Sicily - Sardinia Ferries

[reb0118]

I am planning a wee trip to Sicily for next February (we have approx 10 days holidays). Possibly travelling outward by rail via the Messina Train Ferry and returning via Sardinia & Genoa to Nice to catch the direct flight to Edinburgh.

Now it looks like it is the bad week for the ferries at the very same time we have our hols. Maybe for maintenance?

I have looked on various websites for the ferries but to no avail.

Does any one know if it is possible to get from Palermo to Cagliari on Wednesday 4th February and from Sardinia to Genoa (or Nice! ) departing overnight on Friday 6th February 2015.

Cheers.

 

[stut]

Not sure if the ferries are running, but there is an Eire O'Flot flight from Trapani to Cagliari if that fails.

 

[reb0118]

Thanks for that.

I will check out that flight but much prefer the call of the sea. I am trying to organise a wee Mediterranean Islands Extravaganza for a few colleagues and me. We are off from Friday 30th January to Sunday 8th February. We were originally hoping to get a flight to Malta then ferries to Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, & then to Genoa or Nice for a flight back home - but this seems far to optimistic given that it is off season - also it would curtail any meaningful time on the islands themselves.

We are now looking to have some time at Naples/Sorrento with a side trip to Pompei & possibly Vesuvius before getting the train to Syracuse (Sicily) via the Messina train ferry. Hopefully with time to visit Montalbano territory before heading to Palermo a few days later. Next will be a ferry to Cagliari if possible before heading up to the north of the island for a day or two before catching an overnight ferry to Genoa/Nice.

Any further information or advice will be gratefully received.

 

[30907]

Just going by the ERT the only ferries from Sicily are at the weekend. Tirrenia line. So you might have to reverse the trip.

 

[reb0118]

So you might have to reverse the trip.

Good point. I'll look into that. Internet on the train is a bit patchy right now but we have plenty of time to sort it out before February.

 

[davetheguard]

Hi reb0018,

I'd recommend a couple of things worth considering for your travels in Italy:

The Roman site at Herculanium was devestated in the same eruption as at Pompeii, but I think it is a much more pleasant place to visit. There's an awful lot to see above ground, but it's not so heaving with tourists as Pompeii is; and it's quite compact, unlike Pompeii which sprawls over a large area.

Get the frequent local Circumvesuviana railway EMU (which has its own platforms at Naples Centrale station) to Ercolano station and then it's just a short, straightforward, stroll downhill to the site. (the trains are covered with graffiti, but are clean on the inside and it's actually an efficient, well run, well used little railway). The same line will take you to Pompeii Scavi (= ruins) station if you prefer to visit there instead. The station is right next to the main site entrance. The far end of the line is Sorrento, a very likeable place to stay, from where you can get one of the regular boats out to the scenic but pricey island of Capri if you want.

Secondly, have you considered a trip to the Aeolian Islans, north of Sicily? When we went, there were several ferries and hydrofoils a day to to Lipari (the main island) from Milazzo on the north east coast of Sicily. Other islands in the group are served either direct or by changing at Lipari. Boat fares are very cheap by British standards. We visited the islands of Vulcano (for the sulphur pools) and Stromboli on day trips from Lipari (the Stromboli volcano seems to erupt daily - you can see it throwing out bright red molten lava in the evening darkness before getting a late boat back to Lipari)

Wherever you choose to go: have a good time!

P.S. The picture shows a special train at Pompeii Scavi station; one of the usual EMU's on a service train to Sorrento can be glimpsed behind at the other platform.

 

[dutchflyer]

Tirrenia is indeed the ONLY ferry-comp doing/did runs Sic-Sarde. Even when it was in high season in its heydays, never more as 2/week-Palermo or Trapani. Fat chance nothing at all is going in deep winter-and tipical Italiano-they are never good at getting www-sites right or timely updated. Spent myself some days in Sarde last year and all ferries in Cagliari are now mainly for cars/trucks and the very few pax are shuttled by bus from terminal to some faraway quay on arr/dep.
There are also (nor I think have ever been) direct ferries Sarde-Nice (Nizza in IT), but plenty to the general IT-Ports like Civitavecchchio and also Genova/Livorno. However, there are, at least in summerseason, direct new ferries Sarde-Espana (barcelona) as Sarde speaks a kind of catalan-dialect and had many old links with Spain. Nice is of course better served from Corse and there still is the 2 daily ferry Sarde-Corse (also mainly cars now). Tipically as its French state its quite expensive, strike prone and thus Italians have stepped in by offering more and cheaper boats Corse-Genova/Livorno.
Frankly: this is again a case where the planes have taken over- good old RYAN serves Sarde pretty well, also domestic Italian and there are also many cheap/ish IT-no frills airlines, like mediterraneo.