This page will contain information about how to get to the Eolian Islands, where to find places to stay, and how to move from one island to another. You will also find some important contact addresses and fax numbers (e-mail still is not very widespread in this ambient).

Getting there

Access to the islands is via ferry ship (traghetto, plur.=traghetti) or hydrofoil (aliscafo, plur.=aliscafi). Ferry ships are maintained by the company "Siremar"; aliscafi are both run by the "Siremar" and another company named "SNAV" (addresses, phone and fax numbers below).

The islands can be reached from Napoli (Naples), Messina, and Milazzo.

Due to the winter to summer change of the schedules of the Siremar and the Snav, no info is presently available about the schedules of the ferry ships. Info will be made available as soon as the new schedules are published.

The Region of Messina (to which the Eolian islands belong) offers a WWW site with the presently valid schedules of the hydrofoil boats (aliscafi) from both Milazzo and Messina to the Eolie and back. See the newly prepared English version.

Where to stay?

The Eolian Islands have numerous hotels, pensions, private rooms and a few holiday villages, covering a broad spectrum of price categories (see below). For Lipari, I can recommend an apartment to be rented, owned by Mariarosa and Giada Giuntoli, situated right at the Marina Corta (the hydrofoil harbor of Lipari) and within 10 minutes walking distance from all important places in the town of Lipari. More info is available on the U.S. mirror of this site!.

If you prefer the more expensive places, The WindNet Guides presents a number of hotels on the Eolian Islands and offers you reservation via e-mail.