Quarto Giorno/Day 4

Panarea & Stromboli

• Early breakfast, then off to Vibo Marina to catch our ferry for a true odyssey through the crystal-blue waters surrounding the Aeolian Islands, said to be named after Aeolus, the mythical ruler of the winds.

• The Aeolian Islands, also known as the Lipari Islands, are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Though administratively part of Sicily (Messina province), they lie geographically closest to Calabria and were historically significant to Calabria's Greek colonies.

• We'll have free time to wander Panarea's whitewashed streets before heading to Stromboli, where we'll explore black sand beaches and swim in the shadow of the active volcano. Roberto Rossellini filmed his epic "Stromboli," starring Ingrid Bergman, here in 1949. The day concludes with views of the Sciara del Fuoco — Stromboli's live eruption — after sunset.

• Lunch in chic Panarea and dinner in Stromboli, both on your own.

• Late-night return under a star-studded sky.