How to Get to Sicily - Ultimate Travel Guide
Are you planning a summer trip to Sicily? Here you'll find all you need to know to reach Sicily, get around the island and discover some archipelagos and islets, like the Aegadian and Aeolian Islands, Ustica, Pantelleria and Lampedusa. Read on to find the best way to get to Sicily and explore the region with your friends and family!
Sicily is the Mediterranean's largest island and is located in Southern Italy. Known for its unique culture, historical heritage and culinary traditions, Sicily offers some of the most beautiful locations for summer trips. Whether you are daydreaming about relaxing walks around the charming Taormina or a sporty hike on Mount Etna, a quiet beach day in Cefalù or cannoli tasting in Palermo, it's time to plan your trip to Sicily! With so much to see and do in Sicily, creating the perfect itinerary can be overwhelming. In this article, you'll find tips and tricks on how to reach Sicily and get around the island according to your budget and preferences, going from trains to rental cars. Keep reading to discover the best ways to explore Sicily!
1. How to get to Sicily
With 6 airports, more than 7 ports, highways and railways travelling to Sicily offers a variety of choices. Whether planning an exciting family trip with your children, a romantic summer getaway with your special someone or a memorable trip with your friends, this guide will help you choose the best way to travel to Sicily and move around the island. Going from expensive to affordable, you'll find the best means of transport to reach Sicily, Italy's largest island.
Travel to Sicily by Ferry
Taking a ferry is one of the most convenient ways to reach Sicily. If you enjoy scenic sea views, you'll be pleased to know you can reach Sicily by ferry from many international ports in Italy, Malta and Tunisia. Ferries run daily from different parts of Italy, including some of the biggest ports like Genova, Livorno, Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, Vibo Valentia and Cagliari. The cost and duration of the journey vary depending on your departure point, ranging from budget-friendly to more expensive options. It is always recommended to book your ferry tickets to Sicily in advance, by comparing prices and companies. Surely, travelling to Sicily by ferry promises breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and could be an exciting experience by itself. You can get to Sicily by ferry from Malta and Tunisia. From Tunis, you can reach Trapani, on the island's western side. Whilst from Malta, you can get to Pozzallo, in southern Sicily.
Travel to Sicily by Airplane
Reaching Sicily by airplane is convenient, thanks to its four airports: Palermo, Catania, Trapani, and Comiso (Ragusa). Flying to smaller islands, like Pantelleria and Lampedusa is also possible, especially if you are based in the Italian peninsula. If you are flying from Europe, you can reach Catania and Palermo while travellers coming from Italy have a wider choice, allowing them to also get to Trapani, Comiso (Ragusa), Pantelleria and Lampedusa. Once you land in Palermo you can take a taxi, a bus or opt for the cheapest and fastest solution, a regional train and reach the city centre in 30 minutes. If you land in Catania, take a second to admire the majestic beauty of Mount Etna from the airport! Take a taxi, bus or train to the city centre. All airports offer an incredible car rental service, allowing travellers to get around Sicily at their own pace and enjoy the landscape on the way.
Travel to Sicily by Train
Even if Sicily is an island, you can surprisingly reach it by train. From Italy's major cities, like Naples, Rome, Bari and Cosenza you can arrive at Villa S. Giovanni, Italy's southernmost train station in Calabria. Once there your train will get on the ferry and reach Messina in only 30 minutes. Messina is the crossroad of Sicily's major train rails on the northern and eastern coasts. You can ride along the easter coast from Messina to Taormina, Giardini-Naxos and Syracuse. On the other hand, if you're willing to travel towards the northern coast, you get to Sicily by reaching Cefalù, Palermo and Trapani. Travelling by train around Sicily is always highly recommended, as most of the railway net runs along the coast, giving passengers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Travel to Sicily by Car
If you are a road trip lover, travelling to Sicily by car is the ultimate way to explore the island and make the most of it. Whether you are planning a solo road trip or a fun-filled adventure with your friends, you can easily drive along the Italian coastline, following your route of choice and arrive in Calabria. Once there, you can hop on a ferry with your car and reach Messina in only 30 minutes. As you enjoy this short and panoramic ferry ride, you can rest and admire the Mediterranean Sea and feel its gentle breeze. Once in Messina, you'll be ready to get off and start driving around Sicily.
2. How to get around in Sicily
Once on the island, you'll need to find the best way to get around and discover Sicily! This paragraph will help you choose between the two most common ways to get around in Sicily: car rentals and public transport. According to your travel plans and sense of adventure, you can pick car rental or public transport or, why not, combine both and explore Sicily at your own pace?
Rent a car in Sicily
Even if it’s possible to travel around the island by public transport, Renting a car in Sicily is the best way to explore Italy’s largest island. Having a car will give you freedom and flexibility, allowing you to choose the itinerary and travel to as many cities as possible. You would also have the chance to drive to remote beaches, discovering Sicily’s hidden gems. If you enjoy driving through beautiful landscapes, renting a car in Sicily is probably the best way to go for you. You can rent a car in all the largest cities on the island, especially those with an airport, like Palermo and Catania. From your rental car in Palermo or Catania (or any other city), you’ll drive past ancient Greek ruins, picturesque towns, mountain ranges, lemon and orange groves and, of course, the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the highways run along the coastline, gifting travellers with amazing views of the water. If you are renting a car in Catania, driving is also the best way to admire Mount Etna, visible from every corner of the city! Thanks to the numerous rental car companies, you can pick up a car from almost every city on the island.
Public Transport in Sicily
If driving is not an option for you, you can get around Sicily by public transport. Especially for short getaways, this is probably the most convenient way to visit the biggest cities on the island. Regional trains mostly connect the main cities on the northern and eastern coasts. If you are arriving in Palermo and wish to explore more of Sicily by train, you can reach Trapani and Marsala on the east and Cefalù, Milazzo and Messina on the west. Similarly, a train ride from Catania to Taormina and Syracuse will be affordable and offer you incredible views. The train network in Sicily also reaches internal cities like Enna, Ragusa and Canicattì. Travelling by train in Sicily can be an interesting experience, as railways mostly run along the coast showcasing breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea.
3. How to reach Sicily's islands
Sicily is surrounded by some stunning archipelagoes and small islands worth visiting. If you are spending a week or so on the island and you wish to explore more of its hidden gems, you cannot miss Sicily’s islands. Most of Sicily’s islands are easily reachable by ferry or hydrofoil boat, gifting travellers with a panoramic ride through the Mediterranean. Pantelleria and Lampedusa are reachable by airplane as well, allowing explorers to land and explore efficiently. Discover how to reach Sicily’s most beautiful islands, like the Aeolian Group in northern Sicily, Ustica off Palermo’s coast, the Aegadian archipelago in western Sicily, Pantelleria in southern Sicily and Lampedusa Sicily’s southernmost island.
How to get to the Aeolian Islands
The Aeolian archipelago is a group of 7 islands situated off Sicily's northern coast: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi and Panarea. The group presents a mesmerising volcanic landscape, thanks to its volcanic origins and the presence of two active volcanoes, Vulcano and Stromboli. The main way to reach the Aeolian Islands is by ferry or hydrofoil boat. Ferries connect Sicily to the Aeolian Islands daily, allowing visitors to choose the nearest port. You can get to the Aeolian Islands departing from Palermo and Milazzo. Another way to reach the Aeolian Islands from Sicily is by hydrofoil boat. Taking the hydrofoil from Milazzo, you'll reach Lipari, Vulcano and the other islands of the group within 1 hour. The hydrofoil boat is also the best option to get to the Aeolian Islands from Palermo and Messina. It is possible to reach the Aeolian Islands even from Naples, thanks to daily ferries navigating to Sicily, especially in summer. If you are searching for a fun-filled experience in the Aeolian Islands, you cannot miss this guided hiking tour to Stromboli, the active volcano of the archipelago!
How to reach the Aegadian Islands
The Aegadian Islands is a group of 3 mountainous islands and 2 islets off Sicily's northwestern coast. As for the Aeolian Islands, the fastest and most affordable way to reach the Aegadian Islands from Sicily is by hydrofoil boat or ferry. The best way to get to the Aegadian Islands is by taking a ferry or a hydrofoil boat from Trapani. With a panoramic 30-minute ferry ride from Trapani, you can reach the main islands of the Aegadian group, Favignana and Levanzo. Marettimo, the third-largest island of the group is reachable from Levanzo. Daily ferries run also from Marsala to Favignana, allowing travellers to reach the Aegadian Islands from there too. Known for its transparent waters and fascinating coastline, why not explore the Aegadian Islands with this guided kayaking tour from Favignana? The best way to discover the pristine waters and the marvellous landscape of the Aegadian group!
How to get to Ustica
Ustica is a small island off the northern coast, located 52 km / 32 mi from Palermo. The island's name is Latin and it means “burnt”, referring to the black volcanic stones of the island. The island is also known in Sicily as the “black pearl”. The easiest way to get to Ustica is by ferry or hydrofoil boat from Palermo. Ferries and hydrofoil boats run daily from Palermo, allowing travellers to reach Ustica in 30 minutes and appreciate magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea. Ustica is mostly known for its turquoise waters and volcanic landscape. With its warm waters and great visibility all year round Ustica is the perfect scuba diving destination. If you are searching for a memorable activity on the island, try this first scuba diving experience in Ustica with a professional instructor! You'll explore the unique seabed of the island while breathing underwater for the first time!
How to reach Pantelleria
Pantelleria is a beautiful island located between Tunisia and Sicily. With an area of 83 km2 (32 sq mi), Pantelleria is Sicily's largest volcanic satellite island, gifting visitors with a fascinating volcanic landscape surrounded by the sea. Alike Lampedusa, Pantelleria has an airport, that welcomes travellers from different destinations in Italy and Sicily. The fastest way to reach Pantelleria is by flying from Sicily. Daily flights run to Pantelleria from Palermo and Trapani and twice-weekly flights. You can also get to Pantelleria from Italy’s largest cities like Rome, Milan and Venice. For romantic travellers seeking a panoramic tour of the Mediterranean, you can reach Pantelleria by ferry from Trapani. With 2.5 hours you’ll get to Pantelleria and have all the time you wish to explore the island. The most comfortable way to get around the island is by renting a car and exploring the landscape like a local. You can find multiple rental car companies at the airport, pick the car you like and drive around Pantelleria at your own pace. Take advantage of some mesmerising beaches, like Lago di Venere!
How to get to Lampedusa
Located 205 km / 110 mi from Sicily, Lampedusa is Italy’s southernmost island. Known for its transparent turquoise waters and its wonderful marine life, Lampedusa is definitely worth visiting. You can reach Lampedusa from Sicily and Italy’s largest cities. Flights and ferries run daily from Sicily to Lampedusa. You can fly to Lampedusa from Palermo and Catania and enjoy a short 1-hour direct flight over the Mediterranean Sea. You can also fly to Lampedusa from Rome, Milan, Naples and Venice. Alternatively, you can take the ferry to Lampedusa from Porto Empedocle, Agrigento. If you wish to sail through the Mediterranean waters, the best way to get to Lampedusa is by ferry. Enjoy a 4-hour ferry ride from Porto Empedocle (Agrigento) and get panoramic views before docking in Lampedusa. Thanks to its remote location in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, there's nothing better than a boat tour around Lampedusa to appreciate its unique landscape. You might even spot some dolphins!
With so many places to see, islands to discover and delicious food to taste your trip to Sicily will be unforgettable. Find the best way to get to Sicily and plan the ultimate summer holiday with your friends and family. The Mediterranean's largest island is waiting for you!
Check out our itinerary for the best outdoor activities in Sicily and don't miss out on our top thrilling activities to visit Mount Etna!