Ports of departure to get to the Aeolian Islands
The archipelago of the seven Aeolian islands (Lipari, Salina, Vulcano, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea) is located in front of the northern Sicilian coast, at the nearby port of Milazzo, with which it is connected daily. To get to the Aeolian Islands, also known as the Lipari Islands, you can take the hydrofoil, the ferry or even the airplane. The advice is to opt for sea routes, because it is better to travel by ship rather than by plane. It is possible to depart from Sicily also from the port of Messina and from the port of Naples in Campania for all year round. On summer season there are also many departures from the port of Palermo, from the port of Salerno, from that of Sapri; from the port of Reggio Calabria and from the port of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria.
Milazzo – Aeolian Islands sea transport
Ferries
From Milazzo you can go to any island of the so-called Aeolian arch. The ferries of the Siremar and N.G.I fleets travel throughout the archipelago with stopovers on different islands depending on the route. Generally the first morning run arrives at the port of Vulcano, the closest, and then to land at the port of Lipari, on the largest island, continuing the line with a double stop in Salina, both at the port of Santa Marina and at the port of Rinella; then to the port of Filicudi and the port of Alicudi. Another race is similar but in Salina it stops only in Santa Marina and then goes to the port of Panarea and the port of Stromboli (Molo di Scari) and always on this same island but on the other side at the port of Ginostra, unreachable by land,. The other daily trips stop at Vulcano and Lipari and in some cases continue to Salina.
Hydrofoils
Liberty Lines hydrofoils and catamarans also depart from Milazzo to reach every Aeolian island: Lipari, Vulcano and Salina have the highest number of trips. To a lesser extent, but also guaranteed all year round for Panarea, Stromboli, Alicudi and Filicudi. For some destinations it may be necessary to tranship during a stopover on another vessel in the fleet. Of course, hydrofoils take less time to cross but they can’t offer the boarding of vehicles.
If necessary, here you can find out the difference between ferry and hydrofoil so as to weigh all the pros and cons.
Milazzo – Aeolian routes
A list of links through which it is possible to review all the routes, timetables, prices and other information for each individual route to the Aeolian Islands:
- Milazzo – Vulcano
- Milazzo – Lipari
- Milazzo – Rinella (Salina)
- Milazzo – Santa Marina (Salina)
- Milazzo – Panarea
- Milazzo – Stromboli
- Milazzo – Filicudi
- Milazzo – Alicudi
Messina – Aeolian sea transport
Liberty Lines fast boats (hydrofoils, catamarans and monohulls) depart from Messina all year round. The winter timetables include a daily run to Lipari, Salina (both ports) and Vulcano, except on Saturdays. In summer there are more races per day also for Panarea and Stromboli.
Messina – Aeolian routes
If you click on the links in the following list, you can get more detailed and updated information about all the single route:
- Messina – Lipari
- Messina – Rinella (Salina)
- Messina – Santa Marina (Salina)
- Messina – Vulcano
- Messina – Panarea
- Messina – Stromboli
Maritime transport Palermo – Aeolian
Only in summer, a hydrofoil of the Liberty Lines leaves daily from Palermo to go to all the ports of the Aeolian islands archipelago, including those of Alicudi and Filicudi, that of Ginostra, of Lipari, where a transfer will be able to go to Panarea and at the Pier of Scari of Stromboli and continue to Salina and Vulcano.
Palermo – Aeolian routes
Clicking on the links below you can see more information on the routes from the capital of the Sicilian Region to each island of the archipelago:
- Palermo – Alicudi
- Palermo – Filicudi
- Palermo – Ginostra (Stromboli)
- Palermo – Lipari
- Palermo – Panarea
- Palermo – Rinella (Salina)
- Palermo – Stromboli
- Palermo – Santa Marina (Salina)
- Palermo – Vulcano
Naples – Aeolian Islands sea transport
Ferries
From Calata Porta di Massa in Naples the Siremar ferries leave for the Aeolian Islands twice a week during the year. The departure is in the evening and the crossing includes stopovers, in this order, in Stromboli (both at the Molo di Scari and at the port of Ginostra), in Panarea, in Salina (one race docks in Rinella, the other in Santa Marina), in Lipari and Vulcano.
Hydrofoils
From the port of Naples Mergellina, every day from May to September, a single hull hydrofoil (High-speed Craft) of Snav goes to Stromboli, then to Panarea, Salina, Vulcano and finally to Lipari. On the same line there is also an Alilauro hydrofoil which, from the end of June to the beginning of September, leaves from the Molo Beverello of the Neapolitan maritime station.
Naples – Aeolian routes
The following list contains links through which you can see all the information about races on the routes from the capital of Campania to the Aeolian archipelago:
- Naples – Stromboli
- Naples – Ginostra (Stromboli)
- Naples – Panarea
- Naples – Rinella (Salina)
- Naples – Santa Marina (Salina)
- Naples – Lipari
- Naples – Vulcano
- Naples Mergellina – Stromboli
- Naples Mergellina – Panarea
- Naples Mergellina – Santa Marina (Salina)
- Naples Mergellina – Vulcano
- Naples Mergellina – Lipari
Salerno and Sapri – Aeolian Islands sea transport
During the summer season, from Thursday to Sunday, an Alicost hydrofoil departs from Sapri, on the Cilento coast, for Stromboli, Panarea, Salina and, unlike the other companies, lands first in Vulcano and then in Lipari. Furthermore, only in summer, a hydrofoil of the same company connects Salerno from Molo Manfredi to Lipari twice a week.
Vibo Valentia and Reggio Calabria – Aeolian sea transport
From Reggio Calabria, exclusively in summer, a Liberty Lines hydrofoil sails daily to Lipari, Salina (Santa Marina), Vulcano and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with transfer to Salina, there is also a stop in Panarea and Stromboli. The summer timetables of Liberty Lines also provide that only on Thursdays and Sundays a hydrofoil leaves from Vibo Valentia to the ports of Lipari, Panarea, Santa Marina, the pier of Scari in Stromboli and Vulcano. By clicking on the links in the list below you can find out in detail about the routes from Calabria:
