Salina

Salina rises to the highest peak in the Aeolian Islands off Sicily's north coast, and this launch at 917 m faces south through southwest to west, taking in views across the archipelago. Take-off needs care: the ground is scattered with large stones, so many pilots inflate the wing on the flatter ground near the road first, then walk or run the wing to the edge rather than trying to lay it out right at the lip. The reward is one of the few genuinely safe landing options in these islands — a beach strip below launch. That beach gets crowded with tourists in summer, though, so the practical window for landing there is either early morning or the winter months, when it's clear. Between the tricky footing on take-off and the need to time the landing around the crowds, this is a site that rewards a bit of local planning rather than a spontaneous fly-by.

Launch & conditions

Ground near the edge is scattered with large stones — many pilots inflate on the flatter ground near the road, then walk or run the wing to the launch point rather than laying out right at the edge.

Getting there & local rules

The beach landing gets crowded with tourists in summer — plan to land in the early morning or during winter months when it's clear.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Salina, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Salina with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.