The magnificent Aeolian Islands are my definition of heaven. A volcanic archipelago off the north coast of Sicily, where the most important question is “when do we go for aperitivo?” This guide to things to do in Lipari is designed to help you make the most of your time, whether you’re here as a base for the islands or want to slow travel through Lipari.
One of the many perks of having a partner hailing from Italy (Sicily) is the yearly pilgrimage to visit the family. We always try to combine that visit with a few weeks of island hopping around the Aeolian or Egadi islands. Many of these islands are still reliant on local tourism, which means they are still unpolished, despite prices having soared in recent years.
Lipari is a natural gateway to explore the various islands, and it’s well worth treating as more than a quick stopover. I love this little hamlet and highly recommend spending at least three days exploring everything there is to do in Lipari: from sunset winetasting, to hunting for pumice stones or settling in for a delicious Aeolian-style dinner. You will not be bored.
Below you will find my favorite experiences, beaches, restaurants, viewpoints and a mini Lipari itinerary to help you plan the perfect escape. A handy map bundles everything together so you can plan your trip to Lipari without hassle.
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Lipari Itinerary at a Glance
WHERE TO STAY IN LIPARI
- Where we stayed: Casa Quattrocchi
- Luxury Pick: Tenuta di Castellaro Winery & Resort
- Centrally Located: Odysseus Hotel
- More options: Browse Lipari Hotels
BOOK YOUR TRIP TO LIPARI
- Top activity: Boat Tour to Panarea and Stromboli
- Best Wine Tasting: Tenuta di Castellaro
- Travel Insurance: Full insurance with SafetyWings
- Ferry Tickets: Book your tickets online
H3: Where is Lipari?
Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago just north of Sicily. It’s a popular base because it’s well-connected and has the most services (restaurants, shops, tours, accommodation).
H3: How to get to Lipari (most common route)
Most visitors travel via Milazzo (Sicily) and continue by ferry or hydrofoil to Lipari. The crossing takes about 1h05, but can vary by operator and sea conditions. Check the schedule and book your tickets online
H3: How to get around Lipari
Lipari Town is walkable and easy for first-timers. For beaches and viewpoints, use local buses, or a scooter if you’re confident on narrow roads. We tried at first with electric bicycles, but the island is extremely hilly so we opted for a scooter in the end.
H3: Where to stay in Lipari (best areas)
- Lipari Town: best without a vehicle, close to the port and restaurants.
- Canneto: beach-forward and a little calmer, with easy links back to town.
- Quattropani/Acquacalda: best for views and sunsets, but you’ll want transport.
10 Things to Do in Lipari, Sicily
1. Explore Lipari Town + Marina Corta
Lipari Town is the island’s beating heart, not the only settlement (there are smaller hamlets like Canneto, Quattropani, and Acquacalda), but very much the place where everything funnels through. It’s where I come for breakfast as well as to organise the day: tours typically depart around Marina Corta, ferries drop off day-trippers in a steady stream, and the bus connections that loop the island start here too.
Inevitably, I always end up staying longer than expected because I love how Lipari has managed to remain authentic, despite the ever increasing pressure of tourism. If you are lucky enough, you might catch the local older men gathering in the main square, engaging in some serious people-watching, while teenagers throw themselves into the nearby sea like it’s their personal swimming pool. Down at the harbour, fishermen haul in the day’s catch as little boats clink against the quay.
Aside from observing the locals, there are actually a fair number of things to do in Lipari town itself. Start off with a granita and brioche for breakfast at Bar d’Ambra, or Caffè La Vela, then pop into the Chiesa delle Anime del Purgatorio. Make sure to walk uphill to Castello di Lipari for the Museo Archeologico Regionale Eoliano. These two are not worth visiting unless you have spare time, but you do not want to miss the Chiostro Normanno and the Co-Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew, though.
2. Wine tasting at Tenuta di Castellaro
One of my absolute highlights on Lipari is the wine tasting at Tenuta di Castellaro. In summer, the winery organises a weekly Castellaro Sunset Live Music night, a live concert in the vineyard amphitheatre, followed by dinner options at the Castellaro Bistrot (€50-€70 menu). The winery has beautiful views over the nearby islands of Salina, Filicudi, and Alicudi. At the risk of sounding like an utter sap: it screams romantic date-night setting.
On the practical side, their tastings are by reservation and usually run around two hours, pairing three wines with a generous board (think cheeses and cured meats, plus their organic caper pâté). Depending on the experience you choose, the line-up often includes wines like Eúxenos (white), Corinto (red), and a Malvasia delle Lipari sweet wine, or a similar trio featuring Bianco Pomice, Nero Ossidiana and Malvasia delle Lipari DOC Passito.
EXTEND YOUR EXPERIENCE | I did not know this when originally booking, but this local winery is also a wine resort. You could opt to book one or multiple nights in the Tenuta di Castellaro Winery & Resort.
3. Sunset at Belvedere Quattrocchi
The Belvedere Quattrocchi is my favorite viewpoint on the island. There is something incredibly soothing about watching the little boats flit between the Faraglioni, the cliffs, and the nearby Vulcano island. I am not the only person to have fallen in love with this viewpoint as it is always buzzing with people. An industrious local has set up a little bar right by the viewpoint, so I highly recommend coming here for aperitivo around golden hour.
Practically, if you’re aiming for sunset, I found you really do need a scooter or car; the public bus is doable in daylight, but it doesn’t reliably line up with late summer sunsets. The last bus from Lipari Terminal towards Quattrocchi/Pianoconte/Quattropani is around 19:30, with the last return to Lipari around 19:45 (timetables change by season, so treat this as a guide and double-check the current PDF for your dates).
GOOD TO KNOW | If you are a photographer, I would suggest coming here for golden hour but then moving to more to the western side of the island (Quattropani ) as this is the spot the sun will actually set.
WANT TO ENJOY THE VIEW 24/7? We got ridiculously lucky: our hotel sat just above the viewpoint. The first and last thing I saw every night was the view. Check out Casa Quattrocchi if you head out to Lipari.
4. Have dinner at sunset with a view
One thing you will not do on Lipari is go hungry. For such a little island, there is a very solid offering of restaurants. I am partial to restaurants that use local ingrediënts, promote local specialities, and have a view. So here are a few of my favorite places to eat in Lipari (all vetted by my Sicilian partner, of course).
RISTORANTE AL TRAMONTO | Acquacalda (north coast). You will need your own transportation to get here. Expect sea-facing tables and a proper “sun dipping into the water” view.
OSTERIA SAN BARTOLO | Lipari Town (Via Francesco Crispi) . This little osteria is reachable on foot from the port/Marina Corta. Absolutely love the vibe here, and the service is lovely. It is a very popular spot, so you will need to book at least one week in advance.
E PULERA | Just outside Lipari Town (a 5-minute walk from the historic centre). This restaurant is a little different as you do not have an open sea vista, but the tables are dotted around a beautiful citrus garden. It feels like you were invited to spend the evening in a traditional Aeolian house.
RISTORANTE LE MACINE | Pianoconte. You will need your own mode of transport to get here. Another restaurant in a garden setting. The food here is really good value for money, and it’s the perfect spot to grab dinner if you are watching the sunset at the Belvedere Quattrocchi.
ZA PIPPA (A ZA PIPPA) | Quattropani. Requires your own set of wheels to get here. This little bar/restaurant is a sunset aperitivo institution with a terrace and spectacular views. It is a very popular spot, so you will need to make reservations if you want to grab dinner here. But it gets popular, so go early. You’ll want a scooter/car (or taxi) for golden hour.
RISTORANTE SANGRE ROJO | Quattropani (località Sangue Rosso) . Located about 10 km from Lipari along the provincial road, so you will need your own transport here too. The provincial road is very dark, so make sure your scooter has a good set of lights when you rent it! The west-facing terrace with sunset views over the other islands is the real showstopper here.
