The sport fishing is one of the most practised activities on the islands of the Aeolian archipelago. The position of the archipelago and its unique morphological and bathymetric characteristics assure amusement and delicious spoils. The used techniques are various: Bolognese fishing between rocks and near to small harbours, deep fishing from the coast, and for those who use boats, it is possible to practise the traditional fishing line, trawler fishing, or the modern techniques of vertical fishing (Jigging, Kaburae, Inchiku).

Under coastal fishing line -20mt/25mt

In under coastal fishing line the most spread species are represented by cuttlefishes, squids, and octopus which reach remarkable sizes. It is important to equip yourselves with specific artificial baits. There are a lot of sand steenbras, easy to fish with leeway with the use of natural baits.

One of the most frequent techniques practised on the archipelago is fishing line at medium depth, capable to donate abundant game bags, and occurs near numerous shallows. The species easily to be found are: barracuda, groupers, saddled breams, morays, breams, forkbeards and turbots. Between October and April you can find a lot of common Pandora.

Different is trawler fishing, which can offer exciting captures of amberjacks , and using shaving seabed lines, it is possible to meet well-sized snappers. Sailing at moderate speed and fishing from half-height waters till the surface, it is possible to fish common Dolphinfishes, albacore Tunas, little Tunas, and if lucky, swordfishes.

The fishing of red squids

A particular mention deserves the fishing of red squids, practised by local fishermen. The squid is a cephalopod, having ten tentacles, two of which are longer than others. Reaching considerable weight, it is not rare to find squids exceeding ten kilos and one meter of length. It is about fishes living in depth. The locals use fishing methods, handed down from one generation to another. During deep summer, in the late afternoon, fishermen prepare their boats for fishing, taking place later that night. The squid lives in great depths, but the conformation of Aeolian seabed has elevated bathymetric, even in coast proximity, and permits to reach high seabed zones without going far away from the coast. The principal bait is constituted of “totanara” (artificial squid creel) of big dimensions, locally called “Lontro”, which consists in lowing a metallic cylinder made of stainless steel, to which a stroboscopic light is fixed, with the function of call. At the end of the cylinder a creel full of hooks without barbs is collocated. Of course there are different variations in “lontro” construction. Tradition, creativity, and manual skill of fisherman allow remarkable variations of the hand-made product. The fishing action consists in lowing the “totanara” into the high sea bottom, and in pulling it up progressively towards the surface, making long pauses. Attracted by throbbing lights, squids go back up towards the surface where are then caught thanks other “totanara” of smaller dimensions. More modern systems contemplate the usage of fishing rods, equipped with electric fishing reels, and “totanara” produced by qualified companies. The squid fishing, apart from granting tasty booties, is very amusing; that is why it is practised by the sport- and semi-professionals.

The sea has always been admired not only for its beauty, but also for the richness which can derive and really deriving from it. The history teaches us that the lucky coasts bathed by the sea have always been indisputable “ladies” of trade, of creation of communication networks, and exchanges between countries. The sea’s pearls are a precious resource from many points of view, from natural beauties to the possibilities of man to intervene on nature, without altering it negatively, for the development of an eco-friendly economy. The typical examples of history repeating itself teaches us we all are living upon layers of history, which always leaves evidence and signs. Think about Rome and Pompeii, cities built upon other pre-existent cities, the magic of life, of an epoch, of culture leaving a sign; a vivid evidence of man’s presence, the protagonist of inexorable times passing by, but leaving in its “things” their worldliness marked by a memory which first were a research, and then the discover of the richness emerging from the past. The seabed of the Aeolian Islands is one of the most beautiful and impressive heritages of the historical period, going from the pre-history to the Late Roman period. The prime geographical location of the Aeolian Islands encouraged numerous exchanges. The ships full of pottery and amphora, which sailed these wonderful waters in past, left us a rich archaeological heritage, the result of researches and occasional retrievals. Their history, and their beauty, which remained unaltered through times, is kept in the wonderful Museum of Lipari.

The Aeolian Islands, seven pearls of the volcanic origin, are situated in wonderful waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, a few miles away from the Sicilian coast. The archipelago always attracted sailors and tourists all over the world, because of its unique landscapes, its historical evidence and its crystalline waters full of life, which seabed keep a tumultuous history made of eruptions, seaquakes, invasions and piracy. Despite the touristic vocation this destination developed in the last 50 years, these places, thanks to islanders’ love, maintained their pristine nature; they are an example and an evidence of a possible realization of a perfect coexistence between man and nature. The seabed is a wonderful view of particular colours: from the white of pumice to the black seabed of a volcanic origin. The coast is mostly rocky, full of creeks, stacks and coves. The waters are full of life, and characteristic species, the wrecks are witness of time and millennium history of these places full of beauty, charm and mythology. All these factors turned the Aeolians into a favourite destination for all the skin-divers. You cannot absolutely miss the scuba diving in Grotta dei Gamberi, in Secca dei Sei metri, and both charming and unique Archeosub di Capo Graziano area.

Cave of the Gamberi

• Difficulty: medium / hard
• Depth: 30/45 meters.
• Visibility: good

The immersion, one of the most fascinating of the island, occurs near Capo Graziano, and starts with swimming towards the offing, and leaving behind Capo Graziano and a seabed covered with stones and Neptune Grass. Once reached the 15m of depth, a rocky wall goes down into the intense blue of the sea till twenty or so metres. Following the wall, while admiring the rich marine fauna, you will directly find yourselves at the entrance of the Grotta dei Gamberi. The entrance, of a distinctive “V” overturned shape, occurs at 37/39 m of depths where you enter a real dark, sinuous, and rather demanding tunnel. To enjoy the wonders of the cave it is not necessary to go much forward, because of a little light it should be quite difficult to proceed, and besides the first stretch is the richest concerning the marine flora and fauna, and particularly, of lobsters.

The shoal Sei Metri

Depth: 42 mt
Difficulty: hard
Visibility: excellent

While going back up, do not miss the gully, of a clear volcanic origin, leading to the surface; here you can admire big groupers, which populate the gully. The Secca dei Sei Metri, a favourite destination of skin-divers on Filicudi, has an evocative seabed, and is situated on the northern side of the island, off the coastal stretch between La Sciara and Giafante Rock, where a column, 35 m high, arises from depth to its header at the altitude of 6 metres. Moving from Filicudi Port and sailing in the northern direction you reach the suddetto rock; 200 m away from it you can see the shallow, the point marking the start of immersion. Going down along the wall, you can feel a unique sensation of flying which finishes only when you reach the sandy seabed, full of boulders; the place where it is not difficult to see morays, lobsters, red gorgonians’ shoals, sabella spallanzanii, and the characteristic melon sea urchin, breams, red Linnaeus and sponges of a bright yellow colour.

The shoal of Capo Graziano

Depth: 42 mt
Difficulty: moderate / difficult
Visibility: Good

After having explored seabed with its extraordinary light plays, you can go back up admiring the numerous creeks, a perfect habitat for groupers and big blackbelly rosefishes. Surely the most charming immersion of the whole island, such as of the archaeological site of the world-wide importance because of numerous boats of ancient epoch lying on the seabed, is that of Capo Graziano. It is about a monolith of great proportions which rises from the depths in correspondence of the promontory of Capo Graziano in Filicudi. The scuba-diving starts from the head of the same shallow, and proceeds till the depth of 30m. During the descent you are catapulted in past, because you admire the archaeological findings of enormous values, an evidence of numerous shipwrecks occurred in course of millennia. Once reached 30m of depth, on a sandy seabed, there is the rest of a load of amphora of A-Rochi wreck. This area, besides being a site of a great cultural interest, is also a favourite place for those keen on nature, because of its rich and luxuriant habitat, thanks to laws, forbidding since 10 years fishing and scuba diving if not accompanied by authorized personnel, or whatever other activity causing damage to submarine environment.

The island you go, the scuba diving you find! The small pearl of the Aeolians, Alicudi, offers the possibility of magnificent underwater scenery, and within range of less expert skin-divers.

Cigliata di tramontana

The difficulty of diving, called “la cigliata di tramontana”, is low. It is about the maximum depth of 30m. It is necessary to moor on a seabed of about 8m. Once started the immersion it is possible to immediately notice a kind of natural stair which permits the access to the whole “cigliata”. The seabed is composed of stretch of walls and very near boulders, among which it is possible to admire octopuses. The creeps of these walls give hospitality to lobsters, morays, groupers, sponges, Astroides, and Cladonia crinita. Their beauty does not hide in shades, crystalline waters facilitate the delight of these amazing views.

Clear waters full of life , the history made of eruptions, seaquakes, invasions, and piracy have always attracted sailors and tourists from all over the world. In spite of the touristic vocation this destination acquired during the last 50 years, it is possible to affirm that man’s intervention has not mutated or changed the wonderful landscape and such evocative and wonderful sea. Such multi-coloured seabed, a rocky coast full of creeks, stacks and caves, made of Vulcano the favourite destination for all those who are fond of scuba diving. There are a lot of sites where you can dive in Vulcano, each of them having its own fashion and always giving new emotions.

Capo Grillo

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 18mt 41mt.
Visibility: excellent.
Current: light.

The mooring occurs at 6m on the northern side of the island; the diving takes place along the volcanic ridge, coloured by several sponges and starfishes. At the depth of 18m a little cave creates an accessible creek full of shrimps to the skin-divers. The immersion continues admiring the ridge where it is not difficult to see lobsters, morays, and every kind of shoals. At the depth of 41m another creek creates a cave populated by a thick colony of shrimps, and musdea.

The wall of the Little Mermaid

Difficulty: very demanding
Depth: 12mt 45mt
Visibilità: Excellent.
Current: light

The diving occurs under the volcano’s slopes on the western side of the island. The point is not hard to locate thanks to the statue of the mermaid which surmounts a big rock at a few meters of the coast, the peak of a platform of volcanic rocks. At 12m of depth there is a stair where you will notice a wall; swimming around you will find lobsters, pentagon stars, sponges, and blackbelly rosefishes. For more expert skin-divers, at the depth of 35m it is possible to find some red corals. The scuba diving is exciting both for gas emissions from the seabed and fro the presence of a small creek which leads to the internal air bubble.

The landslide archipelago

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 25mt 45mt.

The diving occurs in front of the northern coast of Vulcanello between two hotels, easily seen from the sea. The discovery of the seabed starts with a light slope alternated to rocks and Posidonia oceanica (also known as Neptune Grass) till the depths of 10m, where a more steep descent starts, compound of stones, which become always bigger with the increase of the depth; they create an evocative seabed at 45m of depth.

Capo Grosso

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 20mt 40mt
Visibility: excellent
Current: Media

The diving on the northern-east side of Vulcano, where from the surface a vertical wall goes down till 50m on plateau. The diving is really evocative because it permits the discovery of the ravines which appear along this wall full of indentations and canals, and is populated by a myriad of the colonies of sponges, parrotfishes, anemone, astroides, and sabella spallanzanii. The numerous creeks create an ideal habitat for octopus, morays, blackbelly rosefishes and groupers.

Scoglio’s Quaglietto

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 20mt 30mt
Visibility: excellent
Current: slightly

Lo Scoglio del Quaglietto is among the most appreciated diving places of the Aeolian Islands. The rock is situated on the western coast of the Vulcano island, at a little distance from the coast. The diving is also right for the less expert skin-divers, and it occurs along the vertical wall of the rock until you reach a cave with many chambers, where the statue of Madonna surrounded by sabella spallanzannii is situated. In the second chamber there is a colony of prawns living. Adjacent the cave, on the seabed, a landslide makes the landscape full of creeks, a perfect shelter for groupers, lobsters, and octopus.

Capo Testa Grossa

Difficulty: Difficult
Depth: 20mt 50mt

The diving is recommended to the most expert skin-divers. Capo Teresa Grossa is situated on the western coast of the Vulcano island. The discovery of the seabed starts in the northern bay of the header next to rocks. One of these rocks creates a vertical wall populated by sponges. The diving continues going towards the extreme point of the header, where initially you follow a nearby vertical wall till you arrive to a steep landslide reaching depths major then 50 metres. The landslide creates a perfect habitat for burrow fishes; in fact it is not difficult to meet groupers, morays, octopus, lobsters ,and breams.

The whole Aeolian coastal area has landscapes of an extraordinary beauty and uniqueness, but the sea of Panarea stands out for the presence of these islands: Basiluzzo, Bottaro, Dattilo, Lisca Bianca and Lisca Nera which, together with the island form a stand-alone archipelago situated upon the unique volcanic complex, the real paradise for the scuba-divers. The Panarea coasts, beyond being the demonstration of the powerful volcanic nature of the place, collect in a short stretch of sea numerous peculiarities which make the discover of this small archipelago between Lipari and Stromboli a continuous emotion, which vary from one immersion to another.

La Nave rock

Difficulty: medium
Depth: 10-32m
Current: media
Visibility: excellent

The immersion, situated on the north-west of Panarea, in correspondence of the La Nave Rock, starts with the descent of the stack’s vertical wall, and the observation of colourful sponges, astroides, and algae which create a perfect habitat for the colonies of parrotfishes; moreover, in the wall’s gaps octopus and morays nestle. The immersion continues with the discover of the basement, where the seabed is composed of big stones, used as a shelter of groupers and Linnaeus, the Spinazzola rock.

The rock Spinazzola

Difficulty: Easy
Depth: 0-45m
Current: Low
Visibility: excellent

Next to Basiluzzo, on the western side between the Spinazzola and Basiluzzo rocks, the immersion begins. At circa 10 metres of depth, on the rocky plateau you can see a collapsed zone, where some meter deeper a bleak aspect is transformed into an explosion of colours, thanks to the presence of astoides, colourful sponges, gorgonians, orange madreporaria (scleractinia), and starfishes who populate the white wall of the monolith. Between the gaps of the vertical wall it is not difficult to see octopus, morays and redfish, while the basement, at 45 metres depth, is made of a stretch of big boulders, an ideal habitat for groupers and Linnaeus.

The shipwreck of Lisca Bianca

Difficulty: high
Depth: 25-42m
Current: media
Visibility: excellent

The sea of the Aeolian Islands keeps countless relics. Unfortunately few of them are reachable because of the prohibitive depths where they lie, and because of the archaeological obligations which ban any visit. One which can be visited is the Llanishen relic, British steam merchant ship wrecked in the last years of the 19th century after it clashed against the rocks of Lisca Nera. The wreck lies on the seabed of circa 30-40 meters in navigation position, in way to make it visible in its entirety yet from the top. Unfortunately the hull is in a very bad condition of conservation; the wooden parts are quite totally absent, and the part of sheets which constituted the bow are now ruined. The better conserved part of the relic is the stern where you can perfectly distinguish the helm and the propeller, now partly covered up with sand. The relic is populated by groupers, breams, morays, castagnole, spirographs and starfishes.

The Aeolians, the 7 pearls of the volcanic origin situated in deep waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea a few miles away from the Sicilian coast. The archipelago has always attracted sailors and tourists from all over the world, for its unique landscape, for its historical evidence, and for its crystalline waters full of life, and of contrasts, and for its sea beds which keep a tumultuous history made of eruptions, seaquakes, invasions, and pirates. Despite the touristic vocation that this destination has developed in the last 50 years, it was able to preserve a wild nature, and a pristine sea. White pumice sea beds, contrasting with those black of volcanic origin, a coast full of creeks, stacks, and caves, have made of it the favourite destination for all the underwater fans. Various are the sites where to immerge in Salina, each of it encloses a unique fashion, and always different emotions. Sea beds, populated by numerous ichthyic species, like groupers, morays, octopus, squids, barracudas, and shoals of occhiate, have a diversified holographic structure. There are ravines, walls, creeks, caves, stacks, and old collapsed craters, where the colonies of sponges and gorgonians, which colour the walls.

Shoal of Pollara

•  Difficulty: Easy
•  Depth: max 35 meters.
•  Visibility: excellent

The full immersion takes place along the bay of Pollara, a place of enormous suggestion for its morphological characteristics, the bay was created after the collapse of a crater’s part, upon which the whole residential zone is situated.

The immersion takes place 100m from the coast, near to the stack, a clear evidence of the volcanic origin of the bay. The underwater vision of this reef is really unique, the walls are inhabited by morays, octopuses, and small groupers. Once arrived to the depth of 25 meters, the shallow starts, characterized by a sandy sea bed, alternated to small rocks covered with Poseidonia. The immersion goes on sloping down along the rocky walls of the shallow, which are full of ravines, creeks, caves, and canyons, an optimal environment for starfishes , Astroides, gorgonians, and numerous ichthyic species, like turbots, groupers, breams, and cuttlefishes.

Shoal of Capo

• Difficulty: high
• Depth: 40-45m
• Visibility: excellent

The shallow is used by skin-divers with advanced patent, for strong marine flowing, and depths round 45m; for this reason it is advised to practise it only during optimal atmospheric conditions. The immersion starts round 10m of depth, where a white rocky wall collapses up to 45m. Between gaps and ravines of the shallow it is not hard to see big fishes as groupers, congers, and morays, who found a perfect habitat because of the existence of luxuriant marine flora. The wall composing the shallow goes down almost vertically, and creates a suggestive landscape which collapses into the dark blue waters. The basement shows different characteristics, and thanks to a great number of ravines, it is possible to see numerous species of burrow fishes.

