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Aeolian Islands Day Trip from Taormina: Stromboli and Panarea

Name: Aeolian Islands Day Trip from Taormina: Stromboli and Panarea
Brand: SAT Group
SKU: 6099ISLANDS
Price: 115.25 USD
Rating: 3.5 (206 reviews)

Taormina, Italy

13 to 14 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the Aeolian Archipelago on this day trip to the islands of Stromboli and Panarea from Taormina. Journey to each island by motorboat, exploring the local shops at your leisure or taking a cool dip in the sea. Afterward, cruise around Stromboli to see the island’s volcano. Keep your eyes peeled for the crater of Sciara del Fuoco, known to light up the sky with its jet-like eruptions. After a full day of touring the UNESCO-listed islands, return to Taormina.

Day trip from Taormina to Panarea and Stromboli in the Aeolian Archipelago
Leave Taormina by coach and travel by motorboat around the UNESCO-listed islands
Enjoy free time to explore the tiny island of Panarea
Spend time at leisure on Stromboli island and discover black lava-sand beaches
See Stromboli’s volcanic activity at Sciara del Fuoco from a viewpoint on the water

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Transport between islands by motorboat
Multilingual Tour escort/host

Lunch, Dinner
Eco tax at the Port of Milazzo (approx. 5 euros between 1st June - 30th September and 2.5 euros from the 1st to the 31st October). Please note the amount may be subject to changes during the season.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Terminal Interbus Taormina
Via Luigi Pirandello, 98039 Taormina ME, Italy
Departure for all tours is from the main Bus Terminal in Via Pirandello. Pick up is also available along the coast at Taormina by the sea, Letojanni and Giardini Naxos. Customers are invited to contact for information about pick up.The coach is silver with a SAT logo in red.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Hop aboard your coach in Taormina and travel north to the Port of Milazzo. Board your motorboat and glide through the Tyrrhenian Sea to the island of Panarea, nestled in the UNESCO-listed Aeolian Archipelago.

Enjoy time to explore the small, scenic island at your leisure. Wander the local shops in the whitewashed village, try the island fare at a café or take in views of the water from the beach.

Afterward, reunite with your host and head across the water to Stromboli, named after its active volcano. Check out the black lava-sand beach and soak up additional free time to roam the village. Back on your boat, you can enjoy a light dinner as the sun sets (own expense).

Top off your trip with an evening boat ride around the island to see Stromboli’s volcano in action. Head to a clear spot to view the crater of Sciara del Fuoco, where you witness bright, liquid lava explode into the night sky. Small eruptions occur regularly, so be sure to have your camera ready.

After a full day of sightseeing, you are returned to Taormina.

Capo di Milazzo (Pass By)

Chiesa di San Pietro in Panarea

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Stromboli Volcano

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate

The conduct of maritime excursions, as well as being affected by weather and sea conditions, is always subordinated to the decisions of the shipping company and the authorities.
Recommended clothing: wind jacket, hat, bathing suit, towel and sunscreen lotion
From October departure will be anticipated by one hour.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Magnus_E

We, a family of five (two adults, three kids), had an enjoyable day out at sea getting to know the Panarea and Stromboli islands. Our guide (Salvatore?) was quite knowledgeable about the islands and island life in general and illustrated many of the things we saw with nice anecdotes. Contrary to many of the other reviews we did not find the boat or the islands too crowded. There was ample space to choose the seats from on board and the captain turned the boat around so that everyone could get a good view of the sights from where they sat. Unfortunately the weather was not the best possible as the top of Stromboli was covered in clouds and the volcano itself dormant. This is, however, something that cannot be guaranteed in advance. Would still definitely recommend to those who have not visited Mediterranean islands or seen an active volcano before.

Reviews

3.5

206 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 206 reviews

Read reviews and itinerary = a fantastic day!

Maria_R, Sep 2023

There is not enough room to write how good this experience was. Just do it- but- read numerous reviews and itinerary description first, then you'll have a great day. Those who have a negative experience must not have fully understood as all info needed is provided by both the tour Co and previous guests. We would not have seen any of this on our own. We enjoyed the views of the countryside from the bus ride, the breeze and views from the boat ride and, the spectacular show the volcano put on at night. Alessandra was our guide- she was very friendly and spoke several languages fluently. The boat captain is a master in his field- he took us within inches of a cave/rock formation and ensured all could see each thing regardless of your seat/side on the boat. The black sand beach was cool to see too as we are used to snow white powder sand in Florida. There is not alot to do at the islands but walk a lil, grab a bite and maybe a souvenir- they are both small, the island hosts were very welcoming too. The Mediterranean Sea boat ride and Volcano were my favorites and were a once in life experience.

A satisfying experience.

Nicholas_G, Sep 2023

Both islands were beautiful and approaching from the boat made them not dramatic. Without doubt, the best part was being able to experience the eruptions on Stromboli.

