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rome to sicily

We are on a cruise ship in sept and docking early morning and want to go to messina in sicily how do we do that are there ferrys from the port or trains ?

Posted by
842 posts

Rome to Messina? for how long, when are you due back, or are you? and why would you want to go to Messina (other than it is a great jumping off place for high speed ferry trips to the Aeolian Islands, or a trip to Taormina). OK.........none of my business. You can get cheap flights from Rome to Catania, then take the train to Messina ( 8 trains/day, 2 hr trip.) Or you can take the train from Rome all the way to Messina. We have done the Naples to Messina leg on the train, and it was absolutly beautiful. And yes, the train goes all the way to Messina. They load it on a barge and off you go! Consult the Trenitalia.it web sites for schedules. Your best bet to get cheap plane tickets is an Italian tourist office, or you can do Internet searches at home.

Posted by
23 posts

we are a party of 4 2x couples Our travelling companions have been to rome several times and want to use 5 days to see sicily and messina mainly because his great grandfather(and greatgrandmother) were sent out to New Zealand away from the Mafia who had a price on his head We deceided we would rather see rome but as I am making all travel arrangements have to get them on a train plane ferry so they can chase up old bones. I realise that messina had been levelled in an eathquake in 1908 and been bombed during ww2 and that there is probably not much too see but he will get out the phone book and try tracing long lost relatives I would rather see the sistine chapel we are docking at 5am so he should have a full day to get at least part of the way thanks for your reply joy

Posted by
151 posts

We are travelling in July from Rome to Catania, Sicily. The flight is 1 hr and 15 min and costs 85 Euros one way via AirOne. Since you are on a cruise, time might be a factor and a plane might make sense. However, I am not sure how to get to the airport from the port. I think a train may take all day.

Posted by
683 posts

Messina is in fine shape and offers much to see, especially its churches and its very scenic overlook of the city. 1908 was nearly 100 yrs afo and the depredations of WWII some 60+
Give the Italians SOME credit!!

Posted by
23 posts

Yes realise its all been rebuilt and must be a nice place but we have 5 days and I would prefer to see rome never having been to europe before Our travelling companions who have toured italy 4 times before are going to try to find old graves of relatives and to try and find any living relatives to extend a family tree hey the sistine chapel trevi fountain is more my style its just that we are limited for time and dont mean to put messina down but as I am making all the travel arrangements for them I have to know how to book and get them there from the port and back to rome airport thanks for your comments