best Aeolian Island boat excursion?
 

Hello, Everyone! I will be staying on Stromboli in late May and was wondering what were your favorite boat trips around the Aeolian Islands. We're particularly interested in exploring sea caves and grottos on the boat. Some of the trips that sounded most interested include one around Filicudi, Salina; also heard that the water around Panarea had quite a few interesting grottos. THANKS!

I loved Salina. It's a beautiful place to go for easy hikes. The boat ride to Salina from Lipari passed by sea caves and rock archways.

The boat trip we did out of Lipari to Filicudi and Alicudi was great. We departed at 9 AM, stopped for a swim off the boat in the lagoon/blue grotto off Filicudi, spending about an hour there. You could swim back into the grotto. Arrived at Alicudi where we had a great lunch on our own at a beachside place. Many people swam off the rocks and beach there. Then in the afternoon the boat stopped at Filicudi where we walked around the little town and had granitas, but again some swam off the rocks there. We arrived back in Lipari about 6 PM.

Dear Patrick and CMT,

Do you think it will be a big disadvantage to be based in Stromboli rather than Lipari for these boat trips? We wanted to stay close to Stromboli's volcano in case we decided to hike it. THANKS!

I have no idea what boat trips go from Stromboli, but it would not be my choice of where to stay -- there just wasn't much there for me. From Lipari, which is clearly the hub of activity for boat trips and excursions, we also did a full day trip to Panarea, (morning and lunch on our own) and then to Stromboli. An hour of Stromboli was enough for us. The boat hovered off the north shore after dark to see the "fireworks" from the volcano, then returned to Lipari about 11 PM. Some on our boat stayed to hike up Stromboli and return by a later boat about 1. I understand you have to go with a group, so if your main objective in Stromboli is to hike up the volcano, this would be a good way to do it. (We did that trip with the Regina-Viking company, which was excellent by the way). The two full day boat trips out of Lipari, plus going to Vulcano and seeing the island of Lipari on our own, really filled our five nights there.

Patrick,

Can you recommend a hotel in Lipari in late May that won't be too expensive? (Carsco & Villa Melignius seem out of range of what we want to spend. Villa Augustus sounded okay. Can we bargain with them since it's not the height of tourist season?)

Bettyo: On Lipari, look at the Hotel Poseidon, the Hotel Neri, and Hotel Oriente. You might also consider an affittacamere, or furnished room. Enzo il Negro is perhaps the best known, 100 yards up Via Garibaldi from Marina Corta. There are several more affittacamere worth considering. It's also much, much easier to bargain with an affittacamere than with a hotel. However, it's best to bargin face to face, once you arrive, rather than by internet. You're better off staying in Lipari if you want to take boat trips to the other islands.

GAC, you're the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!