Prices
A dinghy with no licence starts from around 190 euro a day at Lipari. A shared tour from 55 euro per person. A skippered boat from around 500 euro a day. Here are the average market prices for each format, so you know what to budget before you even ask for a quote.
The cost of a day on the water in the Aeolians changes mostly with who drives and how many people share the bill. You drive a dinghy yourself, you have a skipper on board, or you take a seat on a shared trip: three different budgets. And the harbour you leave from matters too. For most visitors, who do not hold the Italian boat licence, a skippered boat or a guided tour is the usual choice.
The figures below are average market prices that we track regularly across the Aeolians. They vary by season and availability: August costs more than June, and a boat booked at the last minute costs more than one booked well ahead. They are here to orient you, not to fix a figure to the cent.
Per day for a dinghy with no licence at Lipari
Per person for a shared day tour from Lipari
Per day for a boat with a skipper from Milazzo
For each format you get the average cost by departure point. These are average market prices: they vary by season and availability.
Someone on board who knows the sea, the anchorages and the timing. The natural choice if you do not hold a boat licence, for demanding trips such as Stromboli in the evening, or simply to enjoy the ride without a worry.
From Milazzo the average cost runs from around 450 to 650 euro a day. The price depends a lot on the size of the boat and how many are on board: the more of you, the less each pays.
The most independent format: you drive, on your own, a dinghy within the power limit that needs no boat licence (up to 40hp under Italian rules). The price changes quite a bit depending on the harbour you leave from.
At Lipari the average cost runs from around 140 to 300 euro a day for the boat. At Panarea, where dinghies are fewer and more in demand, the starting point is higher.
More powerful boats, above the limits that let you drive without qualification, so an Italian boat licence is required. More room, more speed, and the ability to stretch the crossings between the islands.
The average cost from Lipari starts at around 250 euro and climbs to 1,000 a day, because the category groups together sporty dinghies and larger motorboats. At Panarea and Salina prices are higher.
The month you go matters almost as much as the format. Here is how the average price of a dinghy with no licence at Lipari moves, month by month.
| Month | Average price |
|---|---|
| April | €110 |
| May | €110 |
| June | €135 |
| July | €205 |
| August | €235 |
| September | €135 |
| October | €110 |
The reading is simple: in August the same boat costs roughly double what it does at the start or end of the season. You move from the 110 to 135 euro a day of May and June to the 235 euro of August. September is the surprise: the sea is still warm, but the price drops back to 135 euro, often as good value as June.
Estimate built on the seasonal bands in the public 2026 price lists of Lipari operators. Prices vary by model and availability.
The listed price is not always the final bill. Three things to clear up before you book.
The price covers the use of the boat; the fuel you burn is on you. You collect the tank full and return it full. Consumption depends on the route: a day of stops at the coves costs less than a long crossing at speed.
Almost always required when you pick the boat up, in cash or as a hold on your credit card. For a dinghy with no licence it is lower than for a skippered boat. If the day ends with no damage, it is returned to you in full.
If the weather turns bad, what happens to the booking? Many operators move the date with no penalty when there is a rough-sea forecast, but not all of them. Ask for the weather policy in writing before you pay a deposit.
On skippered boats and private tours the price is for the boat, not per head: splitting it four or six ways changes the per-person cost a lot. On shared tours, instead, each seat has its own fixed price.
The next step
Peak season, availability, how far ahead you book: today's price is not next fortnight's. That is why it pays to ask us: we tell you what to expect for your dates and put forward the best options, no strings attached.
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