Tropea: Panarea and Stromboli at Night Boat Trip

About This Experience

The motorboat leaves the port of Tropea at 10:30 and crosses to the Aeolian Islands, reaching Panarea at about 1pm. You land at San Pietro, the island's main village, and have roughly two and a half hours ashore before the 3:45pm departure. The lanes behind the harbour are lined with shops, bars and restaurants, and a short walk leads to the small church of San Pietro, patron saint of the island's fishermen, with a wide view over the sea and the islets.

If you want more than the village, the Bronze Age settlement at Capo Milazzese and the cove of Cala Junco lie about 45 minutes away on foot, so the operator suggests taking a local vehicle there and back. The other option is a boat tour of Panarea's uninhabited coves and the islet of Basiluzzo, offered on the day for an extra €10. Either way, keep an eye on the clock, because the boat leaves on time.

The boat reaches Stromboli at about 4:45pm. There are around two and a half hours on the island to walk through the village of San Vincenzo, swim from a black sand beach or eat an early dinner. At 7:20pm everyone re-boards and the boat heads round to the Sciara del Fuoco, the steep slope where the volcano's ejecta runs down to the sea, and stops there for about 30 minutes as the light fades. What you see depends on the volcano's activity that evening.

Arrival back in Tropea is scheduled for 10:15pm, though the operator stresses that all times can change and the crew announce the actual boarding times several times during the day. The crew double as guides; commentary is listed in English and German, but travellers report that much of it is delivered in Italian and over a loud speaker system. Food is not included, so plan on lunch in Panarea and dinner on Stromboli.

Highlights

• About two and a half hours ashore at San Pietro, Panarea's harbour village
• Time to reach Cala Junco and the Capo Milazzese Bronze Age village by local transport
• Optional €10 boat tour of Panarea's coves and the islet of Basiluzzo
• Around two and a half hours on Stromboli, with a black sand beach for swimming
• Early dinner in San Vincenzo before the 7:20pm re-boarding
• About 30 minutes off the Sciara del Fuoco as daylight fades

What's Included

• ✓ Return motorboat trip from Tropea to Panarea and Stromboli
• ✓ Crew who also act as guides on board
• ✓ Landing at San Pietro, Panarea, with free time ashore
• ✓ Landing on Stromboli with free time ashore
• ✓ A stop of about 30 minutes off the Sciara del Fuoco, sea permitting

Not Included

• Aeolian landing fee (€5 from June to September, €2.50 from October to May)
• Food and snacks
• Drinks
• Optional €10 boat tour around Panarea's islets
• Transport to and from Tropea port
• Gratuities

What to Bring

• Passport or ID card
• Your reservation email, printed or on your phone
• Swimwear and a towel
• Sunscreen and a hat
• A warm layer for the evening crossing
• Cash for the landing fee and island purchases

Good to Know & Caveats

• Departure and arrival times are indicative; the crew announce the actual re-boarding times during the day.
• The landing fee (€5 from June to September, €2.50 from October to May) per person is not included in the ticket price.
• The operator asks every guest to show the reservation email at the meeting point on the day.
• Volcanic activity varies, so explosions at the Sciara del Fuoco are never guaranteed.
• Commentary is listed in English and German, but reviewers report that most of it is in Italian.
• It is a long day: the boat is due back in Tropea at about 10:15pm.

Meeting Point

Tripodi Navigazione Aeolian excursions boarding point (Imbarco Escursioni Eolie - Stromboli), Porto Commerciale, 89861 Tropea.