Departing Lipari
The shortest crossing to Panarea and Stromboli.
Book Your Experience
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation — free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
The Experience
A swim stop, two island landings and an evening stop off the Sciara del Fuoco, starting and ending in Lipari town.
Empeeria's afternoon-to-evening route from Lipari, as the listing sets it out.
Be at S. Giuseppe 9 about 20 minutes before departure. The motorboat runs past Lipari's pumice quarries and Monte Rosa, with a swim stop before Panarea.
After a look into the bay of Cala Junco, the boat docks at San Pietro. The itinerary lists about 1.5 hours; reviewers often report closer to one.
Past Basiluzzo and Ginostra to Stromboli's main port for about 1.5 hours: a walk through the village, the black beach or an early meal.
The boat circles Strombolicchio at sunset, stops off the Sciara del Fuoco with a glass of Malvasia, sea permitting, then sails about 2¼ hours back.
Photo Gallery
Photos from the route between Lipari, San Pietro and Stromboli.
The big-boat cruise, the small-group speedboat and the snorkelling trip, side by side.
| Feature | BIG BOAT Empeeria Panarea & Stromboli Cruise | SMALL GROUP Tornado Small-Group Speedboat | SNORKELLING Arianna Boat Trip with Snorkelling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting point | S. Giuseppe 9, Lipari, 20 minutes early | Marina Corta quay, shortly before 11:30 | Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 93, Lipari |
| Islands landed | Panarea and Stromboli | Panarea (San Pietro) and Stromboli (Scari) | Panarea and Stromboli |
| Time ashore | About 1.5 hours on each island listed; Panarea often closer to 1 hour | About 2 hours on each island | Free time on each island; reviewers find the stops short |
| Swimming | One swim stop before Panarea | Four swim stops, snorkelling gear on board | Swim stops with snorkel masks, plus the boiling sea |
| Sciara del Fuoco | Stop at dusk with a glass of Malvasia, sea permitting | Stop after sunset with Malvasia and biscuits, sea permitting | Stop after sunset with Malvasia and biscuits, sea permitting |
| Boat and commentary | Large group; commentary in Italian, general information in English | Speedboat, skipper and deckhand; Italian, English, French (partly recorded) | Skipper's commentary in more than one language; no guide ashore |
| Length and return | About 7.5–8 hours; about 2¼ hours sailing back | 10 hours; back at Marina Corta 9–10 pm | About 10 hours, afternoon into evening |
| Price · rating | From $76 per person · 4.4 (352 reviews) | From $86 per person · 4.6 (156 reviews) | From $68 per person · 4.7 (47 reviews) |
| Check Availability | See This Tour | See This Tour |
More from Lipari
Small speedboats, a snorkelling trip, a three-island day and a Vulcano departure.
SMALL GROUPSmall-group speedboat day from Lipari's Marina Corta: swim at Cala Junco, land at Panarea and Stromboli, then watch the Sciara del Fuoco at dusk.
ITALIAN COMMENTARYRegina Eolie day trip from Lipari: a swim at Cala Junco, a stop on Panarea, time on Stromboli and a sunset look at the Sciara del Fuoco.
SNORKELLINGAfternoon-into-evening boat trip from Lipari with snorkel stops off Panarea, time ashore on both islands and a sunset wait off the Sciara del Fuoco.
THREE ISLANDSLong day from Lipari landing on three islands, Vulcano, Panarea and Stromboli, with two swim stops and Malvasia under the Sciara del Fuoco.
FROM VULCANOSmall-group speedboat day that starts and ends on Vulcano, with swims off Panarea, time on both islands and a dusk stop off the Sciara del Fuoco.
Lipari departures
Crossing times, boat size, meeting points and what to expect off the Sciara del Fuoco.
Lipari sits near the middle of the Aeolian chain, which puts both islands within easy reach. Panarea is about 12 nautical miles from Lipari (one sailing guide gives 10) and Stromboli about 25, while the run from Milazzo to Panarea alone is about 35. Less of your day goes on open water, and you don’t need an early hydrofoil to reach the boat.
The crossing times in the listings show it. Tornado’s speedboat reaches Panarea in about 45 minutes and Stromboli in another 50 or so; Empeeria’s larger motorboat lists an hour to Panarea. Boats from Milazzo or Tropea cover far more sea and get back later, so if you are already sleeping on Lipari, leaving from here is the simple choice. If the Sciara del Fuoco after dark is what you are after, see the Stromboli by night page as well.
The Lipari departures split into two kinds of boat. The larger motorboats carry big groups, give most of their commentary in Italian, and keep the price lower. The speedboats take a small group, stop more often to swim and give you longer ashore.
Empeeria’s Panarea and Stromboli cruise (our breakdown) is the big-boat option at $76, rated 4.4 from 352 reviews. It runs for about 7.5 to 8 hours, with a swim stop before Panarea, about 1.5 hours listed on each island and a glass of Malvasia off the Sciara del Fuoco. Commentary is in Italian with only general information in English, and one reviewer counted 75 people on board. Reviewers often say Panarea felt closer to an hour.
Regina Eolie’s full-day boat trip (our breakdown) is similar in shape at $74, rated 4.2 from 217 reviews. Commentary is in Italian, and travellers report an English booklet covering the main points. The listing doesn’t publish a departure time, so check your confirmation.
Tornado’s small-group speedboat tour (our breakdown) costs $86 and is rated 4.6 from 156 reviews. A skipper and a deckhand run the boat, there are four swim stops including Cala Junco, and you get about two hours at San Pietro and two at Scari. Commentary covers Italian, English and French, though some of it comes as a recorded audio track. You are back at Marina Corta between 9 and 10 pm.
Arianna’s boat trip with snorkelling (our breakdown) is the lowest price here at $68, rated 4.7 from 47 reviews. It runs from the afternoon into the evening, lends snorkel masks, and pauses over the “boiling sea” off Panarea, where volcanic gas rises through the water. Some reviewers found the island stops short.
Lipari town has two harbours, Marina Corta and Marina Lunga, and the operators don’t all say which one they use. Tornado meets on the Marina Corta quay shortly before 11:30 and sends the exact spot after booking. Empeeria gives S. Giuseppe 9 and asks you to arrive 20 minutes early. Regina Eolie gives Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 2, and Arianna gives Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 93 on the main street, though its description says the boat starts from Marina Corta. Read your confirmation the night before so you head for the right quay.
Empeeria’s Vulcano, Panarea and Stromboli cruise (our breakdown) adds Vulcano at the start: about 2.5 hours at Porto di Levante, then roughly 1.5 hours each on Panarea and Stromboli. It costs $92, is rated 4.5 from 257 reviews, and lasts 11 to 12 hours. The morning sea tour changes with the season; from 16 September to 20 October it visits the Faraglioni of Lipari and the Grotta degli Angeli.
If you are staying on Vulcano, Tornado runs the same speedboat day from Vulcano port: Panarea and Stromboli from Vulcano (our breakdown) at $100, returning between 9 and 10 pm. It has only three reviews so far, so its rating says little yet. The operator’s record on the Lipari version is the better guide.
None of the Lipari listings on this site adds the Aeolian landing contribution. It is normally collected with your ferry or hydrofoil ticket when you arrive in the islands (currently €5 in summer and €2.50 out of season), and the Comune’s regulation exempts travel between the islands. Food is not included on any of these boats, so bring water, swimwear, cash for meals ashore and a warm layer for the night crossing.
Two hours on Stromboli is not enough for a hike. As of the May 2025 ordinance, you may walk alone only up to 290 m and need an authorised guide to reach 400 m; the summit has been closed since the July 2019 eruption. See the Stromboli volcano hike page if you want to climb.
Boats must stay 2 nautical miles off the Sciara del Fuoco, so you watch from a distance and binoculars help. Activity varies from night to night: some evenings bring bright bursts, others only a glow and rumbling, and the stop is dropped in rough sea. Sunset on Stromboli was at 18:45 at the end of September and falls to about 18:23 by mid-October, so at this end of the season the stop is in full dark. For help weighing all the departures, read which Panarea and Stromboli boat tour is right for you.
Guest Reviews
Ratings and review counts are the tour operators' live figures on GetYourGuide and may shift slightly day to day.
"Had the best time! the island are amazing the stromboli eruptions are breathtaking. Would recommend bringing water for the journey in between the islands and especially the journey back. There wasn't much said by the guides, especially not in English. The stops however were great"
"Absolutely fantastic! Really exciting, interesting trip. Friendly crew, great value for money. Stromboli itself is an incredible sight. Never seen anything like it."
"We had an amazing time on the cruise. After boarding the boat we were heading to Panarea where we had 1 hour freetime. As we were with 3 kids we just walked on the shore, had a nice ice cream and played on the cute playground at the harbour. After that we went to Stromboli where we had 2 hours. We played in the water and had a walk on the beautiful black sand beach. After returning to the boat we got a delicious pasta dinner while watching the sunset. When we reached the "dark side" of Stromboli we got to see some bigger eruptions which were really amazing in the darkness. After a half an hour watching Stromboli we were heading back to Lipari. Really good trip, helpful staff on the boat. I would recommend it to everyone!"
"Stromboli was the highlight. The rest of the day seems to be time wasting until it gets dark. Being October Panarea had not much going on. A longer swim stop shorter time on panarea. Or skip panarea altogether, leave later from Lipari and spend more time at Stromboli to maximise opportunities to see the eruptions. Loved Stromboli island - more authentic and rustic. Panarea seems contrived for tourists. But overall a good day and we were lucky enough to see the volcano light up which was thrilling."
"great visit to both islands panrea was exquisite and swimming at Stromboli beneath volcano magic"
"The excursion is very nice, even if it's tiring. There is a swim stop where you can take a dip before arriving in Panarea, and then you will explore the two islands (Panarea and Stromboli) for a couple of hours. In Panarea, you have about 1 hour... it's not a lot, and you can hardly see anything. In Stromboli, you have about 2.5 hours and you can appreciate it more. The best part is the drop-off after Stromboli, as you go around Strombolicchio at sunset and admire the eruption of Stromboli. Negative note: too many people! 75 people is really a lot... ideally, for the price paid, there should be a maximum of about 50 of us."
"Beautiful experience, perhaps a bit expensive but worth it"
"The view of the volcano was an unforgettable experience!"
Read all 352 verified reviews
See All ReviewsCheck the next dates for Empeeria's Panarea and Stromboli cruise, or compare the small-boat options above. Starting from $76 per person.
Check Availability & BookCan't Make These Dates?
Find a tour that fits your schedule — all with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Meeting points, time ashore, languages and the Sciara del Fuoco stop for boats leaving Lipari.
Short by Aeolian standards. Tornado's speedboat lists about 45 minutes to Panarea and about 50 minutes on to Stromboli, with roughly 70 minutes home. Empeeria's larger motorboat lists an hour to Panarea, 75 minutes to Stromboli and about 2¼ hours back after the Sciara stop. Panarea is about 12 nautical miles from Lipari and Stromboli about 25.
Each operator gives its own spot. Tornado meets on the Marina Corta quay shortly before 11:30. Empeeria uses S. Giuseppe 9 and asks you to arrive 20 minutes early. Regina Eolie gives Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 2 and Arianna gives Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 93. Lipari town has two harbours, Marina Corta and Marina Lunga, so check your confirmation for the exact quay.
The big boats cost less: Empeeria is $76 and Regina Eolie $74, with mostly Italian commentary and large groups. Tornado's small-group speedboat costs $86 and gives about two hours on each island, four swim stops and commentary in Italian, English and French. Arianna sits between them at $68, with snorkel masks and a stop over Panarea's boiling sea.
It depends on the boat. Empeeria gives commentary in Italian with only general information in English, and Regina Eolie's commentary is in Italian, with travellers reporting an English booklet. Tornado lists Italian, English and French, partly as a recorded audio track. Arianna's skipper gives commentary in more than one language. None of these trips has a guide ashore.
Empeeria lists about 1.5 hours on each island, though reviewers often report about an hour on Panarea. Tornado gives about two hours at San Pietro and two at Scari. On the three-island Empeeria day you get about 2.5 hours on Vulcano and roughly 1.5 hours each on Panarea and Stromboli. None of these stops leaves time for a volcano hike.
None of the Lipari listings on this site adds it. The landing contribution, currently €5 in summer and €2.50 out of season, is normally collected with your ferry or hydrofoil ticket when you first arrive in the islands, and the Comune di Lipari's regulation exempts travel between the islands. If an operator asks for it on the day, carry a little cash.
Possibly, but nobody can promise it. Activity varies from night to night: some evenings bring bright bursts, others only a glow and rumbling. Boats must stay 2 nautical miles off the Sciara del Fuoco, so you watch from a distance and binoculars help, and the stop is dropped in rough sea. See our Sciara del Fuoco guide.
Tornado is back at Marina Corta between 9 and 10 pm. Empeeria's two-island cruise lasts about 7.5 to 8 hours, and its three-island day 11 to 12 hours, both ending after dark. Arianna runs about 10 hours from the afternoon into the evening. Plan dinner on Stromboli and bring a warm layer for the night crossing.
Yes. Tornado runs the same small-group speedboat day from Vulcano port, Porto di Levante, for $100, returning between 9 and 10 pm. It saves the ferry hop to Lipari if you are staying on Vulcano. It has only three reviews so far, all five stars, which is too few to judge it on its own.
If you are already on Lipari, yes for most people: the crossing is shorter and you are home earlier. Milazzo suits travellers based in Sicily, and Tropea suits holidays on the Calabrian coast. Compare them on our Milazzo page and our Tropea page.
Still have questions? Email us at info@panareastromboliboattour.com
Keep Exploring
Every boat tour, departure port and planning guide on this site, in one place.