Sicily & Aeolian Islands crewed yacht charter

Sicily is really three cruising grounds. To the north-east lie the Aeolian Islands, seven volcanic islands with two active volcanoes, Stromboli and Vulcano, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000. To the west lie the Egadi, a marine protected area of 54,000 hectares with very clear water. On the east coast, Taormina and the Etna shore have the best-known towns. A week on a crewed yacht usually means choosing one of them.

When is the best time to charter a yacht in Sicily?

June and September: warm water, long days and fewer boats than in July and August, when the Aeolians, above all Panarea, are at their busiest and Italians themselves are on holiday around Ferragosto on 15 August. The season runs from May to October.

Average figures for Palermo, on the north coast:

• May is green and quiet, with the sea around 18 °C. Good for walking on the islands, cool for swimming.
• June is one of the best months: the sea is around 22 °C and the summer crowd has not peaked.
• July and August are hot and almost dry, with the sea at 26–27 °C. Panarea and Lipari fill up, and the best anchorages are taken early in the day.
• September keeps the sea around 25 °C, with fewer visitors than in August.
• October is still possible, with more rain and shorter days.

Summer in the Tyrrhenian is not always calm. A northerly or a southerly can make some Aeolian anchorages uncomfortable for a night, and the captain will move to the sheltered side of an island rather than keep to the plan.

Where do Sicilian yacht charters start?

For the Aeolians, Milazzo or the marina at Portorosa on the north-east coast, both close to the islands; for the Egadi, Palermo or Trapani; for the east coast, Catania or the harbours near Taormina.

• Milazzo and Portorosa are the usual bases for an Aeolian week: the first island, Vulcano, is a short run away.
• Palermo works for the Egadi to the west, for the north coast, and for routes that reach the Aeolians from the other side.
• Catania is close to Taormina and Etna, and to the Isole Ciclopi off Aci Trezza.
• Lipari can be a start or end point if the yacht is already in the islands.

The charter agency arranges the berths. Ask whether the yacht’s base is nearby: a yacht that has to reposition from another region may charge a delivery fee.

How do you get there: Catania or Palermo?

Fly into Catania for Taormina and the east coast, or into Palermo for the Egadi and the north coast; the Aeolian itinerary below suggests flying into Palermo. From Catania, the transfer to Milazzo or Portorosa is by road; from Palermo, a yacht waiting off the north-west coast is close to the airport. Boat International’s itinerary for the Egadi starts at the small boat harbour of Terrasini, near Palermo’s Punta Raisi airport, with the yacht waiting at anchor a tender ride away.

Pick the airport with the route in mind: a one-way week from Palermo to the Aeolians, or from the Aeolians down to Taormina, means flying into one airport and out of the other.

A 7-day route round the Aeolian Islands

This route follows a seven-day Aeolian itinerary from Portorosa published by Helm, stop by stop and with its distances: Lipari, Panarea, Stromboli, Salina, Filicudi, and back to Portorosa by way of Vulcano. It was written for sailing yachts and suggests flying into Palermo, a two-hour drive from Portorosa. The captain changes the order with the wind and with how busy the anchorages are; what the rules allow a large yacht at each stop is in the box after day 7.

Day 1: Portorosa

An easy first evening by the harbour.

Board at the marina in Portorosa and, after a day of travelling, dine in one of the restaurants overlooking the harbour.

Day 2: Lipari

The first island is the largest, and the main town of the islands.

Lipari has the citadel on its rock above Marina Corta and an archaeological museum of finds from across the archipelago. The swim stop is Spiaggia Bianca, the beach of white pumice.

Day 3: Panarea

A slow day round the smallest island, swimming from one cove or islet to the next.

The stops are Cala Junco and the islets of Lisca Bianca, Dattilo and Basiluzzo. The evening is in Panarea’s port, or ashore by tender if the yacht stays at anchor.

Day 4: Stromboli

The highlight of the week for most guests.

The day is spent on the inhabited side: lunch off Ginostra, the hamlet on the south-west shore, a look at the sea stack of Strombolicchio from the yacht, then the port of Scari and a walk through the village up to the church of San Vincenzo. Boat International describes Stromboli as active for thousands of years, a natural beacon for sailors. If you want to watch the eruptions after dark, the yacht does it from offshore.

Day 5: Salina

The greenest island, and the day’s sunset is the one at Pollara.

Salina has twin inactive volcanoes, vineyards for Malvasia wine and caper fields. The day is for a swim and snorkel round the coast, a walk up to the sanctuary of the Madonna del Terzito at Valdichiesa, and the sunset from Pollara.

Day 6: Filicudi

The quietest stop of the week.

The stop is at Punta Perciato, to see the Grotta del Bue Marino, the largest cave in the islands; the same magazine recommends taking the snorkelling gear into it. The night is in Filicudi’s port, or at anchor off it.

Day 7: Vulcano and back to Portorosa

The longest leg, with the mud baths of Vulcano on the way home.

The run is 37 nautical miles. On the way, Vulcano for the sulphurous mud baths and lunch at Gelso on the south of the island, then back to Portorosa for the last night before disembarkation.

For a 30–50 m yacht

• The general rule in the islands. The bathing-safety order of the Lipari harbour office (order 42 of 3 June 2025, the most recent we found) covers all the Aeolian islands. During the bathing season, which the Sicilian Region set at 1 May to 31 October in 2025, no motor or sailing boat may pass through, stop, moor or anchor less than 300 metres from the coast, or 200 metres from steep cliffs. Between that line and 1,000 metres from beaches (500 metres from cliffs), boats must stay in displacement mode at no more than 10 knots. The tender reaches a beach only through a marked launch corridor, at no more than 3 knots. Jet skis must keep between 500 metres and a mile from the coast, and every boat must keep 100 metres from a diver’s flag.
• Nights in harbour. Where the itinerary’s boats moor in a harbour for the night, a yacht of 30 to 50 metres may have to stay at anchor if there is no berth for its size. In Panarea in July and August, when it is at its busiest, the captain checks first; if there is no berth, guests go ashore for dinner by tender. In Filicudi the captain likewise checks whether there is room.
• Lipari (day 2). In the bathing season a yacht of this size anchors at least 300 metres off and guests swim from the yacht. The tender may land only through a marked launch corridor, so the captain checks whether Spiaggia Bianca has one before anyone goes ashore.
• Panarea (day 3). Among the islets the yacht lies outside the 300-metre and 200-metre limits and guests swim closer. The same order lets small rowing craft such as kayaks circulate only within 200 metres of the coast, so ask the captain where they can be used.
• Stromboli (day 4). Ginostra and Scari are outside the stretch closed by the Milazzo harbour authority off the Sciara del Fuoco, the slope where lava reaches the sea. To watch the eruptions after dark, the yacht stays more than 2 nautical miles off that stretch. The limits by sea and on foot are explained below.
• Salina (day 5). It is in the same harbour district as Lipari, so the same distances from the coast apply off Pollara and Santa Marina.
• Filicudi (day 6). The coast at Punta Perciato is cliff, so in the bathing season the yacht anchors at least 200 metres off. The order exempts small craft without an engine, such as kayaks, from that limit, but lets rowing craft circulate only within 200 metres of the coast; the captain says where kayaks can be used.

Can you get close to Stromboli by yacht?

Not to the Sciara del Fuoco. A 2022 order of the Milazzo harbour authority bans navigation within 2 nautical miles of the coast between Punta delle Chiappe and Punta Labronzo, the stretch where lava and rocks reach the sea. Order 81 of 22 December 2022 extended the earlier exclusion zone from 1 mile to 2. The rest of the island, including the anchorages off the village of Stromboli and off Ginostra, is outside that stretch, and the captain will choose where to watch from.

Climbing is limited too. Under Lipari’s mayoral order 16 of 5 May 2025, on the Stromboli village side you may walk up alone to 290 metres, and up to 400 metres only with authorised guides, in groups of no more than 25. On the Ginostra side the free limit is 130 metres. The crater area above 400 metres is closed. Older articles still describe the full night climb to the crater; it is not possible under these rules.

Before you go

The limits change with the volcano’s alert level. These are the most recent orders we found in November 2026; the captain checks the current ones before the yacht approaches.

Where can you anchor: marine protected areas and local rules

In the Egadi, only where the marine protected area allows it, and never on the seabeds the park marks as sensitive, such as posidonia meadows; in the Aeolians, wherever the Stromboli orders and the harbour authority’s summer ordinances leave room. Sicily has several marine protected areas, and the two that matter most for a yacht week are the Egadi and, on the east coast, the Isole Ciclopi.

The Egadi marine protected area

The Egadi marine protected area covers 54,000 hectares around Favignana, Levanzo, Marettimo and the islets of Formica and Maraone. It was set up in 1991 and is managed by the municipality of Favignana. Its 2010 regulation sets out what a yacht may do zone by zone:

• By size: the regulation, like Italian law, calls any pleasure vessel over 24 metres a nave da diporto, the largest of its three categories. A yacht of 30 to 50 metres follows the rules for that category.
• Zone A: anchoring and mooring are not allowed, and around the islet of Maraone no one may navigate at all.
• Zone B: within 500 metres of the coast, motoring and anchoring are reserved for small boats of residents with authorisation, so a yacht of this size stays beyond 500 metres. There it may navigate, moor and anchor outside the seabeds the park has marked as sensitive.
• Zones C and D: yachts may navigate freely and anchor outside those sensitive seabeds; mooring needs the park’s authorisation.
• Jet skis and water-skiing are not allowed in zones A, B and C. This matters if the yacht carries toys: check the water toys guide and ask the captain where they can be used.
• Mooring fields: inside them, anchoring is not allowed; the yacht uses a buoy assigned by the park or one marked for its category.

Visitors who are not residents pay a fee for the anchoring authorisation, set by the week, the month or the year. The captain or the agency handles it; it is one of the costs that come out of the APA.

Isole Ciclopi, below Etna

On the east coast, the Isole Ciclopi marine protected area runs along the shore from Punta Aguzza to Capo Mulini, below Etna. Its zone A, the strictest, is the stretch of sea around the Cyclops rocks off Aci Trezza. A yacht can see them from outside, but it should not plan to anchor among them. Under the decree, only boats up to 24 metres may motor in the rest of the protected area.

The Aeolians

The Aeolian archipelago is a UNESCO site for its volcanoes, and conservation groups want its waters protected too: in 2019 Oceana called on Italy to protect the archipelago, where it had documented more than 900 marine species. For your charter, the rules you will meet most are the Stromboli orders above and the Lipari harbour office’s bathing-safety order, described with the route: in the bathing season, no motor or sailing boat may anchor less than 300 metres from the coast or 200 metres from cliffs, so the yacht lies off and the tender comes in through a launch corridor.

Before you sign

• The Lipari order is reissued from time to time, and keeping up with it is part of the captain’s job.
• Italian protected-area rules change, and what is written here reflects 2026. It is worth checking again before signing.

A different week: the Egadi or the east coast

If you have already seen the Aeolians, or prefer quieter water and less nightlife, two other weeks work well from Sicily.

The Egadi from Palermo or Trapani

West of Trapani, Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo form the largest marine protected area in Italy, with very clear water. Boat International’s seven-day superyacht itinerary gives them its first two days: from Terrasini, near Palermo’s airport, to a night at anchor in Cala Fredda on Levanzo, with a visit to the Grotta del Genovese, a cave with prehistoric drawings of tuna fishing; then the market in Favignana’s village and an afternoon at Cala Manione, which it calls Marettimo’s superyacht anchorage. The park’s rules, above, shape the route more than distances do.

For a 30–50 m yacht

Before a night at Cala Fredda or Cala Manione, the captain checks which zone the anchorage is in, because in zone B a yacht of this size may neither motor nor anchor within 500 metres of the coast.

Taormina and the east coast

From Catania, the coast north towards Taormina offers the Isole Ciclopi, the bay below Taormina and Isola Bella, and the view of Etna. It is a coast of towns rather than coves, and it can be combined with the Aeolians as a one-way week through the Strait of Messina: the Aeolians first, then down the east coast to Taormina, or the other way round.

Malta

Malta lies south of Sicily and is sometimes added to a longer Sicilian charter. It is a destination of its own rather than a day trip, and fits better into a ten-day plan or a separate week.

How much does a yacht charter in Sicily cost?

From around €55,000 a week for a yacht of about 30 metres to around €180,000 for one of about 50 metres, before expenses. Those are Ahoy Club’s typical advertised weekly rates for the yachts it lists in euros (consulted November 2026).

Add:

• APA: usually 30–40% of the base rate, for fuel, food, drinks, berths and park fees. The yacht may spend more nights at anchor if there is no berth for its size. Unspent APA is returned. See the APA guide.
• VAT: Italy applies 22% VAT to yacht charters. According to IYC, the final figure can depend on the itinerary and on time spent outside EU waters, so plan on 22%. More in yacht charter VAT by country.
• Gratuity: customary and discretionary, typically 10–20% on the same listings; Mediterranean guidance from other houses is lower (see our crew tipping guide).

