SICILY - AEOLIAN ISLANDS

Experience sailing holidays that combine untamed natural beauty with vibrant nightlife: 2 holidays rolled into one!

The Helm Yachting charter Base is situated in the newly established tourist harbor of Capo d'Orlando (our home Base), a contemporary and stylish facility positioned on Sicily's northern shoreline, 190 km from Catania (approximately a 2-hour drive) and 185 km from Palermo (around 2 and a half hours by car).

 

Capo d'Orlando serves as the nearest departure point for sailing to the Aeolian Islands, situated just 15 nautical miles away. Within 2 to 3 hours of sailing, you can reach the closest island, Vulcano.

These islands owe their striking landscapes to their volcanic origins, featuring stunning beaches, bays, caves, inlets, and uniquely beautiful rock formations, along with diverse seabeds. Due to these exceptional features, the archipelago has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Each island offers a distinct experience for summer vacations: Lipari delights with exquisite seafood and quaint shops nestled in the charming streets of its main town, while Panarea invites you to dance the night away in vibrant clubs where young visitors from around the globe revel under breathtaking sunsets and star-studded skies. For those seeking awe, Stromboli stands active and smoking, accessible by boat or even by a climb.

Across the entire archipelago, a tranquil lifestyle prevails, embraced by the soothing sounds of nature.

 

Filicudi Island

Sailing on a sailing boat to Filicudi leads to the perfect location for lovers of natural beauty.

The unspoiled flora and fauna and the beautiful beaches of Capo Graziano are the ideal setting for a sensational holiday, from the views to the scents, without forgetting the local restaurants with typical Filicudian Mediterranean dishes based on fish and Mediterranean aromatic herbs. 

 

Alicudi Island

It is still possible to be surprised by the simplest things on the island of Alicudi and rediscover the essentials. You can admire the cultivated terraces, the colorful fishing boats of the fishermen who never fail to deliver the freshest fish, even aboard catamarans and sailing boats at anchor.

Alicudi is like a charming and sensual woman damned by her raw and harsh beauty. A wild and rugged island whose beauty was created by the ancient and violent explosions of volcanic eruptions.

Island of Lipari

The largest island of the Aeolian archipelago, it has a very active village full of activities, which is why it is considered the most suitable for those who also like to go ashore.

Lipari is not only appreciated as a tourist destination for its fascinating landscape, it is also considered a pearl of culture and art.

Lipari is the epicenter of the history of the Aeolian Islands and its museum on the rock, evidence of distant past lives up to 5,000 years ago, is a place not to be missed. 

Saline Island

Salina is the 'garden' of the Aeolian Islands, far from the sparkling lights of Lipari, it escapes the rhythms of modern life.

It is a very welcoming green oasis that enchants with its luxuriant nature and the traditional seaside restaurants just outside the tourist port.

Ask your Skipper where to go, he will certainly be able to advise you in the best way!

Stromboli island

This is the black pearl that has always attracted lovers of unspoilt nature and trekking up to the smoking top of the volcano.

"Iddu", an incredible active volcano overlooking the sea, capable of incredible lava flows and truly impressive roars. During the dark hours of the night, if you're lucky, it will surprise you with luminous lava explosions hurled high into a star-studded sky.

An incredible experience to live with your own sailboat.

The small island of Panarea is the ideal place to fully enjoy the beauty of the coast which is full of inlets and suggestive views.

The beaches are all on the eastern and southern sides of the island, the rest of the island's coast is so steep as to be almost completely inaccessible. The other beaches are located near the Basiluzzo and Lisca Bianca islands, easily reachable with your boat.

The village is beautiful with restaurants and jewelery shops, local foods, souvenirs, fashion. And don't miss the evening at the famous hotel - Lounge Raja.

 

Islet of Basiluzzo

The islet of Basiluzzo emerges from the sea just two miles from Panarea. It is one of the youngest craters of the underwater volcanic formation and is completely uninhabited.

Since 1991 Basiluzzo has been a nature reserve which, if visited in absolute silence, allows you to immerse yourself in a unique atmosphere in which volcanic rock formations combine with rosemary plants, dwarf palms, capers and lemons.

On the north side you will find sheer cliffs and small caves lapped by green and blue water, for an incredible anchorage a few meters from the falaises (pay attention to the anchors!).  

Vulcan Island

A perfect picture of sea and sky, whose colors blend perfectly with those of the other six islands, the mighty volcano of Stromboli is also visible, which seems to send smoke signals to its visitors who admire it from the top of the opposite hill. The natural heat, due to the presence of the sulphurous waters and the God Apollo, makes Vulcano famous for its thermal baths, the hot muds and the bays of Baia delle Vergini and the Piscina di Venere.