Island of Vulcano: Black Beaches and Nature.

Why choose the island of Vulcano among all the islands of the Aeolian archipelago?

The island of Vulcano is a perfect destination to spend wonderful days between sea, nature, art and cuisine in a place of the highest naturalistic and geological interest, favored by a wonderful climate that makes this an ideal destination all year round.

Even today it is an almost primordial island, dominated by wild landscapes and a huge volcanic crater and its incredible natural phenomena. As soon as you arrive in Vulcano, the strong acrid smell of sulfur immediately makes you understand that you are in a place out of this world, far from modernity, where nature dominates and dictates the pace of life of its inhabitants, especially in winter. The island is a huge volcano that is anything but extinct and, at all times, it makes its presence felt so imposing with its fumaroles, its jets of steam, and sulfurous mud.

The island of Vulcano can be easily visited even in just one day. Being an island so rich in natural and scenic attractions, it would also be an excellent idea for a holiday to stop for several days, even a week, visiting the rest of the Aeolian Islands through excursions that leave daily from the port for all 7 islands.

What to do

Climbing the Great Crater

The Pit of the Great Crater can be reached with a marvelous walk lasting about an hour. The route follows a path surrounded by gorse, volcanic boulders, and a black and sandy bottom composed mainly of volcanic dust. From the top of the Great Crater, the panorama sweeps over all the Aeolian Islands and Etna. Connected to an isthmus to the rest of the island is a small volcano known as Vulcanello.

Trekking to the Volcano

One of the most fascinating experiences of the holiday in the Aeolian Islands is the Trekking to the volcano, through a path that passes alongside the mountain and which offers incredible views of Lipari opposite, Panarea alongside, Salina, Filicudi, and Stromboli in the distance. It is about seven kilometers long with a medium level of difficulty. The maximum altitude is 391 meters with a travel time of about three hours.

The Aeolian Cuisine

Vulcano is also a land of good food with dishes that mix a historical culinary tradition with quality products from the land and the sea. Cherry tomatoes, capers, and fish are the most successful ingredients for typical Aeolian dishes. Among the most recommended dishes is Pane Cunzatu, stuffed with Vulcano salted ricotta, datterini tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies.

What to see

The Port and the Thermal Mud

The port is the center of the island and is also one of the most beautiful places with many shades of color and where, due to the presence of fumaroles that emanate from the crater and from the ground, the acrid smell of sulfur is very intense and pervades the ‘air. A stone’s throw from the port is the thermal mud pond, a pool of hot mud with healing properties. People immerse themselves in mud to reap benefits for the skin and the body in general, especially for bone and respiratory diseases. Many others instead, simply to relax in an out of this world landscape.

Vulcanello and the Valley of the Monsters

Easily reachable on foot, the Vulcanello peninsula and the Valle dei Mostri are an incredible area formed thanks to the activity of the eruptive centers of Vulcanello. The Valley of the Monsters is an expanse of sand mixed with volcanic rocks which, thanks to the erosive action of the sea, have acquired disturbing and frightening shapes.

Beaches of Vulcano

The beaches of the island of Vulcano are made up of very fine black sand. The Fumarole Beach has waters heated by sulfurous vapors that rise from the subsoil and create streams of very hot water.

Black Sands Beach is the most famous. It is characterized by black sand and a sea with crystal clear waters. The beach is a symbol that makes Vulcano famous all over the world.

Gelso Beach is along the southern coast of the island and is dominated by an imposing lighthouse. The black sand beach is mixed with pebbles and is not very popular.

Donkey Beach is among the most beautiful on the island. It can be reached along a downhill path or by sea. The beach at sunset turns into one of the most beautiful open-air places on the island.

Venus pool

The Venus Pool is accessible only by sea and is a wonderful natural pool, a submerged crater where the water is only two meters deep, just like in a swimming pool. It is an unmissable natural amphitheater that can be reached by sea, surrounded by tuff and basalt rocks. Not far away, the Cave of the Horse is 30 meters deep both in depth and in extension.

The Sunset from Lentia

One of the most incredible experiences offered by the island of Vulcano is the sunset from Lentia. It is difficult to forget the expression of seeing the red sunset between the islands of Alicudi and Filicudi. Lentia is about 15 minutes from Porto Levante.

Boat trip

The circumnavigation of the island of Vulcano to discover all the coves that hide under the rocky ridges and admire the Aeolian Islands from a privileged point of view. A dip in the sea in the middle of the Faraglioni of Lipari to see the majestic Great Crater of Vulcano from the water.

How to get

The Island of Vulcano is very well connected with Lipari, Milazzo, and the Catania airport. The largest number of trips and excursions to the island of Vulcano from Sicily depart from the port of Milazzo. It is possible to reach Vulcano both with ferries from the Siremar and NGI company and with faster means of Liberty Lines. For a more active holiday, the Excursions to the island of Vulcano from Milazzo are not to be missed.

It is also possible to reach the island of Vulcano Taormina and Cefalù with daily excursions. Visit the SiciliaEscursioni.com website.