stromboli volcano

Seeing lava splashing out from Stromboli was one of the best moments in my life. There're more than 10 craters, sometimes some of them erupting at the same time, like fireworks on the earth. I booked Magmatrek, they did a great job, it's better to choose the last trip of the day, departs around 6/7 pm, so you can get to the top at midnight and have a dark night to capture magnificent photos. It's also better to exercise or keep in shape since I didn't get enough sleep before the trip and became exhausted in the end.

We did a boat trip to the Aeolian Islands from Taormina initially wanting to go to Lipadi but due to bad weather had to choose another island. If there are storms no boats will go out. The islands are just beautiful and a little like Santorini. Stromboli is quite remarkable when viewed by boat at dusk when you can see the red hot lava flow and spectacular formation of the volcano. It is a long day but the scenery is beautiful and not to be missed.

Unfortunately there was not an active lava flow that could be accessed the day we sailed there. We sailed around the island and had great views of the vulcano. Worth the visit.

Went past on a cruise at night. Wonderful. Captain slowed the boat so we could appreciate it. It was wonderful

We stayed in great accommodation with a beautiful view of Stromboliccio (extinct volcano plug) and with Stromboli volcano everpresent! fantastic place!

We have planned this trip to Stromboli for months and were very disappointed when we found out shortly before our departure that the guided treks to the summit was closed due to recent eruptions. We decided to still go and we’re so glad we did! Stromboli village itself is a storybook little village with wonderful people and we absolutely LOVED it! It’s like time has come to a halt – it was the most relaxing and serene part of our Italy trip and we really enjoyed the quiet time in the afternoons when the whole village literally closes shop and enjoys a siesta! We were there for 2 nights, so we did the ascent to 400m the one night and the boat trip the next. The ascent is not as easy as most people would make you think and it took much longer than we were told. I’m not a couch potato but I’m also not a marathon runner but for 2 months before our Stromboli visit, I trained hard to be fit enough for our ascent (at the time still thinking we’d be going to the summit) – I power-walked and cycled 600km over the two months to give you an idea of my fitness level. The initial part up to L’Osservatorio was fine although by the time I got to that point I was quite sweaty, red in the face, and out of breath. (I must add that it was a hot day). We continued to follow the switchbacks, which became shorter and steeper as we went and eventually, it became a narrow steep path, at times hanging onto plants to pull myself up. By the time we reached 290m, I was absolutely knackered and did not think I could go a step further. Many people were on this path and everyone just kept going, so we followed along. Looking back, I cannot believe I did this because I felt like I was about to die! Eventually we reached the 400m lookout! What a sight! Lava was flowing down to the ocean and every few minutes we would see a huge puff and more lava to follow. It was an amazing sight! I cannot even describe it – it is something you have to experience to contemplate. We stayed for about 30 – 40 minutes, just awe inspired by what we saw. It was 100% worth the agony to get there! The way down was quicker and easier but in a way a bit trickier due to the complete darkness. We did have our head torches but they only give you so much light ahead. Due to the downhill slope, you tend to go faster and could easily slip and fall. We made it down in one piece, absolutely elated by what we just witnessed!I would recommend this to anybody who visits Stromboli! We did the boat trip the following evening and it was not even close to what we’ve experienced and saw by doing the climb. If you have the ability, then do it! Just be realistic about your level of fitness and the difficulty of the ascent. It is not a walk in the park!

I fully agree with a review of Soleil, which I had on my phone during the climb.I'll write shortly - if you do not hike or climb, you might get scared off. If you do have some mountain experience, there's nothing there to surprise you.The hikes above 300 m are still banned, with some 500eur fine, but we did the summit and back with no formal and vulcanic problems. The sunset in fumes and lava flows was one of the best things on earth.

We walked up in the dark with head torches. The path is well defined, although steep. Take water. A head torch or equivalent is essential, along with decent shoes. The view was great and we stood in the pitch black and watched the lava for a long time. We came down carefully, but did see a few other people with injuries from falls, so be careful!

it was really extremely gorgeous view at night to see lava flowing from the huge crater.. for a few minutes i felt as if am assisting a very good fire work session.. it was a pleasure for me for my first view of a Volcano to be so much lively..

This was a great experience - it's not every day you get to see a live lava flow and to swim in bouyant water beneath it. we travelled as part of an organised day tour, booked online through Viator. The boat was clean and tidy and not too full. We chose by chance to sit outside at the back, as my husband has some difficulty with stairs. What a great decision - as dusk fell and the boat travelled back and forth beneath the flow we had a wonderful view. Personally, we would have missed out Panarea and spent more time on Stromboli. The fly in the ointment was the very poor and very overpriced meal at the restaurant on Panarea that we went to with our tour leader (After 40 years of travel we really should know better!) On an Italian volcanic island surrounded by water teeming with fish, with insufficient space to stand a cow, let alone let it graze, it is ironic that the restaurant had neither fish nor pizza but offered a range of roasted meats! When we arrived in Stromboli there was a string of fruit and vegetable sellers and quite a few places to eat. Much better to wait until you reach it's black and sparkling shores. On reflection this was a great tour but would have improved for us in just visiting Stromboli, perhaps leaving later in the day for our trip. The on-line tickets don't make clear that they do a pick-up and state that the departure point is from Taormina Coach Station. Make sure you ring the day before to confirm your trip and they will state time and place of departure. Our hotel was up a steep hill in Giardini Naxos but the arranged pickup point was very close by and within 10 minutes of the stated time. Excellent value for money if you can afford it.

We walked up at night, even though the tours were not allowed to go above 290 feet. At that height you could see and hear the lava flowing over the edge of the crater. It was amazing.

It takes about 1 & 1/2 hours to reach 400 meters and in occasions the way up is quite steep and tricky but the views are definitely worth it. We climbed it twice, the first day we reached around 300 meters, but as it gets dark it becomes dangerous to keep climbing so we returned the next day and climbed to the next belvedere which is the highest point we were allowed to reach. There was a security man that stopped whoever tried to go further, not sure what the reason was because the volcano did not exhibit high activity. if you climb it in the afternoon, you'll be able to watch the sunset and the red hot lapilli coming out the caldera, which are more visible at night. Once the sun sets, if you look up you'll be able to admire the beautiful starry sky. If you are planning to do the afternoon trip remember to take few torches with you and suitable trainers.

We walked to mountain in the daylight as no trips to the top on, the path was clear and very few people we were able to stare and spend time in wonderment without too many people. We did do the boat trip at night which should ban cameras as the lights and flashes spoiled the tour as our eyes needed time to recover from the bright flash, we also saw from the boat the hundreds of torch lights coming down the mountain so glad we went in daylight

We were told when we arrived on Stromboli that a hike to the summit (918m) would be "impossible" due to the volcano's activity...apparently, tours have been suspended for 2 months. 'No' wasn't really an answer we were prepared to take, so we opted to go to the top solo...and we're still around to make a TripAdvisor review. No one was around to reprimand us and Stromboli behaved herself. I won't lie, it was definitely a challenging hike- we are both feeling it today. In fact, the other night, we made it up to the 400m official observatory and were surprised at all the reviewers remarks at how difficult the climb was, not realizing that those extra 500m vertical was the true brunt of the challenge. Once you clear the tree line, the path disappears among the rocks, which can often be loose, but there were a few human-made piles of pumice that vaguely guided us on our way. The clouds thickened toward the summit, so much so that our clothes and eyelashes were covered in water droplets- my hair was soaked through. We could no longer see the ocean (or the majority of the path) below us, while gusts of wind sailed past and filled me with doubt, but we pressed on. After a few hours later, we crossed the finish line and were sorely disappointed that there was nothing but a thick veil of cloud to reward us for our labor. We shrugged, proud of our accomplishment and started back toward the 'path' to make our descent-- when all of a sudden, the wind picked up, the light changed and we could see the absolute glory of the lava and the expanse of ocean below. We were in absolute awe, laughing that we'd almost missed the spectacle. Within minutes, the mist lifted and we were gifted an incredible sunset over floes of magma and pillars of volcanic smoke. Most reviewers say that the descent in much easier than the ascent, but I'm inclined to disagree. Sure, it might be a relief from the standpoint of physical exertion. But mentally, the descent required much more focus and concentration. It's a little rougher on the ankles, too. But we were so completely elated with what we'd seen that it hardly mattered. So, in short, despite what the locals said, a trip to the top was not impossible. "Illegal," maybe but totally and utterly worth it... But you didn't hear it from me. PS, just make sure that you pack a bag with plenty of snacks and water. I rented a pair of hiking boots as well (which were much appreciated) and we would have been pretty miserable if my husband hadn't purchased a 130 Lumen headlight-- it was our saving grace on the way down and only cost about €35.

We spent a night out of a week's trip to Sicily with the sole objective of getting a close look at the volcano. In fact, the ferry in routed clockwise, so went past the lava flow as well: the close-up view from land is far better.It's about 35 mins fast walk (50-60 mins more sedate / if you're not so fit) from the west end of the village to the 'official' observation point at 290m. Although the climb is fairly high, the path mainly winds, so is fairly easy going, and never steep. Having read various guide sites we were booted, with eye-wear, dust masks, spare layers, and head torches. We set off aiming to arrive for sunset, and managed this easily. It WAS low-ish season when we went, so not too busy, but I could imagine it being a bit mad in high season. We didn't need dust mask or goggles (it seemed like the path might have been watered), but head torches / flashlights make sense, and are essential if you climb higher. The change of shirt and extra layers were also welcome: i work up quite a sweat and temperutes dropped off smartly with the dipping sun. I'd recommend strong soled shoes at least - again, boots with good grip essential above 290m. We saw people in pumps and sandals, but it takes all sorts. Also take plenty of water.The view from 290m is okay; across the main lava slope, you could see red hot lumps of rock cartwheeling fairly constantly, almost playfully, and very audibly, down to the sea, leaving smudgy geometric arcs of smoke and vapour in their wake. By night, the thermal glow was much more obvious, and with the moon rising behind the caldera the vista was awesome; coincidentally, from 1000' up there was a lot of ocean to look at as well, and a beautiful sunset.There are warning signs at 290m, suggesting that travel beyond that point without a guide was trespass; there may also be safety implications. We went up further anyway, and ten minutes' climb is well rewarded though NOTE: it is much more of a climb / scramble from here, more vertical, with raw path and some very loose sections (none of the stone setts that characterise the main path lower down) and I would have to recommend good boots as a minimum, and a degree of fitness, agility and balance. From another 30m or so up the view of the caldera was better, though we saw nothing explosive: more like a sausage machine slowly emitting occasional lumps of rock that eventually break-off and fall away.It does get dark quickly, and a head torch leaves both hands free for balance: essential above 290m. Not sure relying on a mobile phone is wholly sensible! The view of people descending, seen from the Pizzeria below the last drag, was enchanting, with the illuminated smoke and steam glowing red and orange in the skyline behind. Truly memorable and for me a 'must do' if ever you're in the vicinity.