#1 VULCANO - Once known as Therasia (hot land) or Hierà, the island of Vulcano is associated with the myth of the god Hephaestus. The myth says about Hephaestus, the God of Fire, and the blacksmith of gods, had his own forge on the island.
Take advantage of the cool morning hours to hike up to Gran Cratere before the intense summer heat comes, and get your camera ready to capture God-like views at a height of 400 meters. It can be reached with a walk of about an hour. A pair of comfortable shoes is sufficient, but adequate trekking shoes will make a difference, a hat and a bottle of water.
#2 LIPARI - Lipari welcomes you with a pictorial view of the sea of Marina Corta, a square enclosed by the marina and guarded by the church of the Souls of Purgatory, in the immaculate shadow of the Civita. The walls of the fortress have a remarkable concentration of history: the huts of the Bronze Age and the Spanish cathedral, the Norman Cloister, and the surprising archaeological museum, one of the richest in the Mediterranean. The cells of the old prison for political prisoners host permanent installations of contemporary art.
#3 SALINA Fertile and water-rich, it is famous for the capers and Malvasia grapes. We are in the centre of the archipelago, and from Salina, the view embraces all the other islands. The island is secluded without being remote, and the green of the Mediterranean scrub softens the profile of its six extinct volcanoes.
Not to miss is certainly a swim in Salina on the famous beach of "Il Postino" in Pollara, an inlet closed by a sheer wall, making it one of the most beautiful of the Aeolian Islands.
#4 PANAREA - About ten miles northeast of Salina, Panarea is surrounded by a constellation of islets: Basiluzzo, Dattilo, Lisca Bianca, paradises with Caribbean waters that become hells in the middle of August, besieged by rafts, yachts, small boats and barges, often with music at full throttle. After all, the smallest of the Aeolian islands is also the most worldly. Since the seventies, the terraces of the Hotel Raya have attracted VIP who come here to celebrate the sunsets views with a cocktail and live music.