Vulcano Island

Benjamín Núñez González · CC BY-SA 4.0

Lipari, ME

Vulcano is the island of the smell of sulphur and of sea water bubbling at the shore. The ancients believed this was the forge of the god Vulcan, and every volcano in the world takes its name from him.

The Gran Cratere, which you climb on foot in about an hour from the port, has yellow fumaroles on its rim and a view over all the Aeolian Islands. Its last eruption dates from 1888-1890. On the opposite side is Vulcanello, a small, more recent cone joined to the island by an isthmus.

Near the port are the sulphurous mud pool, used since ancient times for skin and joints, and the Baia di Levante, where the seabed steams beneath the black sand.

• Always accessible (the island). For the Gran Cratere and the mud pool, check for any restrictions or opening times on the spot.
• Half a day or 1 day
• Free entry to the island; the mud pool is paid (when open).
• May to October; the climb is best early in the morning
• The climb to the Gran Cratere is on an unpaved path of about an hour; the rest of the island is flat.
• For the crater, bring water and sun protection: the path is exposed. The smell of sulphur is strong at the mud pool and in the stretch of sea where the seabed bubbles. Gas emissions can lead to restricted access to some areas: find out beforehand.