Italy · Aeolian Islands
Yacht Charter Stromboli
A volcano that erupts every twenty minutes, and the only anchorage in Europe where you watch it happen from the deck.
Stromboli has been in continuous eruption for at least two thousand years. It throws incandescent material every fifteen to twenty minutes, all night, every night, and the Sciara del Fuoco — the scar down its north-western flank — carries it into the sea. There is no other anchorage in Europe where you sit on deck with a drink and watch a volcano work.
The Sciara, and where to be
Boats stand off the Sciara del Fuoco after dark, engines off, a safe distance out, and watch the flank light up. It is the single most extraordinary evening this fleet's whole range offers, and it costs nothing but the timing.
The village on the eastern side is white, car-free and lit at night by very little, which is deliberate: the darker the island, the better the volcano reads.
What it demands
The anchorages are on a volcano with steep sides, so holding is poor and the island is exposed. This is a stop that depends entirely on the forecast, and a crew who know it will move rather than argue with it.
Strombolicchio, the basalt plug standing north-east of the island, is the remnant of the original crater and worth the ten minutes it takes to round it.
Practical notes
- Sailed from Portorosa or Capo d'Orlando, two to three hours south
- The eruption runs every fifteen to twenty minutes, all night — the stop is planned for dusk, not for lunch
- Holding is poor and the island is exposed: this stop lives or dies on the forecast
- Boats stand off the Sciara del Fuoco after dark at a safe distance; the crew hold the current exclusion limits
Reached from: Portorosa and Capo d'Orlando
Where to dine
A table by the water
Punta Lena
StromboliOn the eastern shore with the volcano behind and the tables looking the other way, at Strombolicchio.
Ai Gechi
StromboliA terrace up in the village, small, and booked by people who worked out that dinner should end before the dark does.
Ginostra
GinostraThe other village, on the far side, with the smallest harbour in Italy — one boat at a time — and a single place to eat.
What to do
Anchorages & excursions
The Sciara del Fuoco
The scar down the north-western flank that carries incandescent material into the sea. Boats stand off after dark, engines off, and watch.
Strombolicchio
A basalt plug north-east of the island, the remnant of the original crater, with a lighthouse on top and a stair cut into the rock.
Ginostra
The village on the far side, reachable only by sea, with a harbour that takes one boat at a time.
The night crossing to Panarea
An hour north-east with the volcano astern, which is how most weeks end the evening.
The fleet
Yachts available for Stromboli
Vessels that operate here, from flagship motor yachts to smaller crewed boats. Every rate is quoted on enquiry.
Good to know
Questions we are asked about Stromboli
- Can you really see the eruption from the boat?
- Yes, and it is the reason to come. Boats stand off the Sciara del Fuoco after dark at a safe distance, engines off, and the flank lights up every fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Is it safe?
- The exclusion limits are set by the authorities and change with the volcano's activity; the crew hold the current version and keep to it. What is not safe is improvising the distance yourself.
- What does a yacht charter to Stromboli cost?
- It depends on the yacht, the season and the crew, so we quote on enquiry rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most weeks.
Destinations
Nearby destinations
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Enquire about a charter at Stromboli
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are, and we will come back with the right yacht and a full quotation.