We pack our suitcase with the usual meticulous care, not forgetting anything… and then, five minutes before leaving the house, we take out two thirds of what we had decided to bring, and the suitcase is perfect!

Of course we are joking, but that is really how it goes. In the Aeolian Islands you will have sunny, warm weather throughout your vacation, so you will not need a big variety of clothes.

For the daytime, you need a swimsuit, a sarong and shorts for being on board, plus a few T-shirts for going ashore. Bring a hat and sunglasses, and flip-flops for the boat if you like, though on a sailboat people are usually barefoot. Bring light, open shoes if you want to be a little less sailor and a little more elegant in the evening when you go ashore, and maybe a windbreaker (a light wind jacket) in case it gets windy.

For the evening, you can bring a bit more: a few sundresses for the ladies and maybe a few shirts for the gentlemen. Of course, space on a sailboat is quite limited, so it will be hard to fit your whole wardrobe in the cabin, but since you will have spacious double cabins, you will certainly have enough room. Don’t forget sunscreen and towels, both for washing up and for the sea. A camera will surely be fun to have with you, to capture your best moments.

On board you will find the linens: sheets and towels for the cabin.

We recommend bringing your own mask and snorkel, which you can store in the dedicated locker at the stern. Remember to leave a little room in your suitcase for souvenirs. I promise you will need it!

Valid ID – a soft bag – sunglasses – a windbreaker or light summer foul-weather jacket – a sweatshirt for excursions – non-oil-based sunscreen – comfortable shoes with smooth, light-colored soles that won’t leave marks on the boat – open sandals for swimming and climbing on the rocks – a hat – a light sweater – towels.

On board you will find a Bluetooth stereo system, so prepare your playlist – a flash drive or DVDs to watch your movies – medicines for headaches, mosquito bites and seasickness – books and magazines – a phone charger with USB ports – a camera – after-sun lotion – a good local specialty from your area… to share with the rest of the crew!

On a boat, food supplies are stored in the galley, so “stocking the galley” means getting everything you need for the cruise you plan to make. When you arrive at our dock you will probably be tired from the trip and not in the mood to go shopping. You will want to get to know each other, relax and, above all, think about your vacation. Since you don’t know the area, and you aren’t used to shopping for ten people and organizing meals for everyone, we have come up with a strategy. We have created a list of “basic” items that suit everyone, so you will already find them on board. During the week, we will then fine-tune the supply of fresh products together with you, taking everyone’s tastes and needs into account.

What is in the galley? From breakfast to dinner, we not only promise you won’t go hungry, but that you will eat as well as at home, or better! Coffee, milk, tea, jams of every kind, chocolate spread, cookies, rusks, yogurt, fruit juices and breakfast cereals, and then we get creative with lunches and dinners, with excellent pasta dishes enriched by local flavors and good fish. It is important to point out that guests with special dietary needs can organize themselves by bringing along the things that best suit their diet, or they can ask us before boarding to stock the galley with particular products.

Also called Cabin Charter, it means booking just one berth or one cabin and sharing the boat with other travelers. It is the ideal option if you travel alone or as a couple: it lowers the cost and gives you the chance to make new friends while sharing a passion for the sea.

It means booking the whole boat for private use by you and your group (family or friends). There will be no outside guests on board: you will have the boat all to yourselves, with maximum privacy and the freedom to agree on the rhythm of each day directly with the skipper.

The skippers will give you a few tips on everything you want to know during the briefing, which is also a fun way to introduce ourselves and get to know each other. Even though the boats we are talking about are very spacious and have every comfort, life on board necessarily means sharing space, so it is important to respect other people’s needs too. I promise you, though, that you won’t find it hard to enjoy these spaces in the most pleasant way. Back when people really sailed, boats had only the bare minimum to survive. Now, well, we are equipped for every need! One thing is certain and should not be forgotten: always follow the captain’s advice and you can’t go wrong. And don’t hesitate to ask questions. Even the ones that seem silly to you are not, and they will help make life on board better.

Absolutely not, you are very welcome! Beginners, in any discipline, are usually the most open to advice and to learning. So if you come aboard with us and want to get to know this sport and offshore sailing, the skippers will be at your disposal. There is no better way to learn to sail than by sailing! If you have no interest at all in the boat, the sails or navigation, you can devote yourself to an equally pleasant and relaxing sport: sunbathing, swimming, and eating! This vacation is not tailored to any one type of person. It suits every kind of need, but compared to staying in one place it has the advantage of taking you from one spot to another every day, without effort. While we sail, relax and enjoy the view. You will have nothing else to think about! If you come aboard already experienced, or eager to deepen your knowledge, you will certainly find plenty to exchange and new things to learn. Our skippers sail practically all year round, and not only in the Mediterranean but also in the tropics, so they will be happy to share their experiences with you.

This is rarely a problem when sailing in the Aeolian Islands. The morning legs are short, with stops of varying length for swimming, which is an excellent natural remedy that makes the discomfort disappear instantly. In addition, the always calm sea and the light breeze that accompanies us will relax you without causing annoying seasickness. The deck space is large, so if you avoid retreating to the cabin and stay out in the fresh air, or even better at the helm, you will feel at ease right away. If you want to be sure you won’t run into any trouble, bring along some scopolamine patches (TRANSCOP). You won’t use them, but you will feel more at ease.

If needed, we will give you advice on getting through the first moments of slight discomfort when you step on board. Your body’s center of gravity suddenly changes and some people may feel it, but it passes quickly. Eating little and often, and nothing too elaborate, helps a lot. The first swim in a bay, the wind and the relaxation will do the rest!

It is the option we call “individual berth”. Of course you can, and you will certainly not be the only one (80% of our guests are individual berths). Some people choose to come with company and some choose to come alone, but either way you will get to interact with the crew and the other guests and spend a pleasant week with new friends.

Booking cancellations are accepted in writing only.
No right of withdrawal is provided under the Italian Consumer Code. Nevertheless, we grant you the following withdrawal conditions:

• Cancellations up to 30 days before departure = penalty of 10% administrative fee.
• Cancellations from 30 days to 15 days before arrival = penalty of 70% of the total booked.
• Cancellations from 15 days to 0 days before arrival or in case of NO SHOW = 100% of the total booked.

By plane:
the first step is to find a flight to Catania or Reggio Calabria (low-cost airlines). Then, on the website www.alibrando.net, you can book the shuttle bus to Milazzo or the hydrofoil to Lipari. On the Catania – Milazzo bus, the bus driver himself will take you to the departing hydrofoil and hand you the hydrofoil tickets (Liberty Lines, Siremar and SNAV companies) all the way to Lipari. When you book the shuttle bus online, don’t forget to request the hydrofoil ticket as well (additional option).

By hydrofoil:
from Naples you can take the hydrofoil that leaves every day at 2:30 p.m. directly for Lipari from the Porto di Mergellina (NA), SNAV company. After 5 hours at sea you will arrive directly at Marina Lunga in Lipari, where you will find our boats moored a few meters from the Porto Turistico Marina di Pignataro.

Third option: fly to Reggio Calabria airport, take a taxi or bus to the port (a 10-minute ride) and then the hydrofoil to Lipari via Messina. The shipping companies are Liberty Lines and SNAV. However, since the schedules of this last hydrofoil route, with the connection to catch in Messina, change continually, we recommend always checking departures on the companies’ own websites.

Lipari
Once you disembark in Lipari, you have arrived, and finding us will be very easy! Our boats are moored at Marina di Pignataro, close to the center of Lipari and to the hydrofoil dock.

You will find us here to welcome you while you wait for the 7:00 p.m. boarding time. If you arrive very early, we recommend leaving your luggage at the luggage storage and taking a stroll through the historic center of Lipari.

Boarding time is 7:00 p.m. We will show you to your cabins, and then everyone is ready for dinner!