How to get from Naples to Sicily. How to get to Sicily: ferry from Malta, Naples and Rome Only speed boats operate from Mergellina port
Average Naples Palermo prices
Prices shown represent the average one-way price paid by our customers. The most common booking on the Naples Palermo route is a car and 2 passengers.
Naples to Palermo Ferry reviews
"Naples-Palermo by ferry Tirrenia"
The ferry trip went very well... Unfortunately, they do not have luggage storage (we sailed from Ischia in the morning). An automatic storage room from another company came to the rescue. The cabin for two is cozy and clean; the beds are comfortable. I was surprised by the poorly cleaned toilet. We had dinner at the a la carte restaurant and liked everything. There was no live music, many watched football on large TV screens, on the last trip we were more lucky - the Italians spent half the night singing songs that were familiar to all of us in Russia from childhood. Italy is magnificent and traveling by ferry is the best way to get to Sicily.
"Natalya" - trip along the route Naples Palermo from Tirrenia to Florio
"Naples-Palermo"
The ferry is very good. The flight is scheduled at a very convenient time for tourists. Good service. Everything is fine! I was satisfied!
"Aleksandr" - trip along the route Naples Palermo with Grandi Navi Veloci on SNAV Lazio
Read more Read less"Napoli-Palermo"
A great way to get to Sicily. Convenient and interesting. This was my first trip on a ship. Liked!
"Andrey" - trip along the route Naples Palermo with Grandi Navi Veloci on SNAV Lazio
Read more Read less"Everything is fine"
My wife and I sailed from Naples to Palermo, we really liked the cabin, it was clean, the beds were wide, and there was a bathroom. the unit was excellent, there was live music in the bar, although they went overboard with the air conditioning. In general, we liked everything!
"Ivan" - trip along the route Naples Palermo with Grandi Navi Veloci on SNAV Sardegna
Read more Read less"From Naples to Palermo"
A great way to travel from Naples to Palermo. We are a couple and booked a double cabin. The company unexpectedly provided us with a cabin overlooking the sea. We had a great night's sleep. The trip cost 120 euros for two, a night in a hotel would have cost the same. Highly recommended.
"Fernando" - trip along the route Naples Palermo from Tirrenia to Florio
Read more Read less"Naples - Palermo"
A great ferry with a good range of conditions. Very clean and comfortable cabins. The staff is very helpful and polite!
"Anonymous" - trip along the route Naples Palermo from Tirrenia to Florio
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We traveled by overnight ferry from Naples to Palermo and back. The cabin was clean and had electrical outlets. The bathroom is small and you need an extra towel to wipe up the water on the floor. There were three of us and we had to ask for a third towel. We brought our own food after reading reviews about the food on board, so we can't comment on that. Overall a good trip.
"Stephen" - trip along the route Naples Palermo with Grandi Navi Veloci on SNAV Sardegna
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Guide to Naples
The Italian city of Naples, or Napoli as it is also called, is located in the Campania region and is located on the Bay of Naples, on the western coast of southern Italy. The city is located in an enviable position between two volcanic regions, Vesuvius and Campi Phlegrei. The Roman ruins of Pompeii, Cherulaneum, Opolontis and Stabia, which were destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, are close to the city, as are the city of Sorrento and the picturesque Amalfi Coast. Also close to Naples are the former parts of the Roman maritime site Portus Julius, namely the port cities of Pozzuoli and Baia, which lie north of Naples. The city is adorned with medieval, Baroque and Renaissance churches, castles and palaces and has long been an important center for art and architecture. In the 18th century, Naples went through a period of neoclassicism, due to the discovery of the remarkably intact Roman excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
The port of Naples is home to several ferries, with catamaran and hydrofoil services and SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull), linking numerous places in both provinces of Naples, including Capri, Ischia, Sorrento and the province of Salernitan, including Salerno , Positano and Amalfi. Ferries also go to Sicily, Sardinia, Ponza and the Aeolian Islands.
Guide to Palermo
The Italian city of Palermo is located on the island of Sicily. Palermo is on the northwest coast and has a particularly large and important natural port, next to Monte Pellegrino. With typical Mediterranean character and plenty of coastal appeal, Palermo dates back to the 8th century, and today is famous for many things, such as its Norman buildings, magnificent palaces and bustling local markets. The historic center of Palermo, the Quattro Canti area, which means "four corners". A number of the city's most impressive sights are found here, such as the Royal Palace. Also worth a visit is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Cathedral). Visitors should also look out for the medieval Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, the 12th-century Castello Della Zisa (Zisa Castle) and the Teatro Massimo, a recently restored theater with regular performances.
Ferries from the city's port depart to Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples and Tunis.
This summer we traveled around Italy by car. One of the most exciting activities was traveling on the ferry from Palermo to Naples.
Why is a ferry more convenient than a car?
The ferry is much more convenient than a car for many reasons: it is faster, cheaper and it takes you around. And this is also a very interesting journey. The ferry takes about 11 hours at night, you sleep peacefully in your cabin, and early in the morning you go straight down to Naples. By car you will pay for a toll road, for expensive gasoline in Italy, for a ferry crossing from the island of Sicily to the mainland, and also pay for a night in a hotel. In general, if you count all the costs, then a direct crossing from Sicily to Naples is both more profitable and interesting: the car is in the hold, you are in a bar or restaurant, you go to bed in the evening, and you have already arrived in the morning.
Choosing tickets and cabin
The process of purchasing tickets is quite simple, with the exception of two points: the choice of cabin and the size of your car. We go to the website of the ferry company, we traveled on the Snav ferry https://www.snav.it/, change the language to English, if you don’t know Italian (I don’t know), fill out the form when, where, how many adults/children, add a car , If you want to. We select a specific flight and a form for selecting a cabin and indicating the dimensions of the car opens. And here’s the problem: the site is translated into English, but there is no drop-down menu. Therefore, we choose a cabin using Google translator, here is an approximate description of the cabins:
- PALTRONA - armchair. The ferry has a lounge with seats similar to airplane ones. You can take one of these chairs. Low class, supposedly without a cabin. It's not very good to sleep there, so I don't recommend it;
- PASSAGIO LIBERO - free passenger. No idea what it is, apparently, just take an empty chair;
- SUIT MATRIMONIALE - double cabin;
- SUIT MATRIMONIALE LATE CHACKOUT - the same thing only with late check-out;
- CABINA VISTA MARE 3 LETTI - room with sea view and 3 beds;
- CABINA INTERNA 4 LETTI - room without windows with 4 beds;
- SUIT QUADRUPLA is a type of family room for four. One large bed and two for children, i.e. four-bed (only the Presidential Suite is cooler, so you'll be at the top of the food chain - our choice);
- POSTO DONNA IN CABINA INTERNA 4 LETTI - place in a women's cabin with 4 beds;
- POSTO DONNA IN CABINA INTERNA 4 LETTI - place in a men's cabin with 4 beds;
- and so on. The available cabins vary by vessel and vary from ferry to ferry.
- Autoveicolo - passenger car;
- Veicolo con rimorchio - a car with a trailer;
- Camper - camper or motor home in our opinion;
- Moto e Ciclomotori - Motorcycles and mopeds.
We take the dimensions of the car on the Internet in accordance with the type of rented car. If you don’t know the number, write “rented car.” Click next and select insurance or say “I am immortal.” Click “next” again, fill in all the passenger data, as when buying plane tickets, pay and become the proud owners of electronic ferry tickets (you don’t need to print them).
Ferry boarding procedure
Boarding large ferries is similar to boarding an airplane: registration, obtaining boarding passes, security checks and actually loading onto the ferry. We arrive early, like on a plane, go straight to the port (at the entrance you will be asked to show your tickets), then look for the check-in counter. In Palermo they look like this:
The easiest way to find registration stocks is by flags
Entrance to the registration area At check-in you show your tickets and passports, you can use your tablet/phone, you are given boarding passes, they tell you the berth number and the start time of boarding. After which you go for a walk or go straight to boarding.
These are the boarding tickets for each passenger and for the car 
Suite Quadrupla
The loading procedure is extremely simple, you drive up to your berth, at the entrance you will be asked for your boarding pass and passports, you may be asked to open the trunk, then follow the instructions of the traffic controllers and park in the indicated place. Pull the handbrake tighter and set it to speed/parking mode. You collect all the things you need for the night and go up to the living area. At the reception you receive the key to your room and go to relax, go to a bar, restaurant or to the observation deck to see off Palermo at sunset.
Pier with ferries. Ours is to the left. 
Seeing off Palermo 
Palermo at sunset Let me clarify a few questions:
Do I need to show my passports?
Yes, long-distance ferries require passports and tickets are purchased with specific passengers in mind. Long-distance ferries go beyond territorial waters; in fact, you are leaving the territory of the state, so you approach such trips more or less responsibly.
Is it possible to sleep in a car?
No, it is strictly prohibited to be in a car while the ferry is moving; you will not even be allowed on deck. Therefore, you need to take all things with you.
Do you get motion sickness on the ferry?
No. Of course, you feel that the ferry is moving across the sea, but there is no motion.
I found a wonderful photo report from a tourist in the southern part of Italy. The selection of photos is wonderful. I invite you to admire it too)
2005 year. An exciting journey from Naples to the southern tip of Italy and across Sicily.
Hotel located in a small town Maiori on the Amalfi Coast of Italy.
Hotel Du’e Torre (which means “two towers”) was above all praise: spacious rooms, large balconies that seemed to hang over the sea,
a cozy beach in a small bay and an amazing extra-class restaurant (tasty, delicious, excellent service), but only 4* and the price is very reasonable.
From this place we made two trips:
- Pompeii
- Ravello with its wonderful gardens.
It should be said that the Amalfi Coast is incredibly beautiful: Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi - all these small towns are located in tiers on fairly high and steep cliffs.
They say that the best views of this coast are from the sea
and it’s worth taking a boat ride and admiring them,
but we drove part of it by car and really enjoyed the breathtaking sea views.
Unfortunately, the road along the coast is very narrow and therefore traffic is slow (sometimes it is one and a half lanes and every kilometer there are girls with walkie-talkies to regulate traffic).
Ravello- a small town in the mountains above the sea, in which there are private villas available for visiting. The location is very picturesque, but the main attraction of these villas is the stunning gardens,
broken on the mountainside.
It's very nice to walk along the tennis alleys on a hot day
and enjoy the aroma of flowers, herbs and the wonders of landscape design. The square in front of the Ravello Cathedral is very nice, and the observation deck offers magnificent views of the mountains and the sea.
Pompeii- a place that undoubtedly needs to be visited when you find yourself near Naples. The road from the coast to Pompeii took quite a long time, because we had to wait in a cafe in a small mountain village to wait for the end of the rally (in normal mode, I think it takes less than two hours).
Pompeii in August 79 turned from a flourishing city into a desert in one day:
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius covered the city with a multi-meter layer of ash (according to historical sources, the ash reached Egypt and Syria). They forgot about Pompeii until the 16th century, when the first excavations began, and only in 1763, when the border pillar of Pompeii was discovered, did they begin to be systematic. In the last 20 years, only restoration work has been carried out in Pompeii and 30% of the city remains untouched for posterity.
Due to its sudden and rapid destruction, Pompeii is the best preserved ancient city and provides a complete picture of the life of its inhabitants.
The geometrically correct layout of the streets, sidewalks and bridges and, especially, pedestrian crossings are striking: huge boulders connect the two sides of the street for the convenience of pedestrians (there was no sewage system in the city and sewage flowed along the roads) and were placed at intervals for the passage of carts.
There was a water supply in the city,
which was brought only to rich houses,
the rest took water from the city's 24 fountains. The temples of Jupiter, Vespasian and Venus amaze with their beauty and grandeur.
Large and small theaters, an amphitheater and a large palaestra for gymnastic exercises and sports events have been excavated.
countless baths (by the way, there were thefts in the city, so even in the baths, servants sat near clothes folded in niches).
The large number of ancient restaurants and the network of thermopoliums (89) that supplied residents with hot food are striking, because many houses did not have kitchens.
In this regard, you understand that very rich people lived in Pompeii, leading an idle and often dissolute lifestyle (a lupanarium - a brothel also existed, but, unfortunately, we did not get into it because restoration work was taking place there) .
The wealth is also confirmed by residential buildings: large, beautiful with well-preserved frescoes.
We especially liked the House of the Faun, named after a figurine of a dancing faun excavated from a rainwater basin).
On the outskirts of Pompeii, behind the Herculanean Gate, is the Villa of the Mysteries, so named due to the frescoes preserved in one of the rooms, which, according to the main version of scientists, depict the Dionysian Mysteries.
Be sure to check it out, amazing place!
Pompeii undoubtedly deserves special attention, especially since, according to scientists, the next eruption of Vesuvius can be expected very soon, and you may not be in time.
We did not go to Herculaneum, a city located on the other side of Vesuvius and destroyed after the eruption by mud flows.
Having left the Amalfi Coast, we headed for Sicily, and after 4 hours we were at the port of Reggio di Calabria, from where the ferry
Together with the car, he took us to the north-eastern coast of Sicily to the port of Messina in 20 minutes.
We did not visit such large cities as Messina, Catania, Syracuse.
From Messina our path lay towards Palermo, to the place of our first stop, the town of Campofelice de Roccella, or rather to the Fiesta garden beach hotel, located not far from it.
So, the Fiesta garden beach hotel, our first base in Sicily. 4* hotel, very nice, small bungalows with small lawns in front of each room, delicious food, beautiful sandy beach (though small)
and a good location for our travels, and there were three of them:
- Cefalu,
- Palermo and Monreale,
- Zingaro Nature Reserve, located west of Palermo.
Cefalu- undoubtedly one of the pearls of the province of Palermo. A small town full of charm rises on a cape jutting out into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The name of the place is associated with the bizarre shape of the rock hanging over the city
(from Italian cefalo - mullet). The main attraction of the city is the Cathedral,
construction of which began in the 12th century and lasted for a very long time. The cathedral is decorated with Byzantine mosaics.
The town is very cozy, calm, with countless souvenir shops and restaurants. The oldest part of the city is especially interesting with houses that seem to grow out of the water;
People still live here and there are small shops, one of which - the wine shop - is unusually good (especially its tasting room, which has access to a charming balcony with a fantastic view of the sea).
In Cefalu we tried a traditional fish soup - “matlot”, an analogue of the Spanish “bouillabaisse”
and traditional Sicilian sweets - marzipans, made in the shape of various fruits, delicious and very beautiful
(it was impossible to get away from the store window where they were sold).
Palermo- capital of Sicily; if you look at it from above, from Mount Pellegrino, then its outline resembles a huge open fan. Palermo is certainly worth a visit, but be prepared for the fact that it is very noisy and dirty (be sure to watch your step, as pet excrement can be seen everywhere on the sidewalks). And don’t go far from the central streets, as these places resemble, as it seemed to us, black ghettos. There are explanations for these facts. After the Second World War, instead of putting the historical center of the city in order, active construction of the necessary new housing began on the outskirts, business and trade moved there, and the historical center was abandoned. Later, they began to restore it, and they are still doing this, because the historical center of Palermo is very large - the second largest after Genoa. The city center is now inhabited mainly by immigrants from Asian and African countries, and in percentage terms the city's population is divided into the following shares: 40% are Italians, 20% are Arabs, 10% are Africans, and the rest is multinational. In this regard, Palermo can safely be called a city of “mixed civilizations”. Entering Palermo, you will immediately notice the mixture of different cultures, which is evident in the Carthaginian columns. red Islamic domes, gardens and ponds, in the magnificent palaces of the nobility (the city has at all times been the habitat of noble and rich people).
The main attractions are concentrated on the main street (Vittorio Emanuelle), which crosses almost the entire city.
Cathedral
A majestic building, striking in its decorativeness and representing a mixture of different cultures: Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine and Arab
(construction of the cathedral began in 1184 and was carried out over the next few centuries). The square in front of the cathedral is also very beautiful.
Interesting Palace of the Normans (or Royal Palace), the construction of which began in the 9th century, and since the 11th century the palace has been the residence of Norman and Swabian sovereigns.
Since 1947, it has become the meeting place of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, which is why visiting it is very limited, and we did not get there, but it would have been worth it: in this palace there is Palatine Chapel, which is considered one of the finest and most characteristic examples of Norman art in Sicily. Having passed through the New Gate, which is like a continuation of the Norman Palace,
We continued our sightseeing:
Area of the four corners (Quatro Canti),
Church of Sant'Giuseppe
Senatorial Palace and Pretoria Fountain,
Church of Santa Maria dell' Ammiraglio)
Then we went to a wonderful place, located just 7 km from the capital - this is a wonderful town Montreal. This place is worth spending time on. The town is located on a hill with magnificent panoramic views, but is famous for its cathedral and monastery.
Construction Cathedral was started in the second half of the 12th century. It is famous for its extremely valuable mosaics,
covering the interior walls and creating a festive atmosphere. The abundant mosaic decoration on a golden background was made by Byzantine and Arab masters of the 12th-13th centuries.
From the arch of the main apse, Christ the Pantocrator looks at you, creating a curious optical illusion: no matter where you find yourself in the cathedral, it seems that Christ is looking specifically at you.
The influence of the Muslim East is visible in the original architectural forms of the Cathedral.
Stunningly beautiful Cathedral! We climbed the stairs at the beginning of the right nave to the terrace at the top of the Cathedral and enjoyed magnificent views of the Benedictine Abbey,
Montreal and the Golden Shell
(this is the name of the bay where the capital of Sicily is located).
Adjacent to the Cathedral Benedictine Abbey was built with him and is not inferior in its beauty and significance. The masterpiece of the abbey is its cloister (a covered gallery framing the courtyard of the monastery),
which can be entered through the entrance to the right of the façade of the Cathedral. Graceful rows of paired columns support pointed arches of fine Arabic workmanship,
everything is decorated with mosaics and exquisite sculpted capitals (the crowning parts of the columns), none of which are repeated.
At the end of the cloister is a fountain, executed with refined artistry and marked by Moorish and Spanish influences.
Montreal is an unusually picturesque town, where we enjoyed relaxing in a cafe (on the square in front of the cathedral). We couldn’t help but take a photo of the traditional Sicilian cart,
which can be found in many towns of the island and which arouses constant interest among tourists.
Next trip to the north of Sicily is Zingaro Nature Reserve.
The road to the reserve is very picturesque; a particularly beautiful view opens from the serpentine road to the town Castellammare del Golfo:
excellent bay with countless sailboats. We reached the village of Scopello and ate delicious Sicilian homemade ice cream
(we especially liked the pistachio one) and went to the reserve. Its territory is huge,
Hiking routes have been developed so you can wander through the mountains
or, like us, walk along the coast.
The high coast alternates with magnificent sandy bays
(though no amenities).
We never saw the rare butterfly species listed in the guidebook, but Zhenya took magnificent photographs.
Summary: if you are not vacationing near Palermo, you should not go to Zingaro.
On the way back to our hotel we decided to make a small detour and stop at a place Caerleone(remember The Godfather).
It would have made sense to go to the cemetery and see the ancestral grave of the Corleone family, but, unfortunately, it was already getting dark, and we only drove around the town by car and headed for the coast (though we saw
everything is exactly like in the movies; they say that many children or grandchildren bring their chairs to Caerleone in the evening, and take them home at night).
Stunning views
opened up to us in the vicinity of Caerleone,
and we didn’t regret coming here.
It's time to move to our second base in Sicily - Hotel Baia Taormina, 6 kilometers from Taormina. We decided to go to this hotel not along the coast, but through the center of the island, visiting the cities Piazza Armerina
(the subject of our interest is ancient Roman villa Romana del Casale) and Caltagirone.
The road from the coast to Piazza Armerina took a little over an hour. We didn’t linger in the city and went straight to the villa. The construction dates back to the 3rd-4th centuries. BC. The perfection of the mosaic floor decoration made this ancient villa famous throughout the world.
It was discovered in the 20s of the 20th century, and its excavations continue to this day. The villa is not very big, but visiting it takes a lot of time, because you want to look at this wonderful mosaic in detail,
she's so interesting. We especially liked the Fishing Halls
as well as the Hall of Ten Girls: the mosaic depicts girls who are passionate about gymnastic games, and they are dressed in bikinis.
And this is BC!!! Incomprehensible, but fashion is coming back.
Villa Romana del Casale- the pearl of Sicily, and although it is located far from the coast, go and you will not regret it. And by purchasing souvenirs - tiles with images of mosaics in the villa - you will decorate your apartment or cottage.
Next stop - the city Caltagirone, and again only admiration and pleasure.
The city is located on a hill at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level and is translated from Arabic as “City of Vases”.
The name contains the entire history of the city: the traditions of ceramic production, in an area rich in clay reserves, have developed over thousands of years, thanks to the influence of different cultures.
The period of greatest flowering of local artistic ceramics occurred in the 18th century, and a fundamental contribution to the development of ceramic art was made by the Art Institute of Ceramics, founded in 1918 by Don Luigi Sturzo, the then mayor of the city. The city, decorated with colorful ceramics, is very elegant and homely. In addition to numerous churches decorated with majolica;
the 17th century belvedere "Teatrino", famous for its ceramic panels;
the most beautiful balustrade,
separating the city garden from Via Roma, with ceramic vases and pine cones;
the San Francesco Bridge, built in the 17th century and decorated with majolica depicting various types of urban weapons;
we especially remember Scala di Santa Maria del Monte.
This staircase is a symbol of the city and was built in the 17th century to connect the “upper city” and the center of Caltagirone.
Each of its 142 steps is decorated with polychrome tiles with a unique pattern,
on which you can see the development of various styles of Kalatin ceramics from the 12th to the 20th century. The staircase makes a stunning impression
Moreover, one can imagine the degree of entertainment of the famous “Luminaria”, which is held here annually on July 24 and 25: 4000 torches, each of which is placed in a separate colored paper “glass” (the color changes from year to year), represent a fiery kaleidoscope.
We would love to spend several days in this city, but “the trumpet is calling”, the hotel has been paid for and the coast and beautiful Taormina await us.
To the hotel "Baia Taormina", which is 6 km from the city of Taormina,
we arrived in the evening.
I will dwell in more detail on the description of the hotel and this part of the coast of the island. The coastline near Taormina is rocky with small pebble beaches interspersed. Only five-star hotels near Taormina have their own very small sandy beaches. Back in Moscow, we chose between two hotels: “Baia Taormina” and “Capo Taormina”, and the choice fell on the first. The hotel is nice, with large rooms and equally large verandas-balconies with tables and sun loungers,
with sea views.
There is a shuttle to Taormina and the beach, located one and a half kilometers from the hotel, which is very convenient. But for those who are planning to stay near Taormina in Sicily, we certainly recommend the Capo Taormina Hotel, because it has its own, albeit rocky, beach, stunning panoramic views (if you get the appropriate rooms) and is located right under Taormina. I note that the rooms and balconies in it are small and it costs more.
The weather during our stay on the eastern part of the island deteriorated slightly, we did not lie on the beach,
and swam before and after our daily travels:
- climb to Etna,
- the city of Noto,
- the charming town of Forza di Agro,
- multiple visits to Taormina.
Etna- the largest active volcano in Europe, among scientists called Mongibello. The height of the volcano is 3350 m. The entire territory of Etna is declared a National Nature Reserve.
We reached an altitude of 1900 m by car.
Citrus and orchards gave way to a high-mountain belt of forests composed of birch, beech, walnut, larch, etc. In the zone from 1000 to 2000 meters along the slopes and around the base of the main crater there are side craters.
At an altitude of 2000 meters, woody vegetation is replaced by ferns, horsetails, and mosses.
Here we left the car, had a snack in one of the cafes and were convinced that the saying “it’s a small world” applies even here: our men met a colleague at their former place of work.
through the ash desert
We began to climb to the highest point where tourists are allowed - 2900 meters. With an instructor, we walked around the side crater of the volcano. It should be said that before this trip we warmed ourselves up (we wore sweaters, jackets, warm socks), but it was still cold, since the temperature was just above zero and the wind was strong.
The impression is huge, it seems that the earth is breathing under your feet, it is hot. Here and there, streams of hot steam emerge through cracks in the ground.
And just a little higher, among the ashen gray-brown desert, rises the highest point of the volcano with a snow-capped peak.
It seems that you are on another planet and it’s hard to believe that below is the warm Mediterranean Sea and sunny Sicily.
Next trip to the city But that- a diamond of baroque architecture of the 18th century, “Garden in Stone”, as it is commonly called.
This city was completely rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 and features an incredible mix of different styles and materials. We wandered around the city as if through a museum, where each building is a museum exhibit in a single copy. The Palazzo Ducedzio (the seat of the municipality) is very beautiful.
Palazzo Nicolaici Villadorata with its unique balcony details in pure Baroque style,
which is a typical example of an aristocratic Sicilian residence.
A typical example of a Baroque church from the 18th century is the Church of San Francesco all'Immacolata, which is preceded by a monumental staircase.
Unfortunately, many city buildings, including the Cathedral, were under restoration and were covered with mesh. But even what we saw was enough to get the impression of real baroque.
I note that there were very few tourists, and we wandered the streets of the city almost alone. By the way, we had lunch at a restaurant located in a typical Italian patio of one of the baroque buildings,
I really liked it.
A trip to a cute town Forza di Agro happened by accident. One day it was raining in the morning, there was nothing to do at the hotel, and I didn’t want to go somewhere far away. At the reception we saw the avenues of a pretty town, which (as it turned out, after looking at the map) is located on the mountain above our hotel (12 km along the serpentine road). Half an hour later we were already in Forza di Agro.
Small town with an old church
and ancient houses, many of which were in disrepair,
looked very romantic. Due to the weather, the streets were deserted (with the exception of a few inquisitive tourists like us) and it seemed that from the present time on the coast we had found ourselves in the distant past.
We hope that the photographs convey these feelings.
A separate topic is the city Taormina.
We visited it several times - in the morning, during the day, and in the evening - and always received constant pleasure. True, during the day there are a lot of tourists who sail to Taormina on large cruise ships.
Taormina is one of the most attractive tourist centers of Sicily, thanks to its historical, cultural and archaeological heritage, as well as its excellent geographical position on a terrace overlooking the Ionian coast, with Mount Etna as a backdrop. There are a large number of hotels that are connected to the beaches of Isola Bella,
Mazzaro and Spisone by cableway.
A special attraction of the city is Greek theater,
which became the tourist image of Sicily, a kind of logo of the entire island.
What can be seen today dates back to the 2nd century BC. and was adapted by the Romans for gladiator fights, naumachia (naval battles) and hunting spectacles. The construction of the Theater began in the 3rd century. BC, during the reign of the tyrant Geryon II; The Greek origin of the Theater can be judged from the inscriptions on the steps and the remains of a small temple. The spacious cavea (seating areas), carved out of the limestone rock, could accommodate 5,400 spectators.
In the Middle Ages, the Theater was used as a kind of source of materials for the construction of palaces and the decoration of churches.
Today, the restored and remodeled skene (stage), known for its excellent acoustics, hosts theatrical performances in the summer.
From the top steps of the Theater there is a unique view of Etna - “something as near as possible to the contemplation of Eden,” as Cardinal J. Henry Newman wrote in 1883.
The main street of Taormina is Corso Umberto;
fashionable shops and restaurants are concentrated along it (although in the nearby side streets the shops and restaurants are no worse, but cheaper).
The old town is filled with the charm of ancient churches and palazzos: the Cathedral of San Nicolo and the fountain standing in front of it,
Baroque church of San Giuseppe, Gothic church of Sant'Agostino.
A separate topic is shops and confectionery shops. It should be noted that Taormina is home to a large number of jewelry stores selling unusually beautiful jewelry made of mother-of-pearl and corals, as well as stores of very high quality jewelry.
And pastry shops are vernissages of sweets. Our first trip to the pastry shop was simply wasteful: two pieces of sweets (reminiscent of candied sorbet) cost 12 euros, although they looked very artistic.
In one of the pastry shops (to the genuine joy of the owner) we purchased a countless number of marzipans for gifts to Moscow,
By the way, the freshest marzipans are never on display, keep this in mind.
But the most delicious sweets in Sicily are canolli: tubes of thin dough filled with the freshest and most delicate curd cream (filled right in front of you), which does not last long even in the refrigerator.
Taormina at night is a special sight; The illuminated city is very romantic, and despite the large number of people, it evokes calm and bliss.
We deliberately did not go to the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento Segesta and Selinunte, because we had seen enough ancient Greek temples during four trips to Greece, but if you have time, you can go to those places, and we think you will not regret it. Moreover, in the Agrigeno area there are magnificent hotels with thermal springs and excellent beaches, but Moscow travel companies began working with them only recently.
We highly recommend that you visit Sicily - the largest island of the Mediterranean, a land of contrasts, where the whiteness of the salt marshes and the fire of Etna are combined with green vineyards and the sun-drenched coast of the blue sea.
Well, how did you like it? But with the daily bustle, we sometimes forget to look back and admire the beauty of Italy... But it is truly brilliantly beautiful...
The floating hotel gave us an unforgettable adventure and meeting good people. This night on the ship couldn't have gone better. Only in the morning, if we had gone out like all normal people, and not through the parking lot. Intrigued? Well then, read on.
I am duplicating the photo from the previous post to more fully convey the atmosphere of what is happening.
It all started quite mediocre, one might even say it was incomprehensible. We boarded the ship, went up to the desired floor, we had a boarding pass for the 10th floor, and there are only 12 of them. It felt like you were in an ordinary hotel: reception, stairs, rooms. We saw no cafes, no restaurants, no bars - nothing that Karina had previously told me about. However, we knew that the ferry had everything.
First of all, it was important for us to leave our things somewhere. We sat down on the sofa, which was located next to the exit to the deck. About five minutes later, an uncle joined us and a conversation began. He went to Sicily and returned home to his homeland. He told us about the island, recommended beautiful places worth visiting in Palermo and beyond. He showed me a photo on his iPad; he had internet via some kind of special modem. By the way, his ticket to a first class cabin cost 30 euros, and our boarding pass cost 67 euros. Can you smell the difference? And this is because he is a citizen of Sicily. Suddenly, the Sicilian guy offered to use the Internet from his device, as if he felt that we urgently needed to write requests to couchsurfers. We were sailing to Palermo, but we weren’t even looking for a host yet, there was no way. And here is such a proposal, and it’s so opportune. It was a sin to refuse. I sent about 20-30 random requests, hoping that overnight at least someone would read and maybe even respond.
The ferry has started. We went out on deck to watch the sunset. It was something amazing! PHOTO PHOTO PHOTO! We photographed everything and photographed everything. Well, this is understandable if you see such views before your eyes.
Vesuvius himself, and I sat down on the side :) 
There is a special atmosphere on deck. 
Photomaniacs on the hunt. 
Karinushka is my wonderful travel companion. 
I solemnly join the ranks of photomaniacs. 
Do you recognize the photo? 
I tried to take a photo of the woman discreetly. She seemed to notice. 
Yes, the horizon is blocked, sorry.
This whole photo bacchanalia lasted about an hour. At that time, our things were with that guy, the most valuable, of course, with us. Unexpectedly, we met Ruslan, he advised us where we could leave our things so that they would be safe.
The place is like a mini cinema.
We agreed to meet in about half an hour at the same place. Ruslan promised that he would give us a tour of the ship, show us all sorts of secret places, and finally we would have the opportunity to communicate normally. In the meantime, he had to walk around the ferry and keep order; after all, he works here as a security guard. We went to inspect the ship ourselves. We walked along the floors, had a snack, listened to live music (in the concert hall, an Italian man played a white piano and sang; some passengers even danced to his music), admired the remnants of the sunset, standing on the open deck.
And sitting too ;) 
I'm flying!
This time Ruslan was not alone - he came along with his colleague Zamir. The guys turned out to be very interesting and talkative. Zamir spoke with a slight accent and sometimes confused the meaning of words, but everything was clear. We talked about our Italian trip, which was almost coming to an end, about life in Russia, about ourselves in general, we asked many questions about the safety of the ship, whether there had been any tragic incidents, whether there were enough lifeboats for everyone, at what speed a ship is coming, etc. Zamir and Ruslan talked a lot about themselves, about how they got on the ship, whether they liked it here, about life in Israel, what they planned to do next, etc. What I mean is that the conversation was very meaningful and rich, it was a real explosion of communication, since during the trip we had already lost the habit of speaking so much in Russian. It so happened that we split into pairs: I talked with Ruslan, Karina with Zamir. But then we somehow spontaneously switched interlocutors and continued the fascinating conversation.
The nice thing is that during the entire time that we spent together on the ferry, which was almost the entire night, none of them even tried to flirt with us in any way. Russian or Italian men would have tried more than once to take you by the hand, hug you (whether you want it or not), offer or hint something... In general, Jews are very well-mannered people. It was easy for us to walk with them through secret closed rooms, along deserted decks, and explore all the features of the ship, for example, parking or places for transporting animals. Ruslan said that once a whole batch of Harleys was transported on this ferry, about 300, if I’m not mistaken. And in addition to cats and dogs, tigers were transported in cages!
Entrance to the casino. 
Restroom. 
And sleep. 
These guys have keys to every door on the ferry. 
We drink coffee and chat. 
We asked a random passenger to take a photo of the four of us. He was a little drunk and stoned, but there were no other options. Nevertheless, he showed interest in filming: he spent a long time setting up the frame, zooming in, out, looking for the best angle. And here it is - the best of ten photos taken by him. Everyone has a clear split personality. 
We decided not to torment the would-be photographer any longer and set the camera on a timer. It turned out quite tolerably. 
From largest to smallest. from 165 cm to 200 cm. 
There was nothing interesting in the parking lot this time. Regular Mercedes, Audi, Fiat. 
Having examined everything we could, we went to a closed conference room. Playing cards! They played fool and some kind of Jewish card game. Zamir mentioned that he could play the guitar and dance Latin American dances! I just needed music, and I asked him to bring a guitar and play something. Moreover, I love it when young people play the guitar. This is my weakness.
Card sharpers. Ruslan is definitely already up to something, judging by the expression on his face. 
Zamir plays and sings. Karina and I sing along if we know the words.
After the guitar, a demonstration of dancing skills began. The Chachacha dance was chosen. He wiggled his hips very funny, it was funny in that environment. Serious, in a suit, in the conference room, next to the card table:) We tried to dance as a couple, but I’m a hopeless non-dancing log! Ahahaha))) I reveal so many secrets about myself. I have a desire to learn how to dance couples dances, such as samba, rumba, chachacha. Some day. In the distant future.
Songs and dances are, of course, all great, but the time was already 4 o’clock in the morning. We arrived at about 7 am, we needed at least a couple of hours of sleep, our eyes were closing. Ruslan left us an hour ago, and Zamir was on night duty today, so he couldn’t sleep.
If you have a boarding pass, you can sleep anywhere: on any sofa, armchair, chair, even on the floor in your sleeping bag.
Yes, although you can do it without a sleeping bag)
We found a free small sofa, took pillows and a blanket from the reception and lay down to take a nap. We said goodbye to Zamir and agreed to meet in the morning before leaving.
We fell asleep. An hour later I wake up, as people have already started walking back and forth, having breakfast, talking, and so on. I open my eyes and see a note on the table “To Olga and Karina”. The letter began with the words Good morning sleeping princesses... It was incredibly nice of Zamir to write us a letter. At the end of the letter his name is on Facebook and hope to keep in touch with us. Such an unexpected pleasant little thing can charge you with a good mood for the whole day. After reading the note, I went to wash my face, brush my teeth, have breakfast, change clothes, and watch the sunrise on the deck.
We are approaching Sicily.
Karina was still sleeping alone on the sofa. Nothing bothered her. We had to wake her up by force, since we were already approaching Palermo and all the passengers were heading for the exit.
We walked around the ship one last time and tried to find the guys to say goodbye, but we couldn’t find them. At some point, looking down from the sixth floor, it seemed to me that Ruslan was standing there at the exit, I even waved to him. But then it turned out that it was not him.
So we arrived at our destination - Palermo. The largest city on the island. 
There was even a bookstore here. 
The walls are decorated with paintings on a marine theme.
They began to announce that all passengers were to move to the exits, and to different ones. People who have a car go one way, those who don’t go the other. It sounds almost the same in Italian, it is difficult to perceive by ear. We asked the employee at the reception again, he showed us with his hand the exit for passengers without a car. We approached the exit, the line slowly moved forward, moved towards the stairs - and now we were already going down. And we get to the parking lot! All the people get into their cars and drive out one after another, but we don’t know where to go or how to get from here to the exit for ordinary people. The parking attendant helped and directed us to the exit where cars leave.
A wonderful picture: dozens of cars are leaving in an orderly row and two girls with backpacks are walking :-) The adventure did not end there. When we got out, it turned out that a special bus came for passengers without cars and took them to a certain stop. You can't walk here on foot. They've arrived)) We tried to walk, but the port worker stopped us and said that this was not allowed here. You need to go by bus. This guy called someone and told us not to go anywhere and wait here. We had already waited for half an hour, and it was not clear what or who we were waiting for.
And then out of nowhere a bus arrives. Empty. And our personal driver takes us to the desired stop. So Sicily greeted us!
This year, several couples of us decided to spend a vacation in Italy, but not as usual, renting a room in one hotel, but traveling throughout the country. One of the points of our journey was the island where we went from Naples.
By car
Getting to Sicily by car is not difficult, but it is a bit expensive due to the need to travel on toll roads and use a ferry. If you do decide to hit the road by car, then you need to leave Naples and follow the A3 motorway to the small village of Villa San Giovanni. The distance between Naples and Villa San Giovanni is about 500 km, which can realistically be covered in 6-7 hours.
After this, you should transfer to the ferry to Messina. The width of the strait is small, only 5 km, but there is no bridge or tunnel, so the ferry is the only way to travel to Sicily by ferry.
What is the price
Traveling by car to Sicily will cost 37 euros. You will also need to pay about the same amount for toll roads. You will spend approximately 70 euros on gasoline.
If you are traveling with a rented car, it will be more profitable to rent a car on the island, since a trip for a passenger without a vehicle will cost only 2.5 euros.
By plane
Sicily has two major passenger airports. One of them is located in (about 35 km from the city), the other is in Catania (about 17 km from the city).
There are two airlines that fly to Palermo: Alitalia and Volotea. Departure times depend on the day of the week, but almost every day there are morning, afternoon and evening flights.
EasyJet and Alitalia airlines fly to Catania. In all cases, you will spend just over an hour in the air.
What is the price
With Alitalia, the cheapest ticket can be purchased for 60 euros. Low-cost company Volotea offers even cheaper tickets - for only 35 euros. Keep in mind that a trip to Sicily should be planned in advance (preferably several months in advance), since tickets can become several times more expensive closer to the departure date. Also, when purchasing, check whether baggage transportation is included in the price, and if not, how much you will need to pay extra.
Where can I buy
The easiest way to purchase a ticket is on the websites of Alitalia, Volotea and EasyJet airlines.
By train
What is the price
A train ticket will cost from 40 to 70 euros. The cost depends on the specific route. Usually, traveling by night train costs a little more, but it is more comfortable.
Where can I buy
The most convenient way to make a purchase is via the Internet. If you wish, you can also use the terminal installed at the station or contact the cashier.
By bus
You can also get from Naples to the island by bus, which depart from the square near the central railway station and from the Town Hall Square. They follow to Messina and. You need to spend 8-10 hours on the way.
Flights are operated by two transport companies: Salemi, departing at 21.30, and, which leaves at 19.00.
What is the price
A ticket, depending on the route, will cost around 36-40 euros.
Where can I buy
You can view the schedule and issue a ticket on the websites of transport companies and Salemi.
Results
The fastest way to get to the island is by plane. Since we planned our trip to Sicily three months in advance, the cost of tickets turned out to be even cheaper than a train trip.