All tours on this holiday have now departed. Future departure dates will be confirmed in due course.
We have a handy rating for each walking tour to let you know how strenuous it maybe.
Moderate: Relatively few hills and moderate walking terrain.
Challenging: More hills (up to 300 or 400 metres of elevation in a day) and more difficult walking terrain.
Difficult: Some considerable hills (500 metres or more of elevation in a day) and some difficult terrain.
This tour offers the perfect combination of walking and leisurely sightseeing. With walks on four days including exploration of Lipari and Monte Rosa, a walk up to the great crater on Vulcano and a walk from Capistello to the Geophisical Observatory. Two further days are free for personal relaxation or exploration with the chance to visit some of the other islands.
Please note that walking boots are essential and clients should be in good health. Guided walks are rated easy to medium, covering 10 to 12 kilometres a day.
Day 1: Fly from London Gatwick to Catania.
On arrival, transfer by coach to Milazzo (approx. 2 hours) and onwards by ferry to Lipari (approx. 1 hour 30 mins) before a short, steep walk (approx. 1km) to the hotel. Welcome drink on first evening.
Day 2: Lipari – Monte Rosa.
Our day begins with a walking tour of Lipari, "the hub of the Aeolian Islands", to experience the slow pace of life. We pass through paved cobbled streets in the old part of the town, still home to fishermen, to the Diana quarter to see the Greek/Roman necropolis; then onto the Marina di Porto Salvo which takes us to the summit of Monte Rosa, 293m. From here there are beautiful views of Panarea and Stromboli Islands and to the “pomice” hills. Return to Lipari Town Centre and walk along the main shopping street, descending to Marina Corta, the fishermen’s square, beautifully set in a small bay where a typical lunch awaits us. This afternoon will be at leisure.
Day 3: Vulcano Great Crater.
Today we travel to the nearby island of Vulcano by boat for a walk up to the Gran Cratere. From the port at Vulcano we walk along the road to the starting point of the path to the crater. The climb, easy at first, continues with bends among high red rocks, curious pink clay corridors modelled by rainwater and broom plants. As we climb, the air is heavy with the stench of nearby fumarole, surrounded by yellow sulphur deposits. At 240m we reach the edge of a lunar rock desert strewn with “volcanic bomb” stones and marvellous views of the neighbouring islands. We finally climb to the Gran Cratere, enveloped in steamy-looking vapours and overpowering sulphurous gas released by gashes in the rim. From the top there are spectacular views of Mount Etna and the Sicilian mainland. After the descent back to the village of Vulcano, time is given to have lunch and to try the “mud bath”, or swim in the sulphur blue sea water, before taking the boat back to Lipari.
Day 4: Free day to relax. Today is free for you to do as you wish or you can join an organized boat trip to the Islands of Panarea and Stromboli (payable locally).
Day 5: Capistello – Geophisical Observatory
This morning we set off on our walk to the southern headland. From the hotel a narrow road, lined by walls covered with straggling broom and cistus, leads up to Capistello, from where we have a clear view of Vulcano and its vast crater just across the straits. Directly below are rocky cliffs and pinnacles rising out of the sea, and as we near the headland overlooking Punta della Crapazza, the vegetation becomes denser, almost covering the narrow path. We then take a paved road further on leading to some very upmarket modern villas, all very secluded and with spectacular views. The path winds up to its highest point at the Geophisical Observatory. From here there is a wonderful panorama of the islands to the north-west: Salina with its twin volcanic peaks, Filicudi and Alicudi furthest away. We will return back to the hotel and the rest of the day is free for lunch (not included) and afternoon at leisure in Lipari.
Day 6: Lipari – Caolino - St Calogero Spa.
We travel by bus to the village of Quattropani, the first settlement on the Island of Lipari dating back to the beginning of the 4th Millennium BC, where our walk begins to the kaolin quarries at Caolino. The path descends, crossing spectacular canyons with sheer multi-coloured rock-faces through a pathway with precipitous drops down to the sea, crossing olive groves and other remote areas, with typical Mediterranean flowers and the rare dwarf palm. We then walk up to St. Calogero Spa, a thermal baths dating from the 4th c. BC, before taking the old stone mule-track which gradually goes up, crossing olive groves, to the vineyard village of Pianoconte where we have a rural lunch. Travel back to Lipari by bus.
Day 7: Free day to relax. Today is free for you to do as you wish or you can join an organized boat trip to the Islands of Salina, Alicudi and Filicudi (payable locally).
Day 8: Transfer by ferry back to Milazzo and onward to Catania airport by coach for your return flight to London Gatwick.
NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 15 passengers.
Please note that walking boots are essential and clients should be in good health. Guided walks are rated easy to medium, covering 10 to 12 kilometres a day.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
The Rocce Azzurre Hotel
The friendly, family-run three-star Rocce Azzurre Hotel enjoys a wonderful location overlooking the sea yet only a few minutes pleasant walk from the charming old town of Lipari. The walk is about 400 metres up a slight hill and there is no other way to get from the port to the hotel (though baggage is taken in a minivan). This walk has to be undertaken to join all the excursions to other islands.
Facilities at this typically Sicilian hotel include terrace and restaurant with spectacular sea views, attractive and charming public areas including bar and indoor dining area and sunbathing/swimming platform and new since 2018, a spa. Rooms are comfortable and spotlessly maintained with private shower, TV and telephone. Many have sea-view and/or balcony, bookable at a reasonable supplement.
The hotel is a pleasant 10-15 minute walk from the port - downhill one way and up the other and there is no other way to get from the port to the hotel as the lane is not suitable for traffic.
Rocce Azzurre Hotel Website
OUR VIEW ON THE HOTEL
We have been sending clients here for more than a decade and Adriano and his staff consistently offer a very warm, friendly welcome. The bar terrace and restaurant directly overlook the sea and offer a lovely Mediterranean atmosphere. Rooms are well maintained and comfortable and many offer a sea view and/or balcony which is worth the upgrade.
Tullio Scurria was a wonderful and well informed guide and all the arrangements he made were faultless. A huge thank you to him. The walks he led were very enjoyable and were definitely the high points of our trip along with the fantastic restaurants that he took us to. The alternative facilities we were taken to overnight on arrival after our flight delay were very good, there was no fuss made about accommodating us. The hotel was in a lovely position and was perfectly agreeable, very kind staff and beautiful views, but the bed and the shower were the smallest I have ever had to encounter, and there was a lack of storage . Some upgrades would not be out of place at the Rocce Azzurre. Overall, an excellent trip.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 01-October-2023
Great holiday and tour guide
Review by Heaton who travelled 01-October-2023
The Rocce Azzurre is a bit tired in terms of facilities and the food isn’t fantastic but the setting and views are stupendous
Review by Rugg who travelled 01-October-2023
Walks, though not long, were much harder than implied by the brochure. Apart from this the holiday was excellent.
Review by Davies who travelled 11-September-2022
We feel that the difficulty rating in the brochure for this walking holiday underestimated the strenuous nature of most of the walks given the heat, humidity, frequent steep inclines and/or poor surfaces. The description of the hotel as 'a few minutes walk from the old town' is also misleading.
Review by Pickworth who travelled 11-September-2022
An excellent trip with everything going to plan. It was my fault that I struggled to keep up. Tulio was an excellent tour manager and his infectious enthusiasm will live in my memory for a long time. It was good of Stromboli to perform so well on Saturday evening almost as though it had been pre-booked The included meals and wine deserves a special mention as it was superb
Review by Ledwick who travelled 24-April-2022
This was our first "post-covid ' foreign trip and , therefore , particularly significant. In short we had a great time. Our guide ( Tullio Scurria ) was exceptionally attentive and made the whole experience so much more. It was his first trip since covid and it was a joy to witness him rekindling his network. Food, weather , hotel , itinerary all first class. Even Stromboli put on a show on the last night !
