Stromboli
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UPDATE January 2026: I’ve just booked a trip to Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, including a two-day stint on Stromboli with a guided volcano hike (see below). When I’m back I’ll update this chapter, expand it to a full-length one and add a photo gallery (hopefully including images of Strombolian eruptions).
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A volcanic island off Italy, to the north of Sicily, and part of the Aeolian Islands archipelago, which also include the "original" Vulcano, after which all volcanoes are named, and which also has an active cone (though it’s not as spectacular as Stromboli).
Stromboli stands out in the world of volcanoes in that it's been active continuously for 2000 years and in that its activity can famously be viewed by ordinary tourists (much of the time), i.e. without it requiring an expedition. It’s still quite a hike, though.
Going all the way to the crater rim at 926m above sea level has been impossible for several years, since in 2019 a hiker was killed by lava bombs (flying volcanic rock). But you can reach a good viewpoint at 400m, albeit only on a pre-booked hike with a professional guide (organized by the outfit “Magmatrek”). These set off from the main settlement about two hours before sunset, allow one hour of volcano observation and then it’s another two hours’ hike back down in the dark. So you need to have a good torch. Also wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots, adequate clothing with extra layers for the night-time descent and carry enough drinking water and perhaps some snacks for sustenance.
Another viewpoint at 290m elevation but further away from the action, can be freely reached without a guide at any time.
Eruptions are at regular intervals (perhaps every 20 minutes or so) and consist of short bursts of red-hot lava fragments being ejected into the air from the crater as if in a fireworks display (the volcanological term is “Strombolian eruption”). The hot rocks then cascade down the steep northern flank towards the sea – this is called “Sciara del Fuoco” or ‘stream of fire’.
The last time Stromboli created effusive lava flows was in 2002. The same year also saw a partial landslide from the Sciara del Fuoco that caused a tsunami with a wave height of ca. 10m (30 feet). This is a danger that theoretically persists. And in 2019 a pyroclastic flow raced down the flank and carried on over the sea (something first observed on Montserrat).
So the volcano is a little temperamental and not entirely without its dangers, but the tourist hikes are generally quite safe. Nevertheless visitors at the viewpoint have to wear a hard hat, just in case a stray fragment gets ejected further than normal. The state of Stromboli is also constantly monitored closely, so that early warnings of impending major eruptive events can be issued.
Despite the volcano’s presence and activity there are settlements on the island, the larger of which lies on the easternmost part of the island, furthest from the crater, and it’s here that several accommodation options, restaurants and shops can be found catering for visitors. These days it has about 500 inhabitants. A much smaller settlement (40 residents) lies on the western end of the island and is called Ginostra. This can be reached by boat tours from the main settlement.
You can get to Stromboli by hydrofoil ferries operating mainly out of Lipari, the largest and most populous of the Aeolian Islands, which itself can be reached by such ferries from the Sicilian “mainland”, mainly from the nearest town, Milazzo (reachable by train) or even from Palermo, mostly in high season, in the shoulder seasons there may be only one ferry a week. Like the other Aeolian Islands Stromboli’s tourism sector more or less shuts down altogether in the winter months and ferry connections are much reduced.
Location: to the north of Sicily, ca. 45 miles (75 km from the city of Messina, in southern Italy. Stromboli is the easternmost of the Aeolian Islands. The largest of the group, Lipari, is ca. 28 miles (45 km) to the south-west.
Google maps locator: [38.79,15.21]