Getting There -- Ferries and hydrofoils service all of the Aeolian Islands from the port of Milazzo, on the northeastern coast of Sicily 32km (20 miles) west of Messina. Both Società Siremar, Via Dei Mille (tel. 090-9283242; www.siremar.it), and Ustica Lines, Via Rizzo (tel. 090-9287821; www.usticalines.it), operate ferry and hydrofoil routes.
The Milazzo-Vulcano-Lipari-Salina ferry lines leave Milazzo twice daily at 7am and 9am. It takes 1 1/2 hours to reach Vulcano; a one-way ticket costs 6.30€ ($7.55). Lipari is 2 hours from Milazzo; a one-way ticket costs 7.50€ ($9). To reach Stromboli, take the Milazzo-Panarea-Stromboli ferry line, departing Milazzo at 7am and 2:30pm Tuesday through Saturday, and at 2:30pm Monday, and Sunday. The Stromboli trip takes 5 hours and costs 11€ ($13) one-way.
For a faster option, take the Milazzo-Vulcano-Lipari-Salina hydrofoil line, which reaches Vulcano in 30 minutes; a one-way ticket costs 12€ ($14). It takes 1 hour to reach Lipari and costs 12€ ($14) one-way. Siremar makes the trip 6 to 12 times daily from 7:05am to 6:10pm, while Ustica Lines makes six runs daily from 6:20am to 7:10pm. To reach Stromboli, use the Milazzo-Panarea-Stromboli hydrofoil line, which takes 2 1/2 hours and costs 18€ ($22) one-way.
For more information on ferry and hydrofoil connections, call tel. 0923-873813 or tel. 892123 (within Italy only).
If you're driving from Messina in the east, take S113 west to Palermo until you come to the turnoff for the port at Milazzo.