Review by Kuit who travelled 24-April-2022
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday walking in the Aeolian Islands, it delivered all we anticipated. Getting there and home requires a full day but when you are there it is worth it. The location of the hotel is excellent and it is a must to pay the extra for a sea view and balcony where you can see the wonderful sun rises. Staff at the hotel were pleasant and the room was kept lovely and clean. Food was adequate rather than excellent, but it is a 3 star establishment. Our tour guide, Tulio, was marvellous, always ensuring the group were well looked after and informed. The walks were as expected but quite challenging for some in our group. However, it was inspiring to see a couple who were 78 and 82 complete the walks. The 'lunches' after the walks were great, the food and drink plentiful but did not leave much of an appetite for the evening meal at the hotel. I would suggest the itinerary ensures that the walks are spread out during the week, thereby allowing rest days in between. We went on two additional trips organised by Tulio. The one to Salina we enjoyed, however, the full day trip to Alicudi and Filicuda was probably a trip to far with most of the time spent on the boat with little to do on the islands. We had a lovely group, the dynamics were good, resulting in some great craic over lunch and dinner. Overall a really good holiday and one we would recommend.
Review by Quinn who travelled 09-September-2019
We thoroughly enjoyed our Aeolian Islands walking holiday, although it was rather too hot (30 degrees plus) for vigorous uphill walking. My partner suffered some symptoms which he put down to heat stroke. We enjoyed some amazing views of the volcanic landscapes and the beautiful azure seas. We ate well at our hotel & were well looked after by the hotel staff who were very friendly & helpful. Travelling between the various islands by small boat was very enjoyable and greatly enhanced our holiday experience. Having the opportunity to see the flames and fire from Stromboli volcano after dark was magical and made up for the less enjoyable visit to Stromboli town which seemed rather seedy compared with our experiences of the towns & villages of other islands we visited. Tulio, our very amiable guide, had a relaxed and easy going approach and the knack of bringing out the best of the holiday spirit among those in the group. He also kept us very well informed about the history of the islands and the formation of the volcanic landscape, and his local knowledge was excellent. The walks were often quite challenging, but we all rose to the challenges & I probably speak for many when I say we had a great sense of achievement. Altogether it was a very enjoyable holiday: in many ways quite exceptional.
Review by Mcintyre who travelled 09-September-2019
Tullio was/is an excellent manager and guide - as you are no doubt well aware ALL ferries and hydrofoils were NOT running on our arrival date (22 April) but by the time we arrived at Catania he had already arranged for alternative overnight accommodation in Milazzo - only 5 minutes stroll from the terminal and an excellent venue for our evening meal. The walks were good BUT I do think that the description of the first walk - to Monte Rosa - did severely underestimate the steepness of parts (not just the initial ramp) of the subsequent climb - a rather rude awakening having just stepped off the hydrofoil! It made for a very enjoyable week - the group size was just right - I have a terrible memory for names and faces but after a couple of days I knew the names of all group members. Taking the various "free day" excursions meant that I was able to experience ALL 7 of the inhabited Aeolian Islands - sufficient that I would have no hesitation in revisiting. The Rocce Azzure was "okay" but seemed a little "faded" - maybe it was just waking up from the off-season hibernation! One minor gripe regarding the drinks mark-up in the hotel - 5 Euros for a bottle of local beer that could be bought in the local supermarket for a mere 79 cents - some HUGE mark-up! Another observation - would it not be possible to just have "bed and breakfast" on the free days, thus encouraging clients to sample the several good eating establishments in Lipari town? The lunch stops that Tullio had arranged for us were - I felt without exception - VERY good; to my shame I gained 4 kg in weight during this trip! All in all, a VERY enjoyable trip. Please encourage Tullio in his planning of a new trip - spending 3 or 4 days on the foothills of Etna and the transferring to the islands - I would DEFINITELY be "up for that"!
