Sicily and the Aeolian Islands: Palermo, Stromboli, Messina
To be honest from the start: this is not a one-week loop. Palermo is on the north-west of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands and Messina on the north-east, and about a hundred and fifty miles lie between them one way. The full circuit including Messina is nine sailing days and roughly 295 nm — a ten-day charter. What fits into a week is its core: start and finish in Milazzo, twenty miles from the islands. The full version is below, and where to cut it is in the practicalities.
Day by day
Palermo
- Palermo38.125, 13.370
Fly into Palermo and take over the yacht at the Villa Igiea marina or at Arenella. Provisioning in town and an evening at the Vucciria market: Palermo deserves a day of its own, but this route has no room for one.
Palermo → Cefalù
- Cefalù38.040, 14.022
East along the north coast of Sicily. Cefalù is a town under a sheer rock with a 12th-century Norman cathedral and Byzantine mosaics inside. The marina is small and booked ahead in season.
Cefalù → Vulcano
- Vulcano38.418, 14.960
The longest leg out to the islands, a full day in open water. Vulcano greets you with the smell of sulphur: the Gran Cratere is an hour's walk up, and from the anchorage at Porto di Levante three neighbouring islands are in sight at once.
Vulcano → Stromboli
- Stromboli38.800, 15.240
North, to a volcano that has been erupting continuously for two thousand years. The anchorage off Stromboli is open and uneasy, but in the evening boats move round to the Sciara del Fuoco — the black slope down which lava runs into the sea — and watch the eruptions from the water.
Stromboli → Panarea → Lipari
- Panarea38.636, 15.068
- Lipari38.468, 14.960
Back south with a stop at Panarea, the smallest and most fashionable island in the archipelago. Lipari is the Aeolian capital: a castle on a crag, an archaeological museum and the only real town out here.
Lipari → Messina
- Messina38.193, 15.560
East to the Strait of Messina. Messina is the gateway between two seas; a gilded statue of the Madonna stands at the harbour entrance, and in the cathedral bell tower, a short walk from the waterfront, an astronomical clock puts on a whole performance at noon.
Messina → Milazzo
- Milazzo38.222, 15.244
West again along the north coast. Milazzo is a long headland with a castle on top and the main charter base for the archipelago: twenty miles from here to Vulcano.
Milazzo → Cefalù
- Cefalù38.040, 14.022
The start of the way back along the Sicilian shore. Another night in Cefalù, this time with time to spare for the cathedral and the climb up the Rocca.
Cefalù → Palermo
- Palermo38.125, 13.370
The final leg, refuelling and handover in Palermo.
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
- Timing: the full version is nine sailing days and does not fit into a week. Either take a ten-day charter, or start and finish in Milazzo: that leaves Vulcano, Stromboli, Panarea, Lipari and Salina — about 120 nm and no day longer than thirty.
- The Strait of Messina: tidal streams here reach 4–5 knots and turn every six hours, with whirlpools where they meet. The passage is planned from the stream tables rather than the clock, and the fleet hands them over with the boat.
- Berths: the Aeolians have few sheltered harbours, a good share of nights are at anchor or on buoys, and almost every anchorage is open from at least one direction. Moving round to the lee of an island at night when the wind shifts is normal here, not an incident.
- Stromboli: the climb to the crater is permitted only with a guide and only to a set altitude, and the rules change after every increase in activity. Check the current restrictions before you leave; the eruptions are visible from the water in any case.
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 Palermo — Stromboli route and where do you stay overnight?
9 days and about 295 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Palermo. Overnight stops in order: Palermo, Cefalù, Vulcano, Stromboli, Lipari, Messina, Milazzo, Cefalù. The longest leg is day 3, 50 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Palermo — Stromboli 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 €934 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).
