Getting to Sicily

I took the train one way, and flew into Naples the other. The train trip is long (especially if you're going all the way to Siracusa or Palermo) and not especially scenic, although it is interesting to cross the straight on a train on a boat. There are also overnight ferries from Naples. Really your choice.

Take the bus from Sorrento and fly. Total is about 3 hours against 8 to Palermo for the train.

I took the overnight ferry a couple of years ago and would not recommend it. The boat departed at midnight from a less than stellar area and when it was delayed two hours on the way over I had to sit around the dock as I couldn't board until all the trucks were loaded. The cabin was fine but all the other passengers were truck drivers and no one at all on the ship spoke English so when the time came to depart I had to figure out how to get off as all the truckers went to the cargo area and the crew did not offer any assistance.

We have taken the overnight ferry twice from Napoli. Once directly to Palermo, and the other time to Catania. It was a wise choice, and cut out the long drive through Calabria to Messina. Sleeping was ok, full ristorante on board. This year we explore Calabria and will make the trip from Reggio which is only 1/2 hr. So many choices, you can not go wrong.

We took the overnight ferry. left about 6Pm, arrived about 6AM. This was from Palermo to Naples, then we took the hydrofoil ferry from Naples to Sorrento. We enjoyed our ferry ride. We had an in side cabin, but it was night anyway, nothing to see. We ate on board, walked on the deck for a bit, then went to the cabin and read until we were rocked to sleep by the waves. The train is LONG, and you kind of waste a day of sightseeing...if you take an overnight ferry, you are paying for a hotel and transportation all in one..... Just IMO.