5. Take a boat tour around Lipari
I suffer from debilitating motion sickness, so a boat tour around Lipari has not been very high on my list of experiences to try. Now that being said, if you are lucky enough to have escaped the clutches of motion sickness, you really should book yourself a boat for the day. This is what you can expect:
Most tours leave from Lipari Town/Marina Corta mid-morning, do a full loop with several swim stops, then roll back into port in the late afternoon.
On a classic round-the-island route, you’ll typically pass the Cave di Pomice for that unreal pale-turquoise water, plus bays like Porticello, Acquacalda, and Spiaggia dei Gabbiani. The wilder west and south sides often include Valle Muria, Praia di Vinci, and the Faraglioni.
In terms of cost, shared “giro dell’isola” trips are usually the most budget-friendly way to do it, while private boats are the splurge option. As a realistic benchmark, private hire is often listed in the €500–€1000 range depending on the month and boat, while shorter private experiences can start around €220 per group on big booking platforms.
COMPARE PRICES |The easiest way to get a view over the prices is either head to the Marina Corta and talk to the various providers (you might even get a discount in low season) or to book online via GetYourGuide.
6. Relax at one of the many Lipari Beaches
Now this is a Lipari activity I am very adept at! We did a mix of free beaches and lidos (serviced beach with umbrella and deckchair) simply because after a few hours of lounging on stones, my back started protesting heavily. Oh, to be 18 again and throw my beachtowel just about anywhere for a full day of lounging. Lipari Island has a lot of beaches; the following were my favorite finds.
CANNETO BEACH | Canneto (east coast) is the easiest “beach day” base on Lipari: long pebbly shoreline, plenty of places to grab lunch, and regular buses from Lipari Town make it simple without a scooter. As it is easy to reach from Lipari Town, this stretch of beach is the busiest of the island.
SPIAGGIA VALLE MURIA | My favorite beach on the island! It is located right under the Belvedere Quattrocchi. Getting there requires your own set of wheels. Please note it’s a solid 15-minute walk down to the beach over rocky terrain. The beach itself is much more secluded and there are no spots to purchase food or water, so make sure to bring that with you.
WHITE BEACH – LIDO | On the northeast “pumice coast” just beyond Canneto. You will need your own set of wheels to arrive here. Follow Google Maps, then park your scooter/car on the side of the road and walk down three flights of stairs (10 min walk). Here you will find a beautiful cove which has both a Lido and a large stretch of free beach.
WHAT TO BRING | You will need to have watershoes for the beaches on Lipari. Most of them are made out of pebbles, and getting into the water often entails walking on large pebbles/stones.
7. Purchase authentic Sicilian Ceramics (Made in Lipari)
No Lipari itinerary is complete without the mention of Sicilian ceramics. They are brightly painted, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are incredibly hard to resist. Trust me on the latter, my odd collections of desert plates and plant holders back home is proof. An unexpected side-effect of living with a Sicilian. Now, where can you go to get actual ceramics made in Lipari?
STEFANO PANZA (Ceramiche “Stefano”) | A tiny, characterful workshop where you can often see ceramics being painted by hand, right in the heart of the port area. Easy to miss when walking by!
LE CERAMICHE DI LIPARI | Has been around since 1970 and is still selling a variety of artisanal ceramics today. Not all of them are produced in Lipari, though, so make sure to double-check before purchasing anything.
8. Drive around the full island
When I was researching how to get around Lipari, I kept seeing electric bikes recommended. I’ve rented bikes on Favignana and Ustica before and loved it, so we thought: why not do the same here? Two very sweaty days later, we admitted defeat and swapped to a scooter. Lipari is hilly (that word barely covers it), and the e-bikes we found felt like older, first-generation models. Perfect for a flat city, less ideal for relentless island climbs.
