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Italy
Driving onto the ferry at the port of Palermo in northern Sicily, we headed straight to the top deck and settled down into the deckchairs to take in the late afternoon sun. The sun sank slowly and magnificently into the Mediterranean Sea, its last rays silhouetting the North African coastline as we pulled into port ten hours later at Tunis.
The scene that greeted us in Tunis could not be further from the quiet life of Sicily: the hustle and bustle of street markets lining the pavements, lively malouf music and the smell of burning incense and fragrant spices drifting in through the car windows... this ferry ride to the other side of the Mediterranean might just as well be to the other side of the world!
We turned up at the port at Palermo and bought our tickets on the same day as the boat's departure, though there are only two sailings weekly so it could be safer to book at www.directferries.co.uk
For a fantastically unique and cheap (from €9 one way) ferry hop around Sicily’s beautiful, charming and untouched Aegadian islands you can’t beat the Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo trio, leaving from the port of Trapani, northwest Sicily.
The round trip is a couple of hours and there are enough ferries to allow you to sample all the islands in a single day, but equally there is accommodation on all the islands if you wish to extend your visit.
The tiny island of Levanzo hosts the cave of the Genoese with its pre-historic paintings. Favignana is known for its butterflies, grottoes, beaches, bays and tuna fishing – and don’t miss the local restaurant speciality of spaghetti and tuna botargo at the La Bettola restaurant in the port. The final island on the route is Marettimo, with its whitewashed, colourfully shuttered homes, ports filled with fishing boats and unbelievably blue water.
"Bellini", the night train from Rome (Termini) to Siracusa, leaves around 9pm, and is loaded onto the ferry across the Straits of Messina very early the next morning (6-ish). You just lie in bed while it's loading, and can then go up and have a coffee on deck and watch the light over the coast of Sicily, although you could just stay in bed and wait for the attendant to bring you the cappuccino or espresso you ordered the night before (at the carriage door, when you get on).
There are four-person couchettes, but there's something really romantic about proper sleepers, and a two person compartment (single bunks with proper sheets, plus complementary toiletries, mineral water, coffee...) - costs just €75 pp. If you want something more luxurious you can have a double bed compartment with ensuite shower etc for €140 pp.
The air conditioned train then follows the coast, through Taormina, and arrives in Siracusa at about 10 am. We love going to bed and waking up 500 miles away, right where we want to be - it's a great way to unwind at the start of a holiday.
Italian night trains are all good value, but the crossing - and the destination - makes this one the best.
There are quicker and more comfortable ways to Sicily than spending the whole day on the train from Rome on Italy's hot and often late trains but this is Europe's last ferry where the train goes too. That's right, they actually put the train, carriage by carriage and with you still on it, on the ferry. You can then head up to the outside deck to watch the sun set over the Straits of Messina before heading back to your carriage to rejoin the train tracks in Sicily and head on to Palermo, Taormina, Catania or Syracuse. This is far and away the best ferry ride I've done and the kids (and adults) were transfixed by the dismantling and reassembling of the train.
The ferry is very convenient, leaving at 8 and arriving at 7. There's a free shuttle to the boat from the port entrance. It has a decent buffet restaurant and bar and the staff are pleasant.
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