Between the Aeolian Islands and Capo Milazzo

Milazzo and the Aeolian Islands. The holiday begins in the beautiful peninsula of Milazzo , where in the Marina di Santa Maria Maggiore , on the Lungomare Garibaldi, is moored our boat. The Milazzo peninsula, a strip of land between water coves crystal clear and breathtaking views, it is a popular tourist destination lovers of the sea and good food. The promontory of Capo Milazzo , between the Gulf of Patti and the Gulf of Milazzo, contains unique and precious naturalistic peculiarities. Colors and scents that animate a stretch of rugged coast, one mirror of emerald green sea and shallows full of fauna and marine flora . An explosion of nature that lies between the volcanoes Etna and Stromboli. Area was born in these places Marina Protetta di Capo Milazzo , undoubtedly a real e own natural paradise which is characterized by presence of White and Yellow Gorgonians, Posidonia meadows Oceanica and Black Coral. But Milazzo is also fun, with his movida that surrounds the city center thanks to the many cafes for aperitifs at a good pace music and the fish taverns of quiet and characteristic ancient village , located at the foot of the Aragonese Castle. The holiday continues sailing towards the enchanting archipelago of the Aeolian Islands. The fundamental importance in the geological and naturalistic field is the reason why Unesco , in 2000, has inserted the Aeolian Islands in the "World Heritage List". For 200 years, in fact, the seven sisters of the archipelago (Lipari, Panarea, Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina, Alicudi, Filicudi) represent an extraordinary field of research for geologists from all over the world. Without forgetting that the ash, the lava and all the material erupted over the millennia has contributed significantly to the preservation of many finds from ancient times, transforming the Aeolian Islands into a large open-air archaeological-park . As in the best families, even the seven sister islands that make up the Aeolian archipelago have characters, attitudes and different ambitions. But they have in common a sea that shines, the volcanic origin, the harsh and fragrant hinterland of scrub Mediterranean . Between fishing villages and beaches of pebbles, the itinerary that leads from Lipari to Vulcano with a obligatory passage to Salina, Filicudi, Panarea up to Stromboli it is based on picturesque corners in which to dive but also of culture, archeology, good food and views with sunsets that leave you breathless. Cruise program. 01 August: Expected boarding from 17.00 at the Marina di Santa Maria Maggiore , arrangement of the galley, accommodation in the cabins, briefing and welcome drink a edge. With the first night in the Marina, it will be possible to visit to the city of Milazzo for a pleasant walk through the streets of the Borgo Antico and of the Castle , from where you can admire a enchanting sunset over the Aeolian Islands . 02 August: Departure for the Island of Vulcano is scheduled at early morning, since we will be waiting a beautiful sailing towards what will be the first stop and the first swim Aeolian of the holiday: Grotta del Cavallo e Pools of Venus . In the afternoon ours sailing will continue towards the Island of Salina , where we will anchor for the night in the bay of Santa Marina Salina . Reached the aforementioned destination we will choose how to continue the evening, having dinner in boat in absolute relaxation or by going to one of the typical ones Aeolian-style fish trattorias for a first taste of delicious Calamaretti alla Malvasia . 03 August: We will take you to the Baia di Pollara , on the side West of the island of Salina. The hamlet of Pollara rises on remains of an ancient partially collapsed volcanic crater. TO testimony of its existence the stack that in front rises from the sea, "the guardian" who protects this fraction. Its beach is one of the most famous of the Aeolian archipelago: a narrow strip of sand set by a overhanging rock face , one of the most beautiful inlets of the Aeolian Islands! Looking towards the sea, at the far right, we find the old buildings shaped by man in the rock: ancient shelters for fishing boats . In addition to his naturalistic and landscape beauties, Pollara is one of the most famous locations in the Aeolian Islands for the film "il Postino ”. In fact, most of them were shot here of the shooting of the masterpiece by Massimo Troisi , a heritage of Italian and world cinema that he earned five Oscar nominations in 1996, winning a statuette for the best soundtrack. In this enchanting place natural beauties and the crystal clear sea , there we will dive for a beautiful bath and some snorkeling along the coast. Here in Pollara, programming it a little in advance, there would be the possibility to follow a food and wine tour together with a guide specialist of the place, which, in addition to telling you a few local anecdotes, will accompany you to a Company Agricola , reachable on foot through a stairway, famous for the cultivation and production of caper and tomato dried. In the afternoon we will sail to the Island of Panarea , where we will anchor to spend the night in the caletta dei Zimmari . We will be anchored near Cala Junco , a suggestive cove characterized by blue and green water, basalt rocks and lava rock walls that enclose it, where the prehistoric village of Panarea, brought to the light in 1948. The prehistoric settlement dates back to the age of bronze (14th century BC) and consisted of 23 huts, of the what are the walls of the foundations (oval-shaped), damaged over time by the erosion of salt. From the excavations shards of vases and various tools were also found, reconstructed and exhibited today in the museum of Lipari ; the pottery of which the ancient objects were composed is one clear testimony of Minoan influence and connection between the Aeolian islands and the other Mediterranean countries. The prehistoric village of Cala Junco can be reached starting from Cala degli Zimmari and continuing along a path with steps which leads to the promontory of Capo Milazzese . Starting from Cala degli Zimmari it is possible to reach, after one walk of about 20 minutes under the stars or with the help of the characteristic electric quadricycle taxis, the heart of the nightlife of San Pietro , the living room glamor of the Aeolian archipelago, which with its aperitifs on the sea, its luxurious clubs and its discos will be able to entertain you until dawn! 04 August: We are in Panarea, the red carpet of the Aeolian archipelago! With i its 3.5 sq km of natural and cultural beauty, Panarea has rightfully entered one of the most popular destinations coveted of world tourism. We will take ourselves among the rock del Bottaro and Lisca Bianca for yet another bathroom in one of the most fascinating places of the Aeolian Islands, where it will be possible to do snorkeling around the rocks and admire the fantastic Panarea seabed with its emissions sulphurous . In the afternoon we will start our sailing with route on the island of Stromboli . Stromboli, one of the few volcanoes on earth in almost continuous activity, constitutes the northernmost of the seven Aeolian Islands. His building does it rises more than 920 meters above sea level, but its base it is found at a depth of about 2000 meters. The active craters they are a place of persistent activity , in progress for several centuries, which normally consists of small ones explosions well separated from each other, with fragments thrown of incandescent lava and varying amounts of ash up to a few tens or hundreds of meters above the mouths. The explosions usually last a few seconds or tens of seconds, and are well separated from each other, with intervals that may vary between a minute and several hours. Such an activity is called "Stromboliana". During periods of activity more pronounced, some mouths produce a throwing activity of almost continuous lava shreds ("spattering"), which rarely they can lead to the formation of small lava flows intracrateric, such as at the end of August 2009 and on January 7th 2010. The main inhabited village is that of San Vincenzo (commonly and simply called Stromboli) with the beaches of Scari, Piscità and Ficogrande. Southwest of the island, reachable only by sea, is the tiny village of Ginostra , entered in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest port in the world and that, quite recently, it has been equipped with a dock for mooring of the ships. Inhabited in winter by just 15 people presents the additional feature of having as the only means of transport terrestrial the mule, in Sicilian "u sceccu". A wild island, primordial, the island where the essential is visible to the eyes and nothing superfluous invades it, the island that crowned a film and a love that was difficult or almost impossible at first and that, then, became a masterpiece, a memorable fragment of neorealism: it is 1948, the year of Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman , the year of "Stromboli Land of God ”, the years of the island women still dressed in black, the times of houses without services and travel on donkeys. Once we arrive at our destination we will approach for a visit to Strombolicchio , a volcanic islet uninhabited and 50 meters high! Just 300 square meters large, it is a reserve natural, the vegetation, although sporadic, is remarkable interest, think that here is the rock grenade, a endangered flower. You cannot fail to notice the beautiful lighthouse , powered exclusively by solar powered and operated by the navy! In the evening we will do visit to the town of Stromboli. To reach it there are le its narrow streets , all uphill, starting from the beach and arrive at the heart of the town, in piazza di San Vincenzo , center of social and cultural life of the island. To act as a side dish in our walk a lot cultural ferment and a lot of art: the bookshop, the cultural center and various shops of admirable handicrafts. At sunset all in boat to take us to the west side of the island, from where we can admire the explosive activity of the volcano that has continued uninterrupted for about 1200 years. We will decide at the moment, also depending on the marine weather conditions, if you pass the night at anchor in Stromboli or Panarea. 05 August: And here we are in Lipari , the largest island and populous of the Aeolian archipelago, the most developed from the point from a tourist point of view while maintaining a very quiet atmosphere. Mountainous and with jagged coasts along which they follow one another unique beaches , wide bays and deep caves, Lipari should be discovered by boat! The town is located at the foot of the Rocca del Castello , a Greek acropolis. The center it is dotted with shops, restaurants and bars while in the old one Palazzo dei Vescovi , adjacent to the Cathedral of San Bartolomeo , is housed the important Aeolian Archaeological Museum which offers a glimpse of the 5 thousand years in which the archipelago has been inhabited. We will take a first swim at Beach Bianca , or Papesca beach, is the most famous of the island: located just beyond the village of Canneto , the beach owes its name to spectacular expanse of pumice powder che composes its suggestive beach. In the afternoon there we will move to the southern side of the island to reach the Praia di Vinci beach . Scenographic ed the pristine beach is fascinating, accessible only by boat of sand and large pebbles, long and narrow, is located at the end facing the island of Vulcano. From the beach yes can admire a stupendous panorama dominated by the stacks of Pietra Lunga and Pietra Menalda . The waters that bathe the Praia di Vinci beach, closed by an imposing promontory rocky, are particularly crystalline and suitable for snorkeling . A will await us in this magnificent place beautiful and fascinating sunset with in the first place slowly the stacks. We will moor in one of the marinas present on the seafront, a few minutes walk from the center of Lipari. Along the Via Garibaldi , where they are present numerous local and souvenir shops, we will reach Marina Corta , certainly one of the highlights evocative of the village of Lipari with its splendid square on the sea and the many restaurants where you can eat. 06 August: A nice sail awaits us to the Island of Vulcano to begin the approach to the port of departure . In the southern coast we will reach the beach of Gelso , a small corner tropical on a volcanic island, a real dream for the eyes open. Featuring a beautiful black sand beach mixed with gravel, it has a blue and limpid sea, almost transparent . After a bath and a little relaxation, we will continue towards Capo Milazzo for one last dip of the holiday in the blue of the Bay of Sant'Antonio, area in where the Marine Protected Area of Capo stands Milazzo, ideal place for a beautiful swim and to admire the great prairies of Posidonia . Return to marina of Santa Maria Maggiore. 07 August: Disembarkation before 09.00.