Ferries to Sicily

In addition to flying or driving, you can reach Sicily by sea. Palermo port is the most connected with the rest of Italy, with the busiest routes being Civitavecchia–Palermo, Naples–Palermo and the longer Genoa–Palermo crossing. However, depending on where you’re departing from, it might be more convenient to head to Messina or Catania ports instead.

Arriving in Sicily by ferry with your car is an excellent way to begin a self-drive holiday around the island.

Ferries from Italy to Sicily

Ferries and hydrofoils between Sicily and abroad

Sicily is also connected by sea to ports in Nice and Toulon in France, as well as Tunisia and Malta.

Sicilian ports

If you’re planning to reach Sicily by sea, you’ll have a choice of ports. The most connected with the rest of Italy is certainly Palermo Port1. Other Sicilian ports served by direct routes from mainland Italy include Termini Imerese2, Milazzo3, Messina4 and Catania5.

Additionally, from Sicily you can reach abroad directly: the ports of Trapani6 and Pozzallo7 offer direct connections to France, Tunisia and Malta.

Beyond these, the Aeolian Islands are also directly connected to southern Italian ports: you can see all the connections on the dedicated page about how to reach the Aeolian Islands.

Advantages of travelling by ferry

Book your Sicily ferry well in advance for the best fares. Don’t wait until the last minute, especially if you’re travelling with a car during the summer months—you risk finding everything fully booked or facing sky-high prices.

Comfort and romance

The sea is an essential element that defines an island, which is why reaching Sicily by sea is the best way to immediately connect with its traditions and character.

Travelling by ferry to Sicily is certainly captivating—a leisurely journey that will make you feel like a great traveller from centuries past, yet without the discomforts of yesteryear. Modern ferries come equipped with numerous services and amenities, including comfortable sleeping cabins, bars and restaurants, cinemas and shops.

True, it’s a much longer journey than flying, but the ferry hours are more pleasant: you depart in the late afternoon or evening, and most of the journey takes place at night, so you can sleep comfortably without even noticing you’re travelling.

During the day you can head up on deck for some fresh air, stretch your legs or sit out in the sun. The ferry hours are pleasantly leisurely!

Your car with you

The main advantage of the ferry over flying is naturally the ability to bring your own car. This allows you to plan a self-drive tour of the island, discover beaches and villages not accessible by public transport, with the freedom to leave whenever you like and stop whenever you please.

Ticket prices

By booking online well in advance, you can find some genuinely attractive offers. When you compare ferry prices with the combined cost of flights for your entire family or group, the ferry often works out cheaper.

Plus, by bringing your own car, you save the cost of car hire.

Who should take the ferry

Reaching Sicily by ferry instead of flying is particularly recommended for:

• Families with children: children dislike flying because they have to sit still for hours on an uncomfortable seat. On a ferry they can move around, walk and play (some ferries even have a dedicated play area for children). Remember too that very young children can suffer from ear pain when flying.
• Groups: if you’re travelling as a group, you can save money by splitting the car passage fee. This makes the ferry more economical than flying.
• People with claustrophobia or a fear of flying: an aircraft cabin is cramped, with narrow aisles and seats squeezed together, forcing people into very close proximity. If this causes you anxiety or tension, choose the ferry instead, which with its spacious areas and access to the open air will let you travel much more relaxed.

Shipping companies serving Sicily

Connections to and from Sicily are operated by Grandi Navi Veloci, Grimaldi Lines, Tirrenia, Siremar, Liberty Lines, Caronte&Tourist, Corsica Ferries and Virtu Ferries.

Grandi Navi Veloci

Founded in 1992 with the first ship Majestic, Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) carries cars and passengers between Italy, Spain, Tunisia, France, Morocco, Sicily and Sardinia. It’s one of Italy’s leading shipping companies operating in passenger and freight transport in the Mediterranean.

Grimaldi Lines

Grimaldi Lines is part of the renowned Grimaldi Group, which includes Minoan Lines for Greek ferries and Finnlines in the Baltic Sea. Grimaldi Lines offers numerous ferry connections between Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Greece, Sardinia and Sicily. The group currently operates one of the world’s largest fleets.

Tirrenia

Tirrenia connects Italian ports with Sardinia, Sicily and the Tremiti Islands, and is currently one of Europe’s leading maritime operators. Thanks to its fleet of mainly high-speed ferries, it operates around 60,000 routes annually, transporting over 13 million passengers and 2 million cars.

Liberty Lines

Liberty Lines, previously known as Ustica Lines, is a company offering connections between mainland Italy and the Aeolian Islands, Pelagian Islands, Egadi Islands, Ustica island and Pantelleria. Founded in 1993 offering routes from Naples to various Tyrrhenian islands, today it transports more than one-and-a-half million passengers yearly, with a fleet of over 30 high-speed hydrofoils, catamarans and monohulls.