Does anyone know ?

[Huzo]

What the best way is to get a ferry from Italy to Sicily ?
The departure point is quite flexible, so the main consideration is frequency of crossing and price for bike/rider.
Clearly I could research on the net, but thought someone may have been through it before and could iron out some wrinkles..?

[Daniel Kalal]

What the best way is to get a ferry from Italy to Sicily?

The straight of Messina (Villa San Giovanni to Messina) is not wide; it'll take less than an hour to get across.  I believe that there are three companies that do the crossing, but I just rolled down the hill and took whatever came next when I was last there.  It is not something you'll need to make any advance plans for.



...and, of course, Sicily is Italy

[Huzo]

The straight of Messina (Villa San Giovanni to Messina) is not wide; it'll take less than an hour to get across.  I believe that there are three companies that do the crossing, but I just rolled down the hill and took whatever came next when I was last there.  It is not something you'll need to make any advance plans for.



...and, of course, Sicily is Italy

You bloody beauty Daniel..!
If I'd had to put a coupe of quid on who'd know, youda' been near the top.
Waiter..!
An extra scrape of Vegemite for my ex pat American, Aussie mate's sanga' ploise...?
And speaking of "The Top.."
A glass of Aussie rot gut wine to the tip of Cape York, in anticipation of our arrival...!

Oh, and BTW..
Is there any bloody where you HAVEN'T been ?
Between you and IT Sec, I feel like I got my licence yesterday !

[Tusayan]

I've taken the ferry from Napoli to Palermo with a motorcycle and it works fine if you don't want to ride south to Villa San Giovanni.  You do typically need to make advance reservations and I got a cabin for the overnight crossing - which may be cheaper than the hotel room you'd otherwise need that night, and so may not be a bad deal.  Also you save the substantial price of Autrostrada tolls and gasoline for the ride south.

I've also taken the Villa San Giovanni to Messina ferry and it's as Daniel describes. No problem. I arrived late the night before I wanted to cross, and stayed at the Plaza Hotel in Villa San Giovanni, which is directly across from the train station and adjacent to the ferry boarding area.

PS There is also a very long Palermo to Genoa ferry which I took for the return one time because it was outrageously hot in Sicilly and I wanted to escape to cooler climes. It leaves in the evening, I spent the following hot day on deck with a breeze, arriving early afternoon in Genoa.   I rode to Mandello for the night and the next morning I was in the Alps.

That should give you some choices 

[Mr Pootle]

if you're heading south from Naples, and the evening catches up with you, stay overnight at the Grand Hotel San Michele, just north of Cetraro. It's less than



a couple of hours north of the Straits of Messina, so it'll be an easy run the next day.
The hotel isn't as "grand" as it once was, in the days when Sophia Loren stayