From Tropea: Vulcano, Lipari and Stromboli Day Trip

About This Experience

Boats leave Vibo Marina at 6:30am and Tropea at 7:45am, and the operator asks you to be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure to pay the landing tax (€5 from June to September, €2.50 from October to May) in cash at the check-in desk. The crossing to the first island takes around two and a half hours. At 10:15am the boat docks at Porto di Levante on Vulcano, where you have about an hour and a quarter for the sulphur mud pool, a swim in the warm water or a walk on the black beaches.

At 11:30am the boat moves on to Lipari, arriving at Marina Corta at noon. This is the longest stop, about two hours and twenty minutes, which is enough for lunch in a local restaurant, a walk along the main street or a visit to the Archaeological Museum. Leaving at 2:20pm, the boat sails past Panarea and its rocks without landing, so you see that island only from the water.

Stromboli comes last, with arrival at San Vincenzo at 4pm. The listing's itinerary allows about 75 minutes ashore, and the description up to an hour and a half: enough for a walk through the village, some shopping or a quick swim, but not for a proper meal or anything far from the harbour. The Sciara del Fuoco is viewed from the sea in daylight, so this trip shows the volcano's shape and slopes rather than night-time explosions.

The boat is due back in Tropea at 7pm and Vibo Marina at 8pm. A guide gives commentary over the microphone in Italian, English and German, and reviewers mention staff selling food and drinks on board. They also describe a comfortable but busy boat where boarding can get crowded; at each landing the crew post the re-boarding time, and the boat leaves on schedule, so be back early.

Highlights

• Vulcano's sulphur mud pool and warm sea at Porto di Levante
• About two hours and twenty minutes on Lipari, landing at Marina Corta
• Sailing past Panarea and its offshore rocks
• A short landing of about 75 minutes at San Vincenzo on Stromboli
• Daylight view of the Sciara del Fuoco from the sea
• Back in Tropea by early evening, with no late-night crossing

What's Included

• ✓ Boat trip from Tropea or Vibo Marina to Vulcano, Lipari and Stromboli
• ✓ Guide on board, speaking by microphone in Italian, English and German
• ✓ Stop on Vulcano for the thermal waters
• ✓ Free time on Lipari
• ✓ View of the Sciara del Fuoco from the sea
• ✓ Swimming opportunities

Not Included

• Aeolian landing tax (€5 from June to September, €2.50 from October to May), paid in cash at check-in
• Meals and drinks
• Entrance fees to attractions
• Transport to and from the departure ports
• Gratuities

What to Bring

• Swimwear and a towel
• Biodegradable sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses
• Comfortable shoes and clothes
• Cash for the landing tax and island purchases
• A daypack and camera

Good to Know & Caveats

• Be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure; boarding itself starts about 10 minutes before.
• This is a daytime trip: there is no stop off the Sciara del Fuoco after dark.
• Time on Stromboli is short, about 75 minutes, so there is no time for a hike or a long meal.
• Departure times can change with weather and sea conditions, and the captain may alter the route for safety.
• Card facilities can be limited on the islands, so carry cash.
• Expect about two and a half hours at sea before the first landing.

Meeting Point

Savadori Navigazione excursion boarding point, Porto Pescatori, Via Marina, Contrada Marina Vescovado, 89861 Tropea; the boat also departs earlier from Vibo Marina port.