What to do in Vulcano

From the rim you look into a crater that genuinely smokes, sulphur-yellow fumaroles at your feet and the whole archipelago laid out to the north. You go when the traffic light says so.

The black-sand crescent of Porto di Ponente, with the Gran Cratere behind: convenient, equipped and scenic.

The island's far south — a tiny hamlet with a lighthouse: clean sea and few people even in August.

The Aeolians are the reason many people choose this coast. Day trips work — provided you pick the right island and the right timetable.

Two nights are enough for a real taste of the archipelago — if you pick one base and don't chase everything.