lipari - Cave di Pomice - Salina.
After a classic breakfast with a mulberry granita, we'll have an adventurous hike to Lipari castle that rises above the sea in a rich archaeological zone; this is the top of the city from where you can see the entire bay of Marina Lunga and Marina Corta and the lower town. Next to the Spanish cathedral, there's the medieval cloister of antique Benedectine-Norman monastery; here, submerged in total silence and enveloped by the shiny glitter of the sea, we can still feel the ancient sacredness of this place. After coming back on board, we pull up the sails for our route to Salina blown by the wind. Along the way, we stop in the North of Lipari for refreshing swimming in these amazing waters under the abandoned pumice quarries. We spend the night in Santa Marina di Salina: drink on board and dinner on land.
Monday: Santa Marina - Pollara.
Salina is the greenest of Aeolian islands and the extinct volcano of Monte Fossa delle Felci with its 962 m is a compelling challenge for hiking lovers. During the afternoon, we'll sail to Pollara on the Western side of Salina, set of the movie "Il Postino: The Postman". The evening promises to be quiet and we decide to stop at anchor in the bay of Pollara, protected by high cliffs while the moon sets behind Filicudi. Night at anchor and dinner on board.
Tuesday: Salina - Panarea.
You’ll have a regenerating swim in the waters of Pollara under the sun. The morning goes by while walking in the little village of Pollara, famous for its capers, where you can also taste Malvasia, the typical wine of Salina. From there the view leaves everyone breathless. During afternoon route to Panarea to reach before sunset, we search for a safe berth in Cala Junco, one of the most beautiful bays in Aeolian islands, dominated by the promontory of point Milazzese, where rises the prehistoric village from 1400 b.C., a safe and strategic place to get defended from pirates attacks who until two centuries ago infested these seas. Dinner on land, night at anchor.
Wednesday: Panarea - Stromboli.
Morning in Panarea passes by between swimming, relax and walks on the island. Stromboli is three-hour sailing from here; the best time to leave is early afternoon when the westerly breeze stabilizes, sailing along the coasts of islets of Lisca Bianca, Dattilo, Scoglio Spinazzola and Basiluzzo. We set our route to Sciara di Fuoco, side of the island of Stromboli, where volcanic materials emitted in the eruptive outbursts from the main crater of the volcano build up. The spectacular Stromboli offers continuous eruptions under a full moon. Dinner and drinks on land. Night at anchor near Strombolicchio and Piscità, a hamlet of Stromboli.
Thursday: Stromboli - Filicudi.
After a trip on land and a stop at bar Ingrid, that dominates Stromboli with its infinite sea, we get back on board and set sail to Filicudi. Winds are very favourable and in the early afternoon we arrive under the promontory of Capo Graziano. The island is even wilder than the others, here time seems to stand still. On land, the pace is very relaxed and it's possible to visit the ancient settlement of Capo Graziano or to stop at the pier bar for a bracing drink. Then we decide to circumnavigate the island andd we stop for swimming under the Canna Filicudi, a basalt column that rises steeply above the sea for about 80 m. Night at anchor at Filo di Lorani.
Friday: Filicudi - Vulcano - Sicily.
We leave Filicudi to reach Vulcano. Navigation is pleasant and it goes by between manoeuvres, sunbathing, reading and relaxing. We sail among Lipari and Vulcano retracing the route taken by Ulysses to return to his Ithaca. On the right we admire the smoking crater of Volcano; on the left, the Faraglioni, massive basalt columns, protrude from the sea. After reaching Vulcano we have a stop on land from the Bay of Levante for a tasty mulberry granita, while the more darings decide to hike on the volcano. After coming back on board our route continues to Gelso, the southern part of the Island, where we stop for our last swimming and our last goodbye to the islands. Before sunset, we set sail to Sicily. Dinner in a diner and night in Portorosa.
Saturday
It's time to say goodbye. Landing is scheduled at 09.00 a.m. but our will to get back to sail is very strong! We share our addresses with our fellow travellers and we leave with a promise to meet again soon, another travel by the sea and many other islands are waiting for us!
In the north-eastern part of Sicily, submerged in a deep blue sea, Aeolian islands are the perfect scenery for an unforgettable sailing vacation. Seven islands, all of volcanic origin, with craters of Stromboli and Vulcano still active, rich in nature, history, culture and myths, known and inhabited even before ancient Greeks and immortalized in Homer's descriptions. After leaving marina di Portorosa behind us, sailing along the coast of Vulcano, we'll set sail to Lipari with its turquoise sea. Then route to Salina, the greenest one, and then eastward to reach Panarea, the most fashionable one...After leaving marina di Portorosa behind us, sailing along the coast of Vulcano, we'll set sail to Lipari with its turquoise sea. Then route to Salina, the greenest one, and then eastward to reach Panarea, the most fashionable one...
