Planning a visit to Sicily? Don’t miss the Aeolian Islands! Here’s how to get to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry!
Often overlooked by travelers to Catania or Palermo when visiting Sicily, the Aeolian Islands are a must-see. They are an archipelago of 17 islands, islets and volcanic rocks off the coast of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Stromboli is the most active volcano in Europe, sometimes erupting several times an hour. The islands of Vulcano, Lipari, Panarea, Filicudi, Alicudi, Salina and Stromboli can be reached from the port of Milazzo in northeast Sicily, or from Palermo in the northwest. Here’s our mini-guide to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry.
Ferry companies linking the Aeolian Islands to Sicily
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / EugeniaSt
Getting to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry is easy, but the choices are difficult. Which of the 7 islands to choose? Which route to take from the port of Milazzo or Palermo? Here are some explanations on how to get to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry.
The ferry company
There’s only one airline to the Aeolian Islands. It’s Liberty Lines.
On the other hand, there are 21 possible routes from Palermo, Milazzo and Messina. Arrival towns are Lipari, Rinella (Salinas), Salina, Vulcano, Panarea, Stromboli, Alicudi, Filicudi and Ginostra. The fastest route is the Milazzo-Vulcano connection. Ainis, there are numerous combinations for getting to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry. The most frequent crossings are as follows:
- Lipari-Milazzo: 17 crossings a day
- Messina to Panarea: 14 crossings a day
- Milazzo to Vulcano: 14 crossings per day
- Messina to Rinella: 14 crossings per day
- Palermo to Panarea: 7 crossings per day
- Messina to Stromboli or Vulcano: 14 crossings per day
- Milazzo to Salina: 10 crossings per day
There are also numerous interconnections between each island:
- Lipari to Vulcano: 17 crossings per day
- Lipari to Salina: 15 crossings per day
- Rinella to Salina: 8 crossings per day
- Lipari to Stromboli: 7 crossings per day
What type of boat do you travel on?
The company has several types of boat. The most common are classic ferries and hydrofoils. The ferry is the classic boat, providing a stable crossing on rough seas. Hydrofoils, on the other hand, are the fastest, but will move more as they glide over the waves.
See ferries between Sicily and the Aeolian Islands
Plan a ferry trip to the Aeolian Islands with Direct Ferries
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Standret
Why choose Direct Ferries?
Direct Ferries, you say? It’s a sea crossing comparison service that has established itself as a world leader in the field. The platform searches for all available routes at the dates and times requested by the user. Active all over the world, particularly in Europe, Asia, Africa and America (over 3,000 destinations), the Direct Ferries comparator offers many advantages for travelers.
- Firstly, it’s a time-saving tool. With just one query, you can find all the routes available for your vacation dates. So you won’t have to search for the best fares on the company’s official website.
- Another advantage, and not the least, is that the service is free. The comparator delivers crossings without the need to create a personal account or take out any kind of paid subscription.
- What’s more, the platform is accessible in French. Comparing prices and conditions of travel in Italian or English can be a hindrance if you’re unfamiliar with these languages. Choosing Direct Ferries means you can make a secure transaction to travel to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry. You can be sure that you won’t be ripped off on payment by a fraudulent or unreliable site.
- Finally, here’s another advantage: if you’re flexible about your travel dates, the site allows you to do a search spread over several days. This feature helps you see which day offers the cheapest crossings.
Aeolian Islands-Sicily timetable
There are so many route combinations that it’s difficult to draw up an exhaustive list of all the timetables. We advise you to check the timetables on the Direct Ferries website according to your destination. Here are those for the most popular routes:
- Lipari-Milazzo: departures at 7, 8 and 9:30 a.m.
- Milazzo-Lipari: departures at 2.10pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6.15pm
- Stromboli-Milazzo: departures at 11:50 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Milazzo-Stromboli: departures at 7:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
Journey times
Crossing times vary according to destination and the type of ship operating the trip.
- To get from Milazzo to Lipari by ferry, for example, it takes between 1h55 and 2h55 for the longest trip.
- To reach Stromboli Island from Milazzo, the crossing time is the same.
Prices for travel from the Aeolian Islands to Sicily
Here are a few ideas for indicative fares to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily by ferry. These prices are for a return trip for two people, without vehicle.
- Milazzo-Stromboli: from €87 to €90
- Milazzo-Vulcano: from €61 to €107
How do I book a ferry to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily?
Photo credit: Shutterstock / ANADMAN BVBA
- The Direct Ferries booking procedure is very simple. Once you’ve found the cheapest destination in the Aeolian Islands, you just need to enter your desired dates and times, the number of passengers, pets, your vehicle or whether you’re a pedestrian.
- A civil status form must be completed in a second step.
- Upon payment, a confirmation is sent to you by e-mail. This will be used to issue your boarding pass on the quay on the day of departure.
Enjoy your stay in the Aeolian Islands!
See ferries between Sicily and the Aeolian Islands