Seven islands, limited time, and no idea where to start. It’s the most common question I get from people planning a trip to the Aeolians. As always, there is no single right answer (I wish!). It depends on how long you have, what you’re after, and how you travel.
This planner gives you a personalised route in about a minute. Tell us your priorities, your travel style, and where you’re coming from, and we’ll build an itinerary around you, not the other way around.
Build your perfect
island itinerary
Answer five questions. Get a personalised route through the archipelago — with the right islands, in the right order, for the way you travel.
How island hopping works in the Aeolians
The seven Aeolian Islands are spread across roughly 200 kilometres of open sea. They’re connected by a network of hydrofoils and ferries that run frequently in summer and considerably less so between October and May.
Most visitors use Lipari as their base, it has the most accommodation, the best ferry connections, and enough to keep you busy on slower days. From Lipari, day trips to Vulcano, Salina, and Panarea are easy. Stromboli is further out and usually requires an overnight stay to make the most of it, especially if you want to do the night hike.
Filicudi and Alicudi sit at the western edge of the archipelago. They’re quieter, harder to reach, and exactly right if you want to escape completely. Don’t try to squeeze them into a day trip from Lipari, give them at least one night each.
How much time do you need?
Three days gets you Lipari and one or two neighbouring islands. Five days is enough for a proper introduction: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, and a night on Stromboli or Panarea. Seven days or more opens up the whole archipelago, including the remote western islands. If you have two weeks, you can travel slowly and actually settle into each place rather than just passing through.
When to go
July and August are peak season, ferries run constantly, everything is open, and the islands are busy. June and September are the sweet spot: good weather, fewer crowds, and prices that make more sense. May and October are quieter still and genuinely beautiful, though some smaller restaurants and hotels will be closed. Read more here about the different seasons on the islands.
A note on ferry bookings
In peak season, book ferry tickets in advance. Liberty Lines runs the hydrofoil network; Siremar and NGI operate the slower car ferries. You can check times and book through the ferry link in your itinerary results above.
