Basiluzzo

My Favourite Mediterranean Island

The Aeolian Islands, named after Aeolus the ancient Greek God of the Wind, is one of our favourite ‘on board’ destinations. They comprise a chain of volcanic islands lying between 30 to 80 kilometres north of Sicily in the lapis blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The island group includes seven inhabited islands - Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Stromboli. The volcanoes on Vulcano and Stromboli remain active.

The largest of the uninhabited islands in the group is Basiluzzo which has the distinction of being the Mediterranean island, amongst any number of spectacular options, I’ve awarded my personal gold medal.

Viewed from Panarea, Basiluzzo stands directly in front of fiery Stromboli.

On a recent visit, strong winds caused otherwise calm waters to heave and magnificent clouds to conceal the smoking volcano from view.

The island of Basiluzzo rises vertically out of the ocean.

Sheer faces of contorted rock tell the story of the extraordinary forces that created it. It you love rocks and sculpture as I do, a kayak or tender ride around the island yields spectacular sights. Under the crystal clear water the snorkelling and diving are equally rewarding.

Viewed along it’s longest edge, Basiluzzo presents an eastern facing sloped plateau once cultivated and used for limited farming and growing capers - still harvested in great abundance elsewhere amongst these islands. Now long untended, nature has reasserted itself leaving it sparsely covered in wild Heather, Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Sea Lavender, Rock Samphire, Dianthus rupicola, Centaurea , cactus and other aromatic shrubs; only caper bushes remain as evidence of the plateau’s agricultural past.

One plant found on the island and worthy of particular attention is the dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) which grows happily in the vertical rocks faces.

In Roman times a small villa was sited here, traces of which can apparently be seen just under the water at the eastern end of the island. I’ve searched but with no success.

Now, since being designated in 1991 as an ‘integral natural reserve’, no-one other than for scientific purposes is permitted to land on the island. Whatever the rules, I wouldn’t recommend trying. Any of the few seemingly accessible routes to the plateau are very steep and made up of exceedingly loose rock!

Despite the human prohibition the island is home to rabbits, lizards of several sorts and the Green Whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus).

Together with other avian visitors, it’s also the seasonal home of two particularly interesting bird species. if you’re lucky enough to make a summer visit to the island don’t miss them - both watching their extraordinary flying skills and listening to their distinctive calls.

During the late summer Eleanora Falcons (Falco eleonorae) start to pair up and to create breeding colonies amongst the vertical cliff faces of Basiluzzo. This species has a delayed breeding season due to being a specialist hunter of migratory birds heading south past these islands at this time of year; the bird’s speed in the air and acrobatic skills make it a master at preying on small birds in flight.

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The Scopoli Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), a seabird in the petrel family, flies annually thousands of miles across the world’s oceans. Late spring many stream back into the Mediterranean from the Atlantic returning to their original breeding sites which favour remote islands and coastal cliffs.

These birds often follow us when we’re underway mid ocean. Their elegant gliding flight associates them with the albatross. Using the benefit of ‘ground effect’ to provide lift, they glide close above the water for hours on end on their long, narrow, bowed wings with hardly a single wing beat.

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© Other?

During the day shearwater are out on the wing only returning to their nests after dark and favouring moonless nights to minimise predation. If you’re spending the night anchored off the island you’ll hear their unusual eerie nocturnal contact calls.

Another summer visitor to Basiluzzo, indeed to all the Aeolian Islands and of great additional interest, allows a close view of the extraordinary boats, what we describe as ‘checking out the boat porn’, belonging to some of the world’s most affluent private seafarers.

M/Y Radiant

M/Y Talitha

M/Y Zen

M/Y Paloma

M/Y Kathryn

S/Y Black Pearl

M/Y Paramour

M/Y Blue II

M/Y Artefact

M/Y Savannah

M/Y Altair

M/Y Ocenanos

If you want to know more about these incredible boats - you’ll likely find more through Google - search using the boat name adding either ‘motor yacht’ (M/Y) or ‘sailing yacht’ (S/Y).

M/Y Kalani, modest in comparison, is our much loved floating home on which, for over a quarter of a century, we have shared so many adventures and happy times with dear friends.

The sun drops and many of other boats head back to the shelter of nearby Panarea.

Stromboli bids us good night with a puff of smoke.

Together with our larger neighbours we remain out on the water for the night.

Night time - brilliant under the light of the full moon.

© Text and Images (unless indicated otherwise) - Derek Frost 2025