Famous for the nightlife, the celebrities, the beauty of the coast. In other words, reasons to visit Panarea are so many. And now you just need to know what to see during your next holiday on this island.
Where it is
Panarea is one of the Aeolian Islands, in Sicily, in the province of Messina. The seven islands of this archipelago are just off the north-eastern coast of Sicily. You can sea them from the seafront of Milazzo.
9 places to see
- Ditella. It is the place that will welcome you, since it is near the port. It is a small and picturesque district from which it’s easy to reach Spiaggia della Calcara and the fumaroles.
- San Pietro. The main town on Panarea. Here you will find all the services you could need during a holiday. Known internationally for its celebrity visitors, San Pietro is to see for the architecture of its houses (white houses with blue doors and windows), for the church of San Pietro, for the Museum of Panarea, for its maze of alleys that offers amazing sea views.
- Cala Junco. One of the most beautiful beaches on Panarea Island. Indeed, according to many, this is the most beautiful. Along the southern coast of the island, it’s easy to reach from San Pietro. You will discover a small bay with a beautiful sea.
- Spiaggia della Calcara. This beach is worth a visit for two reasons: the unforgettable colour of the sea; the steaming fumaroles and thermal waters.
- Drautto. Walking along a short narrow road from San Pietro, you will discover another picturesque, small and cosy district, immersed in a quiet atmosphere between the sea and the Mediterranean scrub. Drautto is close to cala degli Zimmari, cala Junco and the prehistoric village of capo Milazzese.
- The prehistoric village of capo Milazzese. Not far from Cala Junco, on the promontory of capo Milazzese was discovered a prehistoric village dating back to the Age of Bronze. Today, the only remains are the foundations of twenty-three huts.
- Cala degli Zimmari. From Drautto, you can reach a promontory. Here is the only real sand beach of the island: cala degli Zimmari, also known as Red Beach for the colour of its sand.
- Basiluzzo. This small island is worth a visit for its coast with spectacular basalt columns.
- The other small islands. Panarea is surrounded by other small islands, to see during a boat trip: Lisca Nera, Dattilo and Bottario.
Panarea Island in one day
If you have only one day to visit Panarea, the itinerary is this:
- San Pietro
- cala Junco
- prehistoric village of capo Milazzese
- Drautto
- cala degli Zimmari
And don’t forget to taste the culinary specialties of this island in one of the several restaurants in San Pietro town.
How to get to Panarea
Now that you know what to see, you only need to know how to get to Panarea Island:
- To get to Aeolian Islands, the main tourist ports are Messina and Catania.
- From Messina and Catania, you can reach Milazzo, departure port of the ferries to Aeolian Islands.
Image source: Di Adam Butler from London, UK (www.adambutlerphotography.com) – San Pietro, Panarea, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18234039