Review by Porter who travelled 22-April-2019
Super holiday, thank you. One small suggestion, the walk/climb up Monte Rosa as the first walk was considered too steep too soon by several of us, particularly as it was hot. Otherwise it was very well organised , especially re the accommodation & meal on arrival due to the storm & rough seas. Our guide was excellent & a mine of information.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 22-April-2019
Review by Anonymous who travelled 22-April-2019
Superb location of the Hotel but it was a little tired and the menu was adequate but basic. Tulli, our tour guide was excellent, very knowledgeable and made our holiday extra special. His external lunches and knowledge of the area and its history were exceptional. However the staff at the hotel were not very attentive and some of the walks were more difficult than the brochure implied especially the one on arrival.
Review by Guy who travelled 22-April-2019
This was my 1st experience with Tours I was delighted with this kind of Hollidays and will book further one
Review by Rouhaud who travelled 01-October-2018
Review by Anonymous who travelled 01-October-2018
A wonderful holiday with a tour manager who managed to to always get us the best seats on boats and at restaurants he could not be faulted.very knowledgeable and proud of his country. The hotel was comfortable and in a superb situation with swimming from it's own platform. The sea view from our room was delightful. We managed to see all seven islands unfortunately due to weather conditions we were unable to see Stromboli perform at night but the return to Lipari was an experience not to be missed. The other people on the tour were likeminded and further added to our enjoyment of this holiday
Review by Walker who travelled 10-September-2018
Information was rather unbalanced relating largely to geology. I would have also liked a detailed picture of island life now and of nature. Focus on large lunches did not suit me - too much food and sometimes not enough time to swim on shore and relax. But I did really enjoy the holiday and found the guide efficient, pleasant and fun.
Review by who travelled 10-September-2018
Review by who travelled 10-September-2018
Overall a very good experience. Very interesting and picturesque islands especially in the springtime with wonderful wild flowers. The holiday was described as leisurely which was not really the case however. Holiday booked through Telegraph, full tour details with descriptions of the various activities not received.
Review by Sabell who travelled 23-April-2018
Review by Rhys-Davies who travelled 23-April-2018
We enjoyed our walking holiday in the Aeolian Islands and the sun shone every day. Tullio, the local tour leader, ensured we saw all seven islands and arranged for us to visit two local restaurants (one otherwise closed) for superb lunches. He also had the knack of ensuring we were in the right position to board the local excursion boats to get top deck seats.
Review by Young who travelled 27-September-2017
Tullio was an excellent tour manager, and coped very well with our disappointment of not being able to visit Stromboli and Panarea because of the windy conditions. The visit to the remoter Aeolian Islands and Vulcano were some compensation however. Went to some great places for lunch with Tullio which made the evening meal in the hotel a bit superfluous on those days! Overall still very impressed with Travel Editions, will travel with you again
Review by Keys who travelled 06-September-2017
The hotel was excellent, including location, service and food. The Tour Manager and included excursions were also very good, including especially the included lunches. The optional excursions were equally good. Changes to the itinerary due to hydrofoil strike and weather conditions were handled seamlessly. Only slight criticism would be that the minibus between Catania airport and Milazzo was fairly cramped and thus a bit uncomfortable. Overall it was an excellent holiday.
Review by who travelled 06-September-2017
This walking tour was the first one we have taken with Travel Editions although our fellow travellers seemed to travel with you all the time - and now we know why. We had an excellent holiday in the lovely Aeolian islands and the only downside was due to late flights from EasyJet - nothing that Travel Editions could do about that. Our guide, Tullio, handled our late arrival in Catania very well and arranged for us to travel on the lorry ferry from Milazzo to Lipari with minimum fuss. We could not rate Tullio's guiding more highly. He is so professional and knowledgeable and we should be delighted to go on a tour led by him again. The hotel was excellent with good meals and friendly staff. We enjoyed the organised walks and thanks to Tullio managed to visit all 7 of the islands - something we had not expected to be able to do. Thank you Travel Editions and Tullio - please keep sending us your brochures as we love to plan our next trip. Roseanne Partridge and Alan Smith
Review by Ms Elizabeth Partridge who travelled 30-September-2016
Travel Editions feedback:
Thank you for your kind comments - glad you enjoyed the trip.
Tullio made a great holiday exceptional.
Review by Mr Roger Smee who travelled 30-September-2016
Tullio(tour manager) was excellent, the hotel very clean with attentive staff. Evening meals lacked flair (diplomatic). Food on the excursions was quite superb.
Review by Mr Timothy Betts who travelled 04-September-2016
The tour manager was outstanding. He was friendly,calm and helpful. His local knowledge ran very deep and the food at the restaurants he chose for lunch was amongst the best I've had in Italy..Food at the hotel was OK. Staff were always pleasant, quick to respond to problems, but there were glitches eg the safe could not be made to work, the whirlpool bath in our suite did not work. On the other hand the hotel had an outstanding location. A holiday I would recommend.
Review by Mr John Willis who travelled 04-September-2016
A very enjoyable holiday. Tour guide extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
Review by Mrs Jennifer Murray who travelled 15-April-2016
Tulip was excellent at getting us to the right place at the right time for the best experience. Very good lunches and good flexibility to meet our wishes. Hotel meals variable but staff very accommodating. Fresh fruit at breakfast for instance would have been welcome. Room was kept spotless.
Review by Mr Peter Day who travelled 15-April-2016
This was our first visit to the Aeolian Islands. Tullio took us to some wonderful places and group numbers of just 10 made for good companionship. April is probably a good time to visit as it's not too hot for walking and there are lots of Spring flowers.
Review by Mr Colin Thurston who travelled 15-April-2016
We were looked after very well by Angela, the guide, and the trips were very good indeed. The hotel dinners were good and sometimes excellent. and it had a great setting The hotel breakfast was not really up to standard, the bread was poor, stale and too crusty, and this should not happen in Italy.The ham and cheese was the cheapest available.There was little choice, limited fresh fruit.It wasn't dreadful but even for a 3 star hotel was definitely below par, the whole group thought so.
Review by Mrs Susan Fernley who travelled 23-September-2015
This tour is too short as the travelling time there and back eats up two whole days. That leaves 6 days - and two of those are free days with no organized walking! So we think there should be more walking, preferably making it a ten day tour (a two-centre holiday?), or it could be linked with Sicily for a two-week tour. The Aeolians are a great location and Angela was an excellent manager. The hotel was very comfortable and the food there ranged from excellent to very good.
Review by Ms Jennifer Bryant who travelled 23-September-2015
Review by Mrs Bethan Wareing who travelled 02-September-2015
Comfortable hotel with friendly and helpful staff. Guide very informative and friendly. Found the walks tough but being over 70 years old and in 35C heat perhaps it was the wrong holiday for me. Highly recommended for a younger person.
Review by Mrs Marian Warren who travelled 02-September-2015
We thought this an excellent holiday. Our tour manager Tullio could not be faulted. He reorganised the outings to make the best of the weather. He gave us lots of information on the history as well as the local details and was always cheerful and helpful. A brief printed time line of the history would have made the facts easier to retain. Our party of 12 was an ideal number. The hotel was very comfortable, helpful and friendly. We were glad we had upgraded our room to a sea view. at dinner it was useful to have a choice of three dishes on the menu. The special lunches provided on the islands were top class. In fact we had too much to eat on those days! The walks were set at a manageable pace and distance and the walk to the top of the crater on Vulcano was stunning. It might have been useful to know that there were no changing facilities on the beaches although those who wanted to swim managed. We did not know that we would be able to hire beach towels from the hotel for a small fee (1 euro). It would have been useful to know that when planning packing. The archeological museum in Lipari was well worth a visit and the optional trip tp Salina excellent. In all it was a very good week and we would consider travelling with the company again especially if all your guides are as good asTullio.
Review by Mrs Gillian Rowe who travelled 13-May-2015
Bread in hotel not up to standard and would have liked fresh fruit. Walks could have been improved by provision of maps, grading of difficulty and timings; a written geological timeline would have helped. Monte Rosa walk was unpleasant but all others were excellent. Choice of restaurants very good. Overall a very good holiday in pleasant company.
Review by Sir Roderick Sir Roderick Flood who travelled 13-May-2015
