Fodor's Expert Review Gran Cratere

The path to the island's main crater, the Gran Cratere, starts just south of Porto di Levante, and the entire climb takes about an hour. While the ascent itself is easy(ish), the path is a slippery mix of sand and stones, so wear good sturdy shoes. Just be aware that it's a fully exposed climb, with no shade trees anywhere on the path, just smatterings of yellow-blossomed gorse bushes, so plan to go early or late in the day to avoid the full beatdown of the sun. But the climb is truly worth it: the rim of this crater is the only place in the Aeolians where you can see the whole archipelago in one glance.