Suffice it to say, ever since that very first visit, we have stuck to cruising around on a scooter. You can technically do a full loop of Lipari in a couple of hours if you don’t stop (which I really don’t recommend), but it’s far better as a slow circuit with plenty of stops at the various viewpoints to snap a shot and refreshing swims in the crystaline waters found in little coves.
If you only have one day in Lipari, I’d start in Lipari Town and drive clockwise, so you naturally end up on the western side for sunset. Then loop back into town for dinner. If you’ve got more time, scroll down to the Lipari itinerary section for my multi-day route.
9. Visit the various churches on the island
If there is one thing Italy is not short of, aside from delicious food and good-looking men (I might be biased, as my partner is Italian), it’s churches. Little Lipari proved to be no different, on all three accounts. Various churches are dotted around the island. Here are a few of my favorites:
CO-CATHEDRAL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW (Duomo di San Bartolomeo) | Inside the Castello di Lipari complex (walk up from Lipari Town). It’s the island’s main cathedral, and the highlight for me is pairing the visit with the Norman cloister (Chiostro Normanno) next door. Entrance to the church is generally free, but the cloister often has a small fee (commonly around €1).
CHIESA DELLE ANIME DEL PURGATORIO | Marina Corta, a few minutes’ walk from the port cafés. Built in the mid-16th century in the aftermath of Barbarossa’s 1544 raid, it’s small (more chapel than cathedral) but historically loaded. Typically free to enter when open.
CHIESA DI SAN GIUSEPPE | Right above Marina Corta, so you can combine it with an easy harbour stroll. It’s a modest, local-feeling church with a lovely position overlooking the water. No ticket is generally mentioned; it’s usually free when open.
SANCTUARY / “CHIESA VECCHIA” OF QUATTROPANI (Madonna della Catena) | Up in Quattropani (you’ll want a scooter/car or taxi). This little church has the absolute best view of the island, as well as a very nice aperitivo place right next door (A Za Tonuzza). Both mean this church gets very busy around golden hour/sunset. Expect a bit of chaos on the roads when driving up here.
10. Take a day trip to Vulcano or Panarea Island
When we disembarked from the port, I was surprised to see a large cluster of tourists expectantly looking at the boat. I quickly learned that one of the most popular things to do on Lipari is to take a day trip to one of the neighboring islands. If you are keen to explore a bit more of the magnificent Aeolian Islands, this would be the easiest way to do so.
TICKETS: You can purchase tickets at the port, from one of the many (many) little stands. Or, you can browse the various options online, compare prices and book.
MOST POPULAR: The most popular tour is the Boat Tour to Panarea and Stromboli, which starts at around €50. They take you to Panarea for the day, and then to Stromboli. What is cool about the latter is that the tour will wait until nightfall, and you get to witness the active Stromboli vulcano errupt.
PLAN IT YOURSELF: You can also easily plan your own day trip, by simply hopping on one of the many ferries to the neighboring islands. Make sure to check the tickets on Ferryscanner to find both the timetable and purchase your tickets. I do recommend booking your ferry tickets a few weeks in advance in high season as they tend to sell out.
Lipari Itinerary: How to Spend 1,2 or 3 Days
Day 1 in Lipari: Lipari Town + Marina Corta (culture + atmosphere)
Start in Lipari Town with breakfast at Bar d’Ambra, then wander Marina Corta and the Chiesa delle Anime del Purgatorio.
Head up to Castello di Lipari for the Museo Archeologico, the Chiostro Normanno, and the Co-Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew. Spend the rest of the day chilling at Spiagga de La Forbice and have dinner in Lipari Town at E Pulera or drive up to Belvedere Quattrocchi for golden hour and then head to dinner at Ristorante Sangre Rojo.
Day 2 Lipari: Island loop + beaches + sunset viewpoint
Rent a scooter and drive the full island loop clockwise, building in stops at the various beaches along the way.
