As a family of ocean lovers and seekers of salt-kissed adventure, we set sail around the Aeolian Islands, seven volcanic jewels scattered just north of Sicily, each one offering its own rhythm, its own flavour of aquatic Italian magic.

Sailing from island to island, the excitement builds with each crossing - the promise of new shores, new stories. Lipari, the largest, bustles with energy, while nearby Vulcano breathes steam from its soul. Salina, with its vibrant casas and lush hillsides, feels like a painter’s palette. Stromboli smoulders in the distance, alive and unpredictable. Then come the quieter sisters - Filicudi and Alicudi - sleepy, windswept, and utterly timeless. 

And then there’s Panarea. Elegant, intimate, effortlessly chic. A favourite of mine made even more special by the wedding of my dear friend Francesca Cloros, which brought me back here a second time.