The port of Santa Marina Salina is a defining feature of the island of Salina, offering boats a safe harbor right in the heart of the Aeolian Archipelago. It is the second-largest port in the archipelago, after that of Lipari. It remains a major tourist attraction, and the island has been listed as a nature reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
The harbor is located south of the commercial port of S. Marina Salina and takes its name from the “salt flat” that was once located at the tip of the island, also known as the “lingua.” Now largely disused, it no longer serves as a landing place for boats, but it bears witness to its past as a likely navigational landmark, thanks in part to the presence of the old lighthouse.
As of today, it consists of a new tourist dock protected by a curved outer breakwater running south/southwest and an inner breakwater running south/southeast. A long floating pier runs parallel to the shore quay.
Outside the dock, south of the breakwater pier, develops the Pozzo d’Agnello Quay where small and medium-sized boats can moor, to which services of water and electricity intake, fuel, slip, weather service and engine repair are guaranteed.
The island’s economy relies largely on tourism. It is therefore common, during the hot months of July and August, to see numerous passing boats docking here, as their itineraries include a visit to the island’s coastline and attractions. Despite this strength, tourism here cannot be described as mass tourism; there aren’t many tour companies, and consequently, there are no major ferry lines operating frequently on this route.
It is therefore one of those ports that can be defined as owned by seafarers and curious sailors.
Only rarely, the dock also hosts yachts of medium length and prestige, as docking services are mainly related to the possibilities of reaching restaurants or small markets, perhaps leaving out some secondary services that larger ports are able to provide.
The Santa Marina Salina tourist dock, now called the “Aeolian Port,” has been managed since 2009 by Safim srl, a private company that has implemented an innovative overall management of the facility, even managing to organize small tourist events for boats and market lovers.
The port of Santa Marina Salina offers the opportunity to reach, by boat, a fascinating and bountiful part ofthe Aeolian Archipelago. A basic dock, which, despite its simple yet functional design, allows you to moor your boat and explore the island’s wonders, including its local specialties and the aroma of the famous Malvasia wine, a local specialty.
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