For a 40-metre yacht at a typical €105,000, APA at 30% is €31,500, VAT at 22% on the fee is €23,100, and a 10–20% gratuity is €10,500–21,000. Expect about €170,100–180,600 in total, with any unspent APA refunded afterwards. The full method is in how much a luxury yacht charter costs.

Before you budget

• The rates cover yachts listed in euros across all destinations, not only those cruising in Sicily. They are indicative, not offers: the rate for a specific yacht and week comes from the charter agency.
• June and September are often cheaper than July and August for the same yacht.
• The VAT rate is the 2026 position, and the agency confirms the final figure before you sign.

Which yacht suits Sicily and the Aeolians?

A 30–50 m motor yacht with good tenders and stabilisers at anchor: the hops between islands are short, the harbours are small, and many anchorages are deep and open to the swell.

• Motor yacht, 30–50 m. It covers the Aeolian legs in an hour or two and can move quickly to the sheltered side of an island.
• Larger yachts (60 m+). They work, but the harbours of Panarea, Salina and Stromboli are small, so expect nights at anchor and landings by tender.
• Sailing yacht. The Aeolians are a rewarding sailing ground in June and September. Expect to motor on calm midsummer days.
• Catamaran. Comfortable at anchor, with shallow draught for the bays, and stable for families.

Ask about zero-speed stabilisers and the tender. Most landings in the Aeolians are by tender, sometimes on beaches of black pebbles, and a good tender makes the difference between going ashore for dinner and staying on board. The motor, sail or catamaran comparison goes into more detail.

Can you combine Sicily with the Amalfi Coast?

Yes, as a one-way charter of ten days or more rather than an add-on to a week. The passage from the Amalfi Coast to Stromboli is about 120 nautical miles of open sea; a trip published by Sailwiz does it overnight, weather permitting, aiming to reach Stromboli in the dark to see the lava. A typical shape is the Bay of Naples, Capri and Amalfi first, the night passage, then the Aeolians, and disembarkation in Sicily, flying out of Catania or Palermo.

Before you choose it, ask whether the price includes the yacht’s return to its base, and leave a spare day for the weather: a good captain will move the night passage rather than make the group uncomfortable. The Amalfi Coast and Capri guide covers the northern half of that trip.

What is worth going ashore for?

Lipari’s castle, a walk on Stromboli within the limits, Salina’s wineries, and, on the Sicilian side, Taormina and Palermo:

• Lipari. The castle above Marina Corta and the main town of the islands.
• Stromboli. The village, the guided walk up to 400 metres, and the volcano at night from the deck.
• Salina. Malvasia vineyards and capers; a slow lunch in one of its villages.
• Levanzo. The Grotta del Genovese and its prehistoric drawings.
• Taormina. The Greek theatre above the sea, with Etna behind.
• Palermo. Markets, churches and street food, worth a day at the start or the end.

What do people get wrong about a Sicily charter?

Mostly Stromboli, distances and the choice of week:

• Expecting to sail close under the Sciara del Fuoco. The 2-mile limit is a harbour-authority order; the show is watched from further out.
• Planning the night climb to the crater. Under the 2025 order, walkers stop at 400 metres, and only with authorised guides.
• Trying to see the Aeolians, the Egadi and Taormina in one week. They are three different weeks. Pick one, or plan ten days or more one way.
• Bringing jet skis to the Egadi without asking. They are not allowed in most of the marine protected area.
• Choosing the airport last. Catania suits Taormina and the east; Palermo, the Egadi and the north coast, and the Aeolian itinerary above starts with a flight to Palermo.
• Comparing base rates only. With APA, 22% VAT and gratuity, the total is often 60% or more above the headline rate.

Asking about Sicily and the Aeolian Islands

The useful details here are your dates (and whether they fall around Ferragosto), the size of the group, and whether you want an Aeolian week, the Egadi, the east coast towards Taormina, or a one-way trip from the Amalfi Coast, which changes both the yacht’s delivery fee and your flights. A charter specialist will reply with yacht options and a realistic budget. The charter is contracted with the yacht’s owner through a licensed charter agency, usually under the MYBA agreement, with the full price and VAT clear before you sign. Send your request.