Questions: <BR>1. Anyone know what the weather would be like early April? <BR>2. Anyone take the overnight ferry from Naples? Or did you fly to Palermo and hydrofoil? How was it? <BR>3. Hotel recommendations? <BR>4. When is Easter week 2000? Want to avoid Rome at that time! <BR>Would love to hear your comments!

Dayle, We visited Lipari in September of 1992. 1. The weather will be pleasant but probably not warm enough to enjoy a swim. 2. We were touring and parked our car in Cefalu (a great place also) and took the hydrofoil out. 3. We stayed at the Hotel Rocce Azzurre, a great room with a balcony overlooking the water, off-season so the rate I think was about $85-90 USD, with a lovely breakfast served on the terrace. We rented the hotel's Vespa and toured the island, great fun! We loved Lipari and it's high on our list of "we gotta go back to's" 4. Don't have a clue.

Grazie, Richard! To the top, someone must know the answers!

My travel agent and CIT advised that we couldn't pre book the ferry to Palermo - not sure why. We flew from Naples and it was a pleasant, short flight. There's a good bus to the city from the airport. Lots of hydrofoils to the Aeolian islands from Milazzo. We stayed at Vulcano and did a day trip to Lipari.

Joanna, thanks! What time of year did you go and how did you like it? Tell me more.

I was there in mid September three years ago. I booked everything from home apart from the ferries. They seemed to be fairly regular (one every hour). The weather was really quite hot and we wallowed in the mud pool on Vulcano (along with loads of Germans) and also went to the beach there. You can walk to the crater of the volcano called Vulcano (preferably with a guide) and the sunset views on the way down are spectacular. If you prefer a bigger choice of restaurants Lipari would be a better spot to stay - apart from the odd cafe or two there was only the hotel restaurant to eat in (hotel was Les Sables Noir). Didn't visit any of the other Aeolian islands but would have loved to see Stromboli.

Joanna, thanks. The islands sound like a nice, kind of off the beaten path break from the cities.

Dayle - <BR>I've said alot about the island of Panerea and some about the island of Stomboli in past threads, one in "What took your breath away?" and one in "What are the strangest things you've ever encountered?" <BR> <BR>-Panarea is as close to paradise as I've ever been - no cars on the island, just "lizards" as we called them (three-wheeled vehicles) they used for taxis, garbage trucks, family autos, etc. anywho, total island beauty, white washed houses, bouganville blooming and tumbling down the walls to the saphire blue ocean. Twilight/evening is phenominal - volcano blowing over on Stomboli (about 3 miles away), sweet music floating through the clean air, and smoked fish pasta with grilled mozzarella in lemon leaves with ice cold local white wine that makes the romantic atmosphere even grander. <BR> <BR>We rented the upper part of a house, you can ask at the port for rentals. <BR> <BR>We took a train up from Catania, Sicily to Milazzo, then took a hydrofoil to Panarea. <BR> <BR>Stomboli is incredible also, you can walk by the villa where Roberto Rossolini and Ingrid Bergman had their trist while filming "Stomboli."... really cool. <BR> <BR>I know is takes quite a measure of extra effort to get to the <BR>Eoilan islands...but, it is truly worth it. <BR> <BR>Please go, you'll see! <BR>

Sorry - insert "Stromboli" everywhere you saw Stomboli..

Ginny, thanks for your info! I found a sight that gave normal temps and discovered that it will not be warm enough in April. Looks like Sept and Oct are the times to go. Still haven't heard from anyone when Easter is in 2000. Anybody?

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