Spend your beach time at White Beach Lido or Spiaggia Valle Muria (wilder volcanic scenery), then aim for a sunset wine tasting and dinner at Tenuta di Castellaro.
Day 3: Boat tour + beaches
For your third day on the island, I would look into booking one of the boat tours to Panarea and Stromboli. Each of the Aeolian islands is different, and it would be a real pity if you only got to see Lipari.
Accommodations in Lipari
RECOMMENDATION: CASA QUATTROCCHI
We stayed here for a week and it was simply magical. Host Luca is very warm and such a kind person. The place is situated just above the best viewpoint of the island, and the rooms are very comfortable. It’s a bit of a splurge, but very much worth it!
GREAT LOCATION: ODYSSEUS HOTEL
If you are traveling to Lipari and looking for a hotel within walking distance of the port, this is your pick! The top-rated hotel inside the town. Guests particularly like the location, the breakfast, and the fact that it is a small boutique-style hotel.
LUXURY PICK: TENUTA DI CASTELLARO WINE RESORT
We went for a wine tasting at sunset here, and I can attest that the property is spectacular! Wonderful wine, very friendly service and the views are some of the best in the island. I will be booking a stay here next time I visit Lipari.
Practical Tips for Visiting Lipari Sicily
WHAT TO BRING ON YOUR TRIP| Water shoes and a dry bag are a must for exploring the Aeolian Islands. The beaches and coves are lined with pebbles, which makes entering the water (without water shoes) an often arduous task.
MEAL TIMES: Lunch generally runs roughly 12:30 to 15:00, and dinner often starts around 19:30 or later, with many places closing between services. If you arrive hungry at 16:00, aim for a bar, bakery, or a quick panino.
OFF SEASON: The tourist season for the Aeolian islands runs from Easter through to the last weekend of October, in theory. In the months outside June to September, chances are high you will find certain places on the islands closed, including lidos and certain restaurants.
Map of Things to Do in Lipari Island
This interactive Google Map has all the things to do (red) and places to eat (yellow). Just click on the link to gain access to the map.
FAQ: To Do in Lipari
H3: How many days do you need in Lipari?
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H3: Do you need a car or scooter in Lipari?
You do not need a car in Lipari town, but a scooter makes getting to beaches and viewpoints much easier.
If you prefer not to drive, use the local bus for Canneto and other stops, then add a boat tour for the coves you cannot reach by road.
H3: What’s the best beach in Lipari if I only have time for one?
If you want the easiest choice, go to Canneto Beach for clear water plus cafés and services. There are plenty of lidos to choose from, charging €20 a day for an umbrella and a lounger. My personal favorite beach, however, is a little further up the island and requires a 15-minute walk down from the road: Spiaggia Valle Muria
H3: Is Lipari a good base for the Aeolian Islands?
Yes, Lipari is one of the best bases because many ferries and hydrofoils stop here, making Aeolian island hopping from Lipari straightforward. The most booked excursions are a day trip from Lipari to Panarea and Stromboli and a trip combining Panarea, Vulcano and watching the volcano Stromboli erupt at night.
H3: Is Lipari + Vulcano in one day doable?
They are doable in one day, as the ferry between the two islands takes a mere 10 minutes. That being said, personally, I really would not recommend it. Try to stay at least one full day on each island to get a bit of a feel for it. All of the Aeolian Islands are very distinct and have a plethora of beaches, and jaw-dropping viewpoints you will want to see.
MORE TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR VISITING SICILY
ITINERARY: 3-5 Day Sicily Itinerary
ACCOMMODATIONS: Local guide on where to stay in Sicily
FOOD: Traditional Sicilian cuisine you have to try
INSPIRATION: 20 Most beautiful places in Sicily
CITY GUIDE: Local guide to things to do in Palermo
MORE ISLANDS: Plan your perfect escape to Ustica // What to do on Vulcano Island
FURTHER AFIELD: A windswept adventure on Sicily’s wildest island Pantelleria
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