Volcano Eruption and Sunset

Michelina_M, Sep 2023

We truly enjoyed waiting for the Volcano Eruption on Stromboli Island. The sunset was spectacular!The pickup and communication was excellent and although it was a long day....it was worth it!

Worth a visit

Philip_C, Jul 2023

Well worth the experience! It’s a very long day and the guide speaks German, Italian and English so it’s a lot of talking but overall super worth! We eat good pasta on the first island and pizza on the last. Lovely swimming at the black beach and in clear blue water! Recommend

Amazing experience.

John_F, Jul 2023

Very well organised tour and special thanks goes to Franco the tour leader and Giuseppe the driver. Keep it up.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

We have passed your appreciation to our staff. They are very happy and thank. Regards, SAT Group Customer Care Manager

Watching a volcano erupting! Wow!

Victor_F, Jun 2023

Watching Stromboli erupt about 6 times was fantastic. Stromboli is also a lovely island and dinner in one of the restaurants was lovely.

Long but worth it in the end....

Gregory_M, Jun 2023

First class tour with multi-lingual guides speaking German, Italian, English and French. Nothing better than a motor boat trip on the sea in good weather. Panarea was small and picturesque with a great swimming location, but you had to choose. 1 hr and 45 mins for us was not enough time to either go swimming or see the town. if you plan to swim then wear you bathing suit as there is no place to change. You will need to take a golf cart taxi to the beach and then walk back (45 min walk). Tough squeeze in less than 2 hours. Can be done, but leaves no time for anything else. Stromboli was next and we were there for over 3 hours. Plenty of time to walk around and have dinner, go for a swim whatever. We cruised around to the back side at dusk to see the volcano eruptions before heading back. Now this tour is really long. I was picked up at the meeting point at 10am and returned to the meeting point about 11:30pm. Back in the hotel at midnight. A little later then that for those from Naxos. On average it was worth it for me, but we could have used a little more time in Panarea and a little less time on shore in Stromboli.

Great trip, but it’s a long long day.

William_L, Jun 2023

Overall a good trip; and the Aeolian islands are worth a trip. On our excursion, the trip was overbooked, which meant waiting for a larger bus to come and take all of the passengers to the port of Milazzo. I think in the end the boat left 10 minutes later than expected; but it wasn’t very pleasant waiting in a petrol station for 30 minutes unaware what impact it would have on the day. Overall, the experience was good, but 2 hours at Panarea and 2 hours 30 at Stromboli didn’t feel like enough time to properly explore, with some food slotted in. Also, be aware that there is a lot of travel involved, between buses and boats. We left Taormina at 10am, and arrived back about 12.30am. Overall, well worth doing, but be prepared for it to take a long time.

Stromboli, a must-see

Gerrit_L, May 2023

Acceptable prices, on time, comfortable, friendly guide, professional service, derailed information.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks for your review, we hope next time to receive a full reward. This is our goal every day: 100% satisfaction of our customers.

Good, but take care!

Ian_B, Apr 2023

It was great to see the islands and even to see some lava spouts. However, the journey times were long and details should be posted so that people know better what to expect. The staff were very helpful but the outward boat trip was very rough. People need to be advised to take appropriate medicine to prevent sickness.

Great experience but....

Naomi_S, Oct 2022

I was happy to see Stromboli a few hours before it erupted! Yes it is a LONG day but worthwhile. I enjoyed having lunch on Panarea and then walking around on Stromboli before the amazing sunset volcano show. I brought a book to read and my iPad to watch downloaded content while riding the bus and the boat. It helps kill the time. This was, however, too crowded for my comfort. I'd have appreciated a smaller boat and less people. The tour guide was too unavailable to give me communication access I needed despite requesting that in advance.

The boat trip and seeing...

Eric_D, Oct 2022

The boat trip and seeing an active volcano and talking to the people who live near it. Also We had a good guide with us who explained things and was very helpful

How not to visit Stromboli

Elaine_K, Oct 2022

The trip should have been cancelled as the sea was too rough, which limited our view of Stromboli.The return trip was very unpleasant and many of the passengers either felt sick or threw up. There was no safety briefing or advice about emergency equipment such as life jackets. That said, the local agent and guide were very good and helpful.

Black sand in Stromboli...

RodicaCodruta_P, Jul 2022

Black sand in Stromboli and the sunset seeing the small eruption on Stromboli. Also the beautiful narrow streets in Panarea.

Great day out

John_T, Jun 2022

Enjoyable (but long) day trip to two of the Aeolian islands. Well organised and plenty of time in both places. Lucky enough to see Stromboli erupt a few times too

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Really lucky, it is not always granted to see the eruption. Thanks for sharing! SAT Group Customer Care Manager

Intro to the Aeolian Islands

MissC_W, Jun 2022

The tour starts at 10 and we arrived back at 12:30am so a very long day. A lot of time is spent in transit and it takes 2 hrs to get to the port then another 2hrs to get to Panarea. The islands were nice to explore and the 2hrs per island of free time is enough. There was plenty of opportunities to get photos of Stromboli but unfortunately we didn't see any eruptions. The bonus was watching the sunset. Our tour guide Franco was very knowledgeable and fluent in several languages so very helpful.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Thank you for sharing. It is a long day because Panarea & Stromboli are the most faraway of all the Aeolian Islands. The Lipari & Vulcano tour is a bit shorter. Greetings, SAT Group

Lovely swim on Stromboli

Barbara_S, May 2022

Although it was a long day trip from Taormina, it was worthwhile. Visited the two islands, each one very different. Panarea..all painted white. While we were there, the workmen were hard at it maintaining this idyllic space. And Stromboli..more natural and dominated by the volcano sending out puffs at regular intervals. Had a swim in the sea there..cold but refreshing!

This was a very long,...

Cynthia_M, Sep 2021

This was a very long, exhausting day from Taormina. The boat was extremely crowded and by the time our coach arrived from Taormina there was no place for us to sit that was a comfortable distance from other passengers. We had to stand the entire boat trip to Panarea as did many other passengers. On the return we queued up very early to ensure a seat for the 1 hour 45 minute ride back. The islands are lovely, but not worth the time it takes to get to them from Taormina. The coach ride back to Taormina provided very little leg room, the ventilation was poor and 4 guests sitting in close proximity to us were not wearing masks.

Response from Host, Oct 2021

Hello Cynthia, first of all, we thank you for your feedback as SAT Group is very involved in Customer Care, so all customers' comments are held in high regard as an opportunity for improvement. We are therefore very sorry that you have suffered a discomfort on the boat transfers during the excursion to Panarea & Stromboli. We would like to underline that the cooperation between TARNAV company and SAT Group is now more than a decade for all the excursions to the Aeolian Islands. TARNAV was, in fact, the pioneer with SAT Group for the first mini-cruises to the islands. As this is the peak of the season especially for the Aeolian Islands and, considering that many tour operators work with Tarnav the standard of the excursion can never be tailor-made. Regarding the judgement on the Aeolian Island, yours is totally subjective. Regarding the mask on board of our coach, our tour guide always invite evrybody to wear it. Hoping to have a second chance, we send you our warmest regards. Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

Terrible

Melanie_C, Aug 2021

The trip was not planned well AT ALL. There were no clear instructions as to the itinerary of the day itself. Most of the time was spent travelling rather than exploring the islands. Throughout the whole day we visited only 2 islands for a total of 2 hours each, leaving us with little to no time for any activity. Too much time was spent to watch the Stromboli volcano erupt. Apart from that, Covid-19 measures were not taken into consideration at all. No one checked our temperatures and surely the boat was not operating at a less then full capacity. The boat trip also took way to long !! We arrived back at around 11.45pm, arriving at Taormina at 1am. We had to then walk it back to our apartment, and considering we spent a day in the sun, we were exhausted to do so. To add to this, the bus trip from Taormina to Milazzo took more then 2 hrs, on which the bathroom was locked. Suggestion for the tour leaders: at least start the trip an hour or so earlier and make more stops at Taormina for pickup and drop-off, rather then at Interbus Terminal only.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Hello Person, it is very important to us to go through all your issue: first of all, the day's schedule is explained on board during the bus ride, and as you describe it is exactly that, a mini cruise to two islands with two hours of free time on both. Impossible to explore more than two islands in one day, as you are also complaining about the lenght of the boat ride. Panarea & Stromboli are the most faraway islands, besides. Regarding the anti-Covid measures, we cannot check the temperature with the incredible heat of this days, otherwise all customers would show to have a 40 degrees temperature! The occupancy of the boat is 80% of the total capacity as well as on the bus. Everyone should wear the mask on board. It is a long day, indeed. It is better to get all information in advance before buying the tour. Regarding the pick up point we offer complimentary ones along the way, just ask. Warm regards. SAT Group - Customer Care Manager

Memorable Day

Michael_F, May 2019

Very convenient pick up near our hotel. Long bus ride from Giardini Naxos, but enjoyed the islands. Not much to see in Panarea. Very small town, but really enjoyed Stromboli. Wonderful cafe near the church up on the hill with great view, good food, and reasonable prices. While on Stromboli, we would hear the vocano rumble. It sounded like thunder and then you could see activity on Stromboli. We went in May and the boat was not very crowded, except when many passengers went to the top deck to get the evening pics of Stromboli. My only recommendation is it would be helpful if the guide could try to face the passengers when doing her talks. It was very hard to understand what she was saying and really wanted to hear her information. Don't know if this would be possible, but would help to appreciate her information. Recommend.

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