Aeolian Islands on a sailing boat - Easter and Easter Monday

The fundamental importance in the geological and naturalistic field is the reason why UNESCO, in 2000, included 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) have represented an extraordinary field of research for geologists from all over the world. Without forgetting that the ash, lava and all the material erupted over the millennia has contributed significantly to the preservation of many ancient finds, 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 different characters, attitudes and ambitions. However, they have in common a sparkling sea, volcanic origins, a harsh and scented hinterland of Mediterranean scrub .
Among fishing villages and pebble beaches, the itinerary that leads from Lipari to Vulcano with an obligatory passage in Salina, Filicudi, Panarea up to Stromboli is based on picturesque corners in which to dive but also on culture, archeology, good food and panoramas with sunsets that leave you breathless.

CRUISE SCHEDULE:
08 April:
Embarkation expected in Furnari (Me) by 17:00 at the Marina di Portorosa; arrangement of the galley, accommodation in the cabins, briefing and welcome aperitif on board.

09 April:
The departure for the island of Vulcano is scheduled for the early hours of the morning, since a nice sailing awaits us towards what will be the first stop and the first Aeolian bath of the holiday: Grotta del Cavallo and Piscine di Venere .
In the afternoon our sailing will continue towards the Island of Salina , where we will anchor for the night in the bay of Santa Marina Salina. Once we reach the aforementioned destination we will choose how to continue the evening, having dinner on the boat in absolute relaxation or going to one of the typical fish restaurants for an Aeolian-style Easter dinner with a first taste of the delicious Calamaretti alla Malvasia.

April 10:
We will go to Pollara Bay , on the western side of the island of Salina. The hamlet of Pollara stands on the remains of an ancient, partially sunken volcanic crater. As evidence of its existence, the stack that rises from the sea in front of it, "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 an overhanging rock face, one of the most beautiful inlets of the Aeolian!
Looking towards the sea, at the far right, we find the old buildings shaped by man in the rock: ancient shelters for the fishermen's boats. In addition to its natural beauty and landscape, Pollara is one of the most famous places in the Aeolian Islands for the film "il Postino" . In fact, most of the filming of Massimo Troisi's masterpiece was filmed here, a heritage of Italian and world cinema that earned five Oscar nominations in 1996, winning a statuette for best soundtrack.
In this place of enchanting natural beauty and crystal clear sea, we will dive for a beautiful swim and a little snorkeling along the coast. Here in Pollara, by planning it a little in advance, there would be the possibility of following a food and wine itinerary together with a specialized local guide , who, in addition to telling you some local anecdotes, will take you to a farm, reachable at feet through a stairway, famous for the cultivation and production of capers and sun-dried tomatoes.. and why not ..since it will be Easter Monday …. we will not miss a good barbecue and a good glass of wine as tradition has it ...!!!
In the afternoon we will sail to the island of Panarea . We will visit Cala Junco , a suggestive inlet characterized by blue and green water, basalt rocks and walls of lava rock that enclose it, where the prehistoric village of Panarea is located, brought to light in 1948. The prehistoric settlement dates back to the bronze (14th century BC) and consisted of 23 huts, of which the foundation walls (oval-shaped) remain, damaged over time by the erosion of the salt air. From the excavations, fragments of vases and various tools were also found, reconstructed and exhibited today in the museum of Lipari; the ceramic of which the ancient objects were made is a clear testimony of the Minoan influence and of the connection between the Aeolian Islands and the other Mediterranean countries.
We will spend the night moored in a buoy near the port of the island, from where we can disembark and return thanks to the shuttle service.

April 11th:
We are in Panarea , the red carpet of the Aeolian archipelago! With its 3.5 square kilometers of natural and cultural beauty, Panarea has rightfully become one of the most sought-after destinations in world tourism. We will go between the rock of Bottaro and Lisca Bianca to visit one of the most fascinating places of the Aeolian Islands, where it will be possible to snorkel around the rocks and admire the fantastic seabed of Panarea with its sulphurous emissions.
In the afternoon we will start our sailing with a route to the island of Stromboli . Stromboli, one of the few volcanoes on earth in almost continuous activity, is the northernmost of the seven Aeolian Islands. Its building rises more than 920 meters above sea level, but its base is at a depth of about 2000 meters. The active craters are the site of persistent activity, which has been going on for several centuries, which normally consists of small explosions well separated from each other, with fragments of incandescent lava thrown out and variable quantities 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 can vary between a minute and several hours. This activity is called "Strombolian".
The main inhabited village is that of San Vincenzo (commonly and simply called Stromboli) with the beaches of Scari, Piscità and Ficogrande. To the south-west of the island, reachable only by sea, lies the tiny village of Ginostra , entered in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest port in the world and which, quite recently, has been equipped with a pier for mooring ships
Inhabited in winter by just 15 people, it has the further characteristic of having the mule, in Sicilian “u sceccu“, as the only means of land transport. A wild, primordial island, the island where the essential is visible to the eye and nothing superfluous invades it, the island that crowned a film and a love that was difficult or almost impossible at first and which then became a masterpiece, a memorable fragment of neorealism: it is 1948, the year of Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman, the year of "Stromboli Terra di Dio", the years of the island women still dressed in black, the times of houses without services and of traveling on donkeys.
Once we arrive at our destination we will approach Strombolicchio for a visit , an uninhabited volcanic islet 50 meters high! Just 300 square meters large, it is a nature reserve, the vegetation, although sporadic, is of considerable interest, just think that here is the grenade rupicola, a flower in danger of extinction. You cannot fail to notice the beautiful lighthouse, powered exclusively by solar energy and managed by the navy! In the evening we will visit the village of Stromboli. To reach it there are its narrow streets, all uphill, which start from the beach and arrive at the heart of the town, in the square of San Vincenzo, the center of the social and cultural life of the island. A lot of cultural ferment and a lot of art surround our walk: the bookshop, the cultural center and various admirable craft shops.
At sunset, all by boat to take us to the western side of the island, from where we will be able to admire the explosive activity of the volcano which has been going on uninterrupted for about 1200 years. We will decide at the moment, also according to the marine weather conditions, whether to spend the night at anchor in Stromboli or in Panarea.

April 12:
And here we are in Lipari , the largest and most populous island of the Aeolian archipelago, the most developed from a tourist point of view while maintaining a very peaceful atmosphere. Mountainous and with jagged coasts along which unique beaches, wide bays and deep caves follow one another, Lipari must be discovered by boat! The town is located at the foot of the Rocca del Castello, a Greek acropolis. The center is dotted with shops, restaurants and bars while the ancient Palazzo dei Vescovi, adjacent to the Cathedral of San Bartolomeo, houses the important Aeolian Archaeological Museum which offers a glimpse of the 5,000 years in which the archipelago was inhabited.
We will take a first swim at Spiaggia Bianca, or Papesca beach, it is the most famous of the island: located just beyond the village of Canneto, the beach owes its name to the spectacular expanse of pumice powder that makes up its suggestive shore. In the afternoon we will move to the southern side of the island to reach the beach of Praia di Vinci . Scenic and fascinating, accessible only by boat, the pristine beach of sand and large pebbles, long and narrow, is located at the end facing the island of Vulcano. From the beach you can admire a wonderful panorama dominated by the stacks of Pietra Lunga and Pietra Menalda. The waters that bathe the beach of Praia di Vinci, enclosed by an imposing rocky promontory, are particularly crystalline and suitable for snorkelling. A beautiful and fascinating sunset awaits us in this magnificent place with the stacks in the foreground. We will moor in one of the marinas on the seafront, a few minutes walk from the center of Lipari.
Going along Via Garibaldi, where there are numerous clubs and souvenir shops, we will reach Marina Corta, certainly one of the most suggestive points of the village of Lipari with its splendid square by the sea and the many restaurants where you can eat.

April 13:
The time has come to set sail towards the island of Filicudi . Together with Alicudi, it is part of the western arc of the archipelago and geologically it is the oldest of the 7 islands. Steep and craggy, the island is nothing more than the emerged cone of a now extinct volcano covered with broom, ferns, heather and prickly pears. The coasts are of an extraordinary beauty and are inlaid with deep caves, embellished with magnificent stacks and characterized by ridges overlooking the sea. La Canna is the most famous rock on the island, while the most loved cave is that of the Bue Marino. The beaches of Filicudi, all of volcanic origin, are mainly composed of large dark pebbles, with the exception of Pecorini beach which has some stretches of sand. Once we reach the island we will move close to the rock called "La Canna", here relaxation and a crystalline sea will await us for yet another suggestive swim during the holiday. We will moor at the buoy in front of the village of Pecorini a Mare, a small and characteristic fishing village on the island, with its fish street food and typical products and cafes by the sea.

April 14:
A beautiful sailing awaits us, approaching the port of departure, up to the island of Vulcano. On the southern coast we will reach Gelso beach, a small tropical corner on a volcanic island, a real daydream. Characterized by a beautiful black beach of sand mixed with gravel, it has a blue and clear sea, almost transparent. After a little relaxation, we will continue our sailing to return to the Marina di Portorosa , where we expect to arrive by 5.00 pm.

April 15:
Disembarkation by 10.00.

The program may undergo changes at the discretion of the Skipper due to any weather-marine limitations.