The seven Aeolian Islands: from Vulcano to Alicudi
Most week-long Aeolian routes circle Lipari and Stromboli and leave Filicudi and Alicudi, out to the west, below the horizon. This loop takes in all seven islands: from sulphurous Vulcano and fashionable Panarea to Alicudi, which has no roads at all and where mules still carry goods up the steps. It starts from Capo d'Orlando on the north coast of Sicily and runs to about 132 miles in the week. The longest days are the first and the last — 22 and 30 miles of open water.
Day by day
Capo d'Orlando
- Marina di Capo d'Orlando38.156, 14.773
Take over the yacht at Marina di Capo d'Orlando, a modern harbour below the lighthouse headland, halfway between Palermo and Messina. Provision for the whole week in town: there are almost no shops on Filicudi and Alicudi.
Capo d'Orlando → Vulcano
- Vulcano (Porto di Levante)38.415, 14.962
North-east to the nearest island of the group, round Vulcanello into Porto di Levante. If the path is open, climb the Gran Cratere for sunset — about an hour each way.
Vulcano → Lipari → Panarea
- Lipari38.470, 14.957
- Panarea (San Pietro)38.637, 15.079
- Porto Pignataro (Lipari)marina38.478, 14.963
Morning in Lipari: the castle rock, the cathedral and the archaeological museum, lunch in town. In the afternoon, on to Panarea, the smallest and most fashionable island. Night on a buoy or at anchor off San Pietro; the bay is open to the east.
Panarea → Stromboli
- Stromboli38.802, 15.243
A short leg past the islets of Basiluzzo and Lisca Bianca. By day, the black beach and the island's only village; after sunset, the Sciara del Fuoco from the water, with an eruption every few minutes. Night at anchor off Ficogrande.
Stromboli → Salina
- Salina (Santa Marina)38.558, 14.874
A longer leg south-west to the greenest island of the group: two extinct volcanoes, capers on terraces and malvasia vineyards. Berth in the marina at Santa Marina Salina; granita in Lingua in the evening.
Salina → Pollara → Filicudi
- Pollara (Salina)38.578, 14.800
- Filicudi38.561, 14.585
- Rinella (Salina)town quay38.546, 14.829
Round Salina's north coast to Pollara, a crater half collapsed into the sea where Il Postino was filmed. Then west to Filicudi: a few hamlets, clifftop paths and the Bue Marino sea cave. Night on a buoy or at anchor off Filicudi Porto.
Filicudi → Alicudi
- Alicudi38.534, 14.362
The remotest and quietest island of the group: one jetty, steps instead of streets and about a hundred inhabitants. The jetty belongs to the ferries and hydrofoils, so you anchor in deep water for the night — and only in settled weather.
Alicudi → Capo d'Orlando
- Marina di Capo d'Orlando38.156, 14.773
- Sant'Agata di Militellomarina38.074, 14.624
The longest leg of the week, south-east to the Sicilian coast. Leave early to be in time for refuelling and handover.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Filicudi and Alicudi are open to every wind and have no sheltered harbour. Plan a night at Alicudi only on a quiet forecast; otherwise stay at Filicudi or at Rinella on Salina and visit Alicudi as a day trip.
- Weather: in summer the north-westerly maestrale blows 15–20 knots by midday. The run back from Alicudi to Sicily is downwind, but the first day to Vulcano can be a beat — leave in the morning before the wind fills in.
- Stromboli: there is an exclusion zone for boats off the Sciara del Fuoco whose size changes with the volcano's alert level, and the climb towards the crater is only with a guide and up to a set height. Check the restrictions on the day.
- Fuel and water: fill up at Lipari and at Capo d'Orlando; there is no water for yachts on the western islands, so top up at Lipari or Santa Marina. The island pontoons are summer-only; book berths ahead in July and August.
How to get to the marina
- Marina di Capo d'Orlando, Sicily
- Palermo (PMO) — 165 km, 2 h by carCatania (CTA) — 190 km, 2 h by car
2–2.5 h · €200–280 per car
Pre-booked transfer from Palermo airport along the A20 coastal motorway to the marina, at a fixed price per car.
2–2.5 h · €35–70 per day
Rental desks in the Palermo terminal; the drive is almost all on the A20 motorway, partly tolled. The marina has parking.
3–4 h · €15–25 per person
Train from the airport to Palermo Centrale, change to a Palermo–Messina train to Capo d'Orlando-Naso station, then a few minutes by taxi to the marina.
2–2.5 h · €220–300 per car
From Catania, a transfer via Messina on the A18 and A20 motorways — handy when flights to Catania are cheaper or better timed.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
When to go and what it costs in Italy
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Italy
All boats in Italy
How long is the Capo d'Orlando — Alicudi route and where do you stay overnight?
8 days and about 132 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Capo d'Orlando. Overnight stops in order: Marina di Capo d'Orlando, Vulcano (Porto di Levante), Panarea (San Pietro), Stromboli, Salina (Santa Marina), Filicudi, Alicudi. The longest leg is day 8, 30 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Capo d'Orlando — Alicudi route?
The route starts and finishes at Marina di Capo d'Orlando, Sicily. The nearest airport is Palermo (PMO), 165 km away. Fastest: transfer, 2–2.5 h, €200–280 per car. Cheapest: train and metro, 3–4 h, €15–25 per person.
When is the best time to sail the Capo d'Orlando — Alicudi route?
Italy's season runs May to October. June and September give the best balance of weather and price; July and August are the peak, with expensive, busy marinas, which is why in Sardinia you anchor out. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler water, cheaper boats. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is November: a median of ≈€254 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€280. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 52%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Italy for a week starts from €780 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Italy”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
