Cruising the Aeolian Islands Traveller Reviews

Cruising the Aeolian Islands SAT JUN 24 – SAT JUL 1, 2017 We embarked on the Gulet “Derya Deniz” at the port of Milazzo on the North-East coast of Sicily, 1 hour and 40 miN from Catania airport. During the evening landing at Catania airport we had stunning views of Mount Etna. Spending 2 days in Catania proved well worth while; the sea food restaurants were excellent, the huge variety of buildings starting with Roman remains through baroque to modern, and the tour of Mount Etna provided an excellent introduction to Sicily. Milazzo is dominated by industrial sites, refineries and a power station. The marina is very large and stretches for some miles along the coast. The distance from the bus to the gulet was substantial however the the crew swiftly moved the luggage from the bus to the Gulet. The cabin was as expected, with two beds with space between. The on-suite was more than adequate. Great dinner with, of course spaghetti with clams, traditional salad, fresh fruit and finally lashings of white wine from the Etna region. The enjoyment of the cruise was greatly enhanced by the courtesy and helpfulness of the boat crew, the two ladies who did the cooking and the two guides, Michael and Julia. Each day we visited a different island and somehow managed to fit in a daily swim and events ashore including visits to restaurants, museums, vineyards and castles. One restaurant specialised in grilling a huge variety of meats another the best of modern fine dining accompanied by local wines. In the same way the two vineyards were opposites one old and making classical wines of the island’s the other very new and state of the art using eco-friendly methods to cool the cellars etc. The local museums were stunning, highly focused on the history of the islands. Amphorae salvaged from wrecks on the seabed highlighted the island’s fame for wine in Roman times. Silks and dyes were also sent along over the empire. Constantly on the horizon was the cone shaped island of Stromboli and we were disappointed when the weather suddenly changed and we could not land. However the trip back towards Lipari and Salina in a breeze showed of the captain and the Gulet capabilities in heavier weather. On a reach with a single sail the Gulet is very impressive. We have always found Gulet trips an ideal location for family celebrations with our mature family. Importantly there were a myriad of chances for informal chats not only with the family but with the crew and ever attentive guides not to mention the other guests from all round the world.

Very attentive and anxious to please

This was a cruise around Sicily's Aeolian Islands. It includes visits to ancient sites, museums of social history and fabulous food and wine.

Peter Sommers is easy to work with when booking, or explaining what tours would suit us. The staff are super professional and knowledgeable about their chosen subjects.

A holiday within a dynamic environment of weather and sea constraints generally saw the tour descriptors achieved. The passion of the tour leader and his ability to relate history combined with his love for the area explored, allowed for a relaxed and interesting experience. Each island visited had its own surprises which he enlivened.

Seamless transfers, attention to detail both on and off the gulet, ability to cope with weather constraints and good crew co-ordination gave an overall impression of thoroughness and good decision making. A holiday experience in a part of Italy that is beautiful and welcoming.

The combination of the archaeology, the food and wine experiences, the swimming and the generally relaxed atmosphere made for a very enjoyable tour.

Peter Sommer representatives were efficient, well organised and the pre-tour information was most informative. There was a high attention to detail. Our main tour guide was very enthusiastic and highly qualified.