Tre Pietre

• Difficoltà: media
• Profondità: da 20 a 40m
• Visibilità: buona

On the south-east of Rinella port, three little outcropping rocks indicate the exact immersion point. From here, through a step, you arrive to a rocky sea bed, full of Clavelina, Astroides, Pentagon Stars, and Poseidonia. This immersion can be practised by both beginners, and expert scuba-divers; the target is a rocky pyramid, situated at the end of a dorsal, which from the 40m seabed rises up beyond 20m of height. The pyramid, full of ravines, is a burrow for morays and congers, and the mostly exposed to the streams part, distinguishes itself for a great presence of yellow gorgonians and some spirographs.

Who considers that the Aeolian Islands are amazing, charming and magic only for their appearance, is wrong! In their bowels, in the restless depth of marine flowing, between the rocky fissures, holding up the earth, and being enveloped by wonderful sea water, amazing worlds are hidden! We bring you, thanks to words and images, into the depths of the sea, into those majestic seabed which receive the beauty, and leave anyone charmed.

In Lipari, plunging into the village’s dry point, it is possible to admire, from the maximum depth of 23mt, a various gamma of the colours, and fishes. In this point, the immersions are suitable for everybody; even amateur skin-divers are able to enjoy this amazing marine fauna. Immersions’ level is of low difficulty . It is necessary to anchor in the cove. Six meters away you can dive in a sandy seabed. The immersion gradually goes on towards a seabed full of stones, which produce ravines and walls, showing wonderful colours; in these elegant corridors octopus, groupers and morays move. In the maximum depth you can admire the view of fins nobilis.

The Punta Castagna immersion has some limits, if compared to the village’s dry. Attention, no limits of beauty! The immersions in this place are recommended only to expert skin-divers, and they advise not to go over 40 meters; the difficulty is high. It is a hard law of life, and sometimes, something of difficult to be reached, appears more charming and magic. The immersions in this point go beyond every imagination, and great charm. The seabed is characterized by the presence of canyons covered with the whitest pumice. This scenery appears magnificent in its particular mix of colours, light plays, and shadows. It is possible to anchor 9 meters further. The blue colour of the seabed opens the descent towards spirographs, which seem to deputize Dante’s Beatrice, leading to a part of paradise! You do not meet the blessed souls , but real, concrete, tangible beauties. This seabed shows us, at 36mt, anthias’s clouds, and red gorgonians. Between these clouds of anthias there are not the angels to move, but wonderful lobsters, groupers and elegant barracuda. What we see in the surface is only the smallest part of what is hidden in the heart of depths. We are not talking about the Freudian mechanism, or about the famous Iceberg of Titanic, but almost about a huge stone emerging from the Lipari’s seabed. We are introducing the immersion of the bath stone, requiring a long preparation, considering a highest degree of difficulty. The maximum reachable depth is of 36meters. Once reached our “extreme point of the iceberg”, you have to moor on the southern side, where the seabed rises up to 14mt, to go on then its descent up to 36mt, its maximum depth, where our “iceberg’s point” offers the scenery of cubic rocks. You are not admiring a Picasso’s painting! These are the imperfect, but such wonderful geometries of the nature! These rocky stones are collocated one upon another at the foot of the majestic stone. They are embellished by the mantles of starfishes, marine sponges, spirographs, and gorgonians. This is the real pardise for groupers. The amazing seabed is also the place where to meet amberjacks, octopus, and morays.

The immersions are not suitable only for the heroes of the seabed. Of the medium difficulty, up to 30mt of depth, la Secca delle Formiche provides an amazing scenery of a rocky formation, which arises from a purely sandy seabed of 30mt.

Jointly, these rocks give the idea of an inverted cone. The docking has to be done on the top of the shallow, a clearly visible point, thanks to its crystalline waters. The scenery offers the passage of some parrotfish, too.

Wherever you go, the eyes catch unique images, which make us feel as a part of nature, in a perfect harmony with the environment. Crystalline waters of Lipari also accept less skilful skin- divers. The immersion, named so by the boulders characterizing the seabed, Le Formiche di Lipari, does not present particular difficulties, and allows us to admire a seabed, which varies between 13 and 28 mt. These boulders, stacked one upon another, create suggestive natural tunnels, where you can meet octopus and groupers. The tunnels are enriched by the presence of asteroids. At this point it is enough to rise your eyes upward, to meet shoals of small fishes. It is really between the sky, the earth, the water and the depth, that man has the honour to feel indeed a part of a perfect totality, going beyond apparent spaces.

The evocative scenery, unfortunately for a few, is offered by the immersion known as “panettoni di pietra menalda”. The immersion is almost tricky, and is suitable only for expert skin-divers. The maximum depth is 49mt, and bottom times are indeed reduced. The scenery shows the wonderful pentagon starfishes, melon hedgehogs, and pink gorgonians.