On boarding the overnight ferry to Naples. I received an answer from Siremar. It refers to boarding from Stromboli with tickets set for boarding from Lipari. It was a very nice email. It said, if we decide to go to Stromboli for the day, to change the ticket at Lipari in the morning before we catch the aliscafo. They REALLY want the port of departure matches the ticket.

TravMimi:

Siremar's response is not surprising: they want to earn a separate fare for the Lipari/Stromboli hydrofoil (although one could always go via competitor Ustica Lines), and they want tickets to match passenger boardings for security purposes as well.

In any case, paying a separate fare to stop briefly in Stromboli is extremely worthwhile.

I've read a lot on message boards about how to get to the Aeolians, so I thought I'd add my 2 cents. I've been many different ways and to me nothing is better than the overnight ferry. Seems it's much nicer to have a moving "hotel" room than waste 2 travel days there and back on the open water in a fast ferry or, the long boring train or bus to Milazzo. The overnight ferry from Naples is a wonderful addition to the trip, and shouldn't be missed. They leave late so it's like getting an extra day on either end. I usually take people to Naples early so we can see the Palazzo Reale area, have a bite to eat and even taxi up to the fantastic archaelogical museum. Then board the ship, picnic on the back watching Naples disappear, sleep and wake up on the islands.

I am brand new to Fodor's chat. Trav/Mini; how does the convenince and expense of the Naples ferry compare to the drive down to Milazzo? Can you get ferries easily from Lipari to Filicudi and Salina? We have ancestors on both islands and want to put our toes in the same sand as our grandparents.

The drive from Naples to Milazzo is about 300 miles. You also have to take a short car ferry across the strait of Messina. Depending on how you drive and how many times you stop maybe about 6-7 hours. Ferry: Depending on season, there are more runs in the high season. I take the overnight ferry because I enjoy it. It leaves late about 9pm, so I don't waste a day driving. The ship is fun and I wake up at the Aeolians. Stromboli at sunrise is awesome. Again, depending on season there are plenty of hydrofoils for island hopping. You can get ferry and hydrofoil info at www.usticalines.it and www.siremar.it
Siremar site is down right now, I hope they are updating the schedule for the new season. The drive down is certainly very scenic, but there is little to stop and do on the way.

The Siremar site has just been updated to reflect overnight ferry schedules between Naples and the Aeolian Islands for April/May 2007. Services are still twice per week, as during the winter.

From Milazzo to Salina, there are two ferries and several hydrofoils daily. From Milazzo to Filicudi, there are four ferries per week (5 per week from June through September) and a couple of hydrofoils daily.

From Milazzo to Lipari, there are three ferries and up to 17 hydrofoils daily. During the summer, there are also up to three FAST ferries per day (in addition to the three "traditional" ferries).

www.siremar.it (ferries and hydrofoils)
www.usticalines.it (only hydrofoils)

The Siremar site should be further updated towards the end of May to reflect the summer schedules.

Is travelling on the "fast ferry" like the hydrofoil - which can make you quite seasick - or more like the traditional ferry?

Thanks for the helpful information. If one is leaving from Palermo, is there any alternative to the Ustica line ?

Thanks for any advice.

Has anyone actually been on this fast ferry who can say what it was like?