Stromboli at nightfall, five hours on foot to watch the volcano explode.

Stromboli has been in almost continuous eruption for thousands of years: every few minutes it hurls jets of lava and incandescent rocks from its craters. By day you see a column of gas; at night, the red explosions. Climbing up to see it with a guide, as evening falls, is the reason for many trips to the Aeolians.

How high you can go

Since the explosions of 2019 the summit has been closed. According to the May 2025 ordinance of the Comune di Lipari, from the village of Stromboli you can climb independently up to 290 m and with an authorised guide up to 400 m. Only scientists and civil protection go above that. The rules change with the volcano's activity, so check the ordinance in force before you go.

The Magmatrek excursion, run by the island's cooperative of volcanological guides, goes right up to that limit: a terrace at 400 m above the Sciara del Fuoco, the bare slope down which the material spat out by the crater rolls into the sea. From there you see the explosions head-on.

What the route is like

You set off in the afternoon from the Magmatrek office, next to Piazza San Vincenzo, about three hours before sunset: depending on the time of year, between 15:00 and 18:00. The path climbs through cane and scrub up the north slope, with stops where the guide explains the island's geology, history and vegetation. It is about 8 km in total with 500 m of ascent, of medium difficulty. There are no exposed stretches, but the summer heat and the slope are tiring.

At the top you wait for dark to see the explosions. The descent, already at night and with a head torch, is along a track of sand and ash. Allow about five hours from start to finish.

Price, season and equipment

It costs €30 per person and €25 for under-12s, with the helmet included. The season runs from 15 March to 31 October. They ask you to book a week ahead in high season, by email, phone or the form on their website.

Trekking footwear and a torch or head torch are compulsory; a phone light will not do. Add a sweatshirt and windcheater, because it gets cold at the top, a spare T-shirt, long trousers for the descent, a scarf for the dust, 1.5 litres of water and something to eat. If you are missing anything, the Totem Trekking shop, on the same square, hires it out.

If you are staying in Lipari

You can go and come back in a day with Da Massimo: its boat leaves Lipari at 12:00, stops at Panarea and among its islets, drops you at Stromboli with the Magmatrek guides and returns to Lipari around 23:00. It costs €80 per person, with the guide included. It is a long day: if you can, sleep in Stromboli.