Explore Sicily and the Aeolian Islands on a Luxury Yacht

On a Sicily and Aeolian Islands yacht charter, drift through a spectacular landscape of smouldering volcanoes, clear blue-green seas, glamorous villages and ancient Greek temples. From diving underwater craters to opera performances in dizzying clifftop amphitheatres, Sicily does not fail to astonish the senses.

Soak in volcanic hot springs, stroll Baroque piazzas and sunny olive groves, and dive off your yacht to swim at dazzling white sand beaches. The Sicilian cuisine is a highlight of its own: from rustic trattorias to Michelin star decadence, a Sicily yacht charter is a gastronomic experience to remember.

Day 1:  Palermo-Stromboli

Board your charter yacht in Palermo, a 2,700-year-old city once called Ziz, meaning ‘flower,’ by the ancient Phoenicians. This extraordinary city is a dazzling mix of the old and new, with Baroque mosaic palaces, Arabian domes, and grand opera theatres, with colourful souk-like markets beside Michelin-star restaurants and fashionable wine bars.

Highlights include the spectacular Palatine chapel with its gold mosaics and the La Martorana Romanesque church. Spend at least a morning exploring Palermo before joining your yacht at midday.

Have lunch as your charter yacht departs Palermo and gets underway for the Aeolian Islands, where you’ll anchor for the night off Stromboli, Europe’s only permanently active volcano. When you arrive, take the tender ashore to explore the black lava beach of Ficogrande, stroll through the whitewashed village of Ginostra on the volcano’s lower slopes, or dive Strombolicchio to see the amazing underwater volcanic topography and marine life.

As sunset fades into night, go up on the yacht’s sundeck for one of nature’s wildest shows, as Stromboli’s crater glows red and sends out its River of Fire to snake slowly down the mountain and splash into the sea. You can even hike the volcano at sunset to experience the regular eruptions close up.

Day 2: Stromboli –Salina-Panarea

Have breakfast on deck with a view of Stromboli before departing for Salina, a dramatically beautiful island made famous by the critically acclaimed film Il Postino and the excellent local Malvasia wine. Drop anchor in the stunning underwater crater of Pollara for an afternoon of water sports, hike the lush green hills to the volcanic crater, or stroll the boutiques and restaurants of pretty Santa Marina.

In the afternoon, it’s time to cruise to glamorous Panarea, where bougainvillea and yellow ginestra flowers contrast vividly against whitewashed houses and cobalt-blue sea. The tiny island has an abundance of deliciously pretty coves, islets, and snorkelling spots, but the real action is found in the village of San Pietro, where celebrities wander cobbled lanes between designer boutiques and fine restaurants.

The town offers glittering nightlife in the summer months, beginning with sunset drinks at Bar del Porto, and finishing with dancing and DJs on the fabulously fashionable terrace at Hotel Raya.

Day 3: Panarea-Lipari-Volcano

After the night’s revelries, indulge in a restful sleep as the yacht cruises to Lipari, the largest island in the Aeolian chain. Wake up for a late brunch and a swim at the famous Spiaggi Bianca, where powdered pumice stone creates sand of dazzling whiteness next to crystalline turquoise water.

If you can drag yourself away from the striking beauty of the beach, the town of Lipari has an excellent Greek Acropolis and Archaeology Museum, while a hike to the peak of Mount Chirica offers a breathtaking view across the volcanoes of the Aeolian archipelago.

Have a light seafood lunch on board as you get underway for Vulcano, where the Roman god Vulcan was believed to make weapons for the other gods. The island offers milky mud baths and natural jacuzzi pools to soak in, or you can hike to the crater to experience the clouds of gas and hissing steam. 

It’s then back to the yacht to dress up for an evening on the clifftop terrace at the Michelin-starred Il Cappero Restaurant, with a stunning sunset view back across to Lipari.

Day 4: Vulcano-Taormina

The yacht will depart early to deliver you to Taormina, one of the most enchanting highlights of a Sicily yacht charter. This ultra-glamorous clifftop village has been the darling of the elite for centuries, with a long roll call of celebrity visitors including Oscar Wilde, Truman Capote and Cary Grant. Anchor your yacht below the cliffs and take the cable car up to the village to stroll the flowery medieval lanes and shop in the high-end boutiques.

Taormina is particularly famous for its ancient Greek theater, Teatro Greco, perched vertiginously on the edge of the cliff with a truly gasp-worthy view across to Mt. Etna. Still in use after more than two millennia, the wildly atmospheric theater hosts a wonderful summer program of concerts and events, including the prestigious Taormina Film Festival each June.

The medieval village of Taormina is drop-dead gorgeous and has a high life to match, with the superb terrace of the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo the place to be seen since 1873, and the two-star Michelin Principe Cerami proving the highlight of the gastronomy scene.

Day 5: Taormina- Riposte

Spend a blissful morning floating between the blue-green coves of the steep Taormina coast, swimming in the Grotto Azzura and anchoring off the splendid Isola Bella, a tiny island nature reserve.

The yacht will then move a short distance down the coast to Riposte, a historic seaside town at the foot of Mt. Etna surrounded by rolling vineyards and olive groves. This is a wonderful landscape in which to walk or cycle, indulge in wine and produce tastings, or take the cable car or helicopter trip to Mt. Etna for rugged moonscape views of the craters. That evening, dine at anchor on deck, the Ionian Sea sparkling around you and brooding Mt. Etna dominating the sky.

Day 6: Riposte-Syracuse-Ragusa

The yacht will arrive in Syracuse early, as there is so very much to see. This stunning city of Greek temples, baroque piazzas, and fashionable island districts was once the largest city in the classical world and abounds in historical interest and beauty.

Wander through the grand Piazza Duomo, explore the ruined temples and theatres of the Archaeological Park, and stroll the desperately pretty streets of Ortigia, a historic village set on an isthmus.

You also have the option of taking a trip inland to picturesque Ragusa – a village spread across two hilltops, with the old village rebuilt in high baroque style after being devastated by an earthquake in 1693. This village is pure Sicily, set in a ruggedly beautiful landscape of ravines and rolling valleys, and the restaurant scene is magnificent, with two Michelin-starred restaurants, Ciccio Sultano and Ristorante La Fenice.

Day 7: Depart your yacht from Syracuse

The last morning of a yacht charter is always tinged with nostalgia, and it’s hard to know whether to spend the morning exploring the wonderful sights of Syracuse or having a last luxurious sleep-in followed by a leisurely brunch on deck before your midday departure. The choice is yours – but either way, Syracuse is a beautiful place to finish off your Sicily and Aeolian islands yacht charter.

To learn more about a luxury Italian superyacht vacation, contact one of Denison’s superyacht charter specialists: