From Taormina: Chic Panarea and Stromboli Day Tour

About This Experience

The day starts at the Interbus coach terminal on Via Luigi Pirandello in Taormina. A coach takes about an hour and a half to reach Milazzo on the north coast, where you board a shared motorboat with toilets and a bar for the crossing to the Aeolian islands. A tour leader travels with the group, and commentary is offered in English, German and Italian.

The first landing is Panarea, by way of Cala Junco bay and the small Zimmari beach. You have about two hours on the island to walk its narrow lanes, browse the shops around the harbour or sit on one of the beaches. After Panarea the boat cruises around the rocks and islets off the island before heading north to Stromboli.

On the way the boat passes the tiny village of Ginostra, seen from the sea rather than visited. You then land at Stromboli and have free time in and around San Vincenzo, the old centre of the village, until sunset, roughly two and a half hours including the cruise. It is enough for a walk through the village or a look at the black beach.

After dark the boat moves slowly along the Sciara del Fuoco, the steep slope where volcanic material runs down to the sea, so you can watch for explosions from the water. Activity varies from night to night, and this stop depends on the sea and the captain's decision. The boat then returns to Milazzo for the coach back, reaching Taormina around midnight.

Highlights

• Landing at Panarea via Cala Junco bay and Zimmari beach
• About two hours of free time on Panarea and around two and a half hours at Stromboli
• Ginostra village seen from the sea on the approach to Stromboli
• Free time in San Vincenzo, Stromboli's old village centre, until sunset
• The Sciara del Fuoco from the water after dark, sea permitting
• Commentary in English, German and Italian

What's Included

• ✓ Return coach between Taormina and the port of Milazzo
• ✓ Shared motorboat trip to Panarea and Stromboli and back
• ✓ Tour leader for the whole day
• ✓ Cruise around the rocks and islets off Panarea
• ✓ A night stop off the Sciara del Fuoco, sea permitting

Not Included

• Meals and drinks
• Aeolian islands eco-tax (landing tax)
• Gratuities

What to Bring

• Comfortable shoes
• Swimwear
• Towel
• Sunscreen
• A warm layer for the evening crossing
• Cash for the landing tax and food on the islands

Good to Know & Caveats

• The boat is shared with other groups, so expect a busy vessel.
• Takeaway food and drinks may not be consumed on board.
• Coastal visits, island circuits and the Sciara del Fuoco stop depend on sea conditions and are at the captain's discretion.
• Landings must follow local ordinances linked to the volcano alert level or overcrowding, so the programme can change.
• Volcanic activity varies and explosions are never guaranteed.
• The tour runs rain or shine and returns to Taormina around midnight.

Meeting Point

Terminal Interbus Taormina, Via Luigi Pirandello, Taormina; the coach then takes you to the port of Milazzo, where the boat leaves.