Aeolian Islands · visited September 2026 · sources checked 24 September 2026

Salina and Lingua: the green island, capers and a salt lake.

The Lingua anchorage, Santa Marina’s marina and buoys, fuel, provisions, walks, wine and food. Researched shore intel from published sources—not a pilotage plan or a live forecast.

The verdict

Salina is the gentlest of the Aeolians: two green volcanic cones, vineyards, caper terraces and very little of Lipari’s bustle. Lingua, the village on the south-east corner, is the easy anchorage and the prettiest waterfront; Santa Marina, a few minutes north by bus, has the marina, fuel and shops. Services are thinner than on Lipari, so arrive with the essentials and treat the island as the reward.

Anchoring off Lingua

  • Bottom and depth: posidonia with sand patches, about 5–12 m. Look for the sand before you drop; protect the seagrass.
  • Shelter: good from westerlies. Exposure to the east and south-east is our inference from the chart, not a published source—check the forecast before staying the night.
  • Wash: passing ferries and hydrofoils set up a roll; expect it.
  • Landing: small dinghy jetty, rough in any swell. Kedge the dinghy off or land on the beach. No water at Lingua.
  • Rules: a Salina marine protected area has been proposed but no decree was found, so no buoy or anchoring rules are known. Check locally for notices.

Marina, buoys and harbours

  • Marina Salina, Santa Marina (run by Marinedi since winter 2024): VHF 11; 090 3692561 / 376 2323256; info@marinasalina.it. Water and power; no fuel on the pontoons. The old operator’s number (090 9022167) is out of date.
  • Nautica Santa Marina buoy field, about 200 m from the harbour entrance: VHF 14; +39 393 020 2609.
  • Rinella, south coast: tiny harbour, no services; hydrofoils call.
  • Coast Guard, Santa Marina: 090 9843451. Sea emergency: 1530.

Fuel & chandlery

  • IP marine fuel station, Lungomare Pozzo d’Agnello, Santa Marina port. Listed with current prices; phone and hours: check locally.
  • Chandlery: none found on Salina, nor a hardware store. The nearest are on Lipari: Lipari Service at Canneto (spares 090 8960940) and Ferramenta Granata Natoli in Lipari town (090 9811503). See the Lipari guide.

Provisions, pharmacy & doctor

  • Carpe Diem 2.0 minimarket, Via Risorgimento 156, Santa Marina: delivers, including to Lingua. WhatsApp 389 6505578.
  • Conad Margherita, Via Roma 161, Malfa: 090 9844017. The larger supermarket, on the north coast.
  • Pharmacies: Farmacia Comunale, Via Risorgimento, Santa Marina (published numbers conflict: 090 9843098 / 090 9843089); Leni 090 9809053; Malfa 090 9844188. Hours: check locally.
  • Out-of-hours doctor (Guardia Medica), Malfa: 090 9844005. A tourist doctor in Leni (090 9809186) operates in season; late-season cover: check locally.
  • Hospital: the nearest is on Lipari.

Getting around

  • CITIS buses (office 090 9844150; pay the driver): Lingua to Santa Marina is about five minutes. The September 2026 timetable runs from Lingua roughly hourly from 06:55 to 23:40, with the last Santa Marina–Lingua bus at 23:25. For Pollara, change at Malfa San Lorenzo. Check the current timetable.
  • Scooters: Rent Speedy Jack, Santa Marina, +39 333 275 3340.
  • Liberty Lines hydrofoils from Santa Marina and Rinella to Lipari, Vulcano and Milazzo. Ticket offices: Santa Marina 090 9843003, Rinella 090 9809233.

A little history

The Greeks called the island Didyme, “the twins”, for its two volcanic cones: Monte Fossa delle Felci (962 m, the highest point in the Aeolians) and Monte dei Porri (860 m). The modern name comes from the salt lagoon at Lingua. There was a Bronze Age village at Portella and a Greek-Roman settlement under today’s Santa Marina. The last eruption, about 13,000 years ago, blew out the half-drowned crater at Pollara—where much of Il Postino (1994) was filmed. The mountains have been a nature reserve since 1981.

What to see & do

  • Lingua’s salt lake and lighthouse: a short stroll from the landing, best at sunset.
  • Lingua museum circuit: one €6 ticket covers the Archaeological Museum, the Ethno-anthropological Museum and the Museum of the Sea and Salt at the lighthouse. From 1 November visits are by booking (090 9843128). Hours: check locally.
  • Pollara: the crater bay and the Il Postino scenery. Bus via Malfa.
  • Fossa delle Felci: the big walk—about 10 km and 940 m of climbing from Santa Marina, 5–5½ hours. Start early and carry water.
  • Wine: Hauner winery offers tastings Monday–Saturday by booking (+39 392 7768149); the Capofaro Malvasia estate at Malfa offers tastings into mid-October.

Excursions

  • Stromboli and Panarea day trips leave from Santa Marina, some staying to see Stromboli erupt after dark. Late-season sailings: check locally.
  • Boat hire from Nautica Santa Marina, to see Pollara and the west coast from the water.

Eat & drink

  • Da Alfredo, Lingua seafront by the lagoon: the famous granita and pane cunzato. Hours: check locally.
  • Il Gambero, Lungomare di Lingua (090 9843049), and Il Delfino, Via Marina Garibaldi 5, Lingua: fish on the waterfront, a short walk from the landing.
  • Signum, Malfa (090 9844222): one Michelin star in the 2026 guide. Book ahead.
  • What to order: Salina capers, caper-leaf salad, pane cunzato, granita with brioche for breakfast, and Malvasia delle Lipari—much of the best is grown here.

What I’d do

Anchor off Lingua in a westerly, land on the beach, and start with granita at Da Alfredo. Walk the salt lake to the lighthouse museum, then take the bus to Santa Marina for fuel and shopping—or have the shopping delivered. With a spare day, Pollara and a winery; with fit legs and an early start, Fossa delle Felci.

Sources & verification

Sources checked 24 September 2026. Opening hours, late-season services, fuel hours and delivery have not been phone-confirmed; anything marked “check locally” is unverified. The anchoring notes summarise published guides and recent sailor reviews, not a pilotage plan—use the chart, forecast and local advice. No private boat position, berth or guest information is published.