Aeolian Islands in 7 days from Portorosa

Fourteen miles to change worlds: the crossing from Portorosa aims straight at Vulcano's fumarole plume, visible from the marina exit. Anchor in Ponente bay, on black sand between the two peninsulas.

In the late afternoon, once the heat drops, hike the Gran Cratere (1 h 15, ash trail): the view of the whole archipelago lined up towards Stromboli is the best possible briefing for the week. Down for sunset, dinner aboard.

Only six miles, but what miles: the channel between Vulcano and Lipari brushes past the faraglioni, lava needles bleached by sulphur. Take time for a swim in the warm, milky waters of the Grotta del Cavallo.

Lipari is the archipelago's only real town: full provisioning, lively lanes, and an archaeology museum — inside the citadel — telling 7,000 years of obsidian and seafaring. End the day with a granita at the harbour bar, like the locals.

Up Lipari's west coast: white kaolin cliffs and old pumice quarries where the sea turns lagoon-pale. Then Salina appears, incongruous: two extinct volcanoes draped in ferns and vines — the anti-Vulcano.

Rent a scooter in Santa Marina for the island loop: Pollara and its crescent bay (the set of Il Postino), malvasia tasting at Fenech in Malfa, Pollara capers at dinner. The most gastronomic evening of the week.

Course for the smallest Aeolian, escorted by its islets — Basiluzzo, Lisca Bianca, Dattilo. Lunch anchorage at Cala Junco, a basalt amphitheatre of turquoise water, with the short walk to the Bronze Age village at Capo Milazzese.

Panarea is the Aeolian Saint-Tropez: white car-free lanes, bougainvillea, aperitivo facing a smoking Stromboli on the horizon. In August, take a buoy off San Pietro without fail — the anchorage there is deep and crowded.

The summit of the week. Arrive in the early afternoon, buoy at Scari, then granita in the village before a partial climb of the trail (290 m allowed unguided) or simply the black beach of Ficogrande.

At nightfall, all hands aboard: drop the buoy and motor round to face the Sciara del Fuoco at the regulation distance. Every fifteen to twenty minutes the crater hurls its orange bursts into absolute darkness. No firework display comes close. Back on the buoy around 11 pm, in silence.

The longest leg of the week, due south with the whole archipelago filing past to starboard. In an established thermal breeze it is a regal downwind run; in a flat calm, five hours of motoring — cue the playlist and the trolling lines.

Back to Lipari for the last proper evening: passeggiata on the corso, grilled swordfish for dinner, and a water top-up at the quay to skip tomorrow's queue at Portorosa.

Eighteen miles back to Sicily, Vulcano smoking one last time over the stern. If timing allows, a lunch stop at the Gelso anchorage, Vulcano's overlooked southern tip — black beach and a taverna at the water's edge.

Fuel at the Portorosa entrance, debrief, and if you sleep aboard on Friday night the marina restaurant does decent arancini — but the real tip is trattoria Da Peppino in Tonnarella, ten minutes by taxi, where the dawn fishermen eat their dinner.