Following in the footsteps of the previous reviewers, I visited Vulcano as a day trip from Milazzo. It's the southernmost island and fastest to reach from Sicily by virtue of being closest to the coast. Luckily, it's also very representative example for the islands. It has a large, somewhat active volcano that is well within reach for persons with normal fitness levels. From the top of the volcano you get great views of the island itself as well as the whole island chain. Timewise, it's well within the time window awarded by the return ferry.

Looking back I feel the islands would have deserved more time. My father had been to the islands decades prior, ending up staying overnight by coincidence. He said it was one of the best experiences he had on his Italy trip. And I think I get it. Tranquil Vulcano felt like a place apart from a bit too busy and - sorry to say - a bit too dirty Sicily. I can only image the peaceful mood after the day tourists (like me) had left ... A true vacation.

Staying overnight would also have provided me with the opportunity to explore more remote corners of the island, e.g. by bike. The views of the Southern part of Vulcano (Gelso) and the Western coast looked promissing and piqued my interest. And yeah, to see more islands would have required even more days.

Getting There

There are ferries from both Naples and Milazzo (Sicily). Milazzo is probably the best option as you can combine a visit with the other Sicilian sites. It's also where you need to go for a day trip.

To get to Milazzo, you can take the train running from Messina to Palermo. However, the Milazzo train station is outside of town and there are no sidewalks (agreeing with Matejicek). I do not recommend walking to the town and port (as I did) as loads of cars are passing you buy while you walk on the street. You should just get a cab. The recommended option, though, is to catch a direct bus from Messina train station to the ferry station.

The ferry is subject to weather conditions. In spring when I visited this was not an issue. But this may not always be the case (see Joel's review). I think it's best to have some buffer for your visit. In my case, I monitored the weather forecast for the islands and had a backup plan (do Syracuse before or after the islands). The ferries also connect all the islands. However, the more remote ones have less scheduled ferries.

On each island you are stuck to either walking or renting a bicycle or scooter. Walking should be fine as there isn't much traffic.

While You Are There

The islands offer plenty of outdoor activities (hiking, cycling, ...). A highlight is probably the visit of the active volcano at Stromboli. But please note that people have died in the past.

Most visitors will probably combine a visit with Sicily and you have ample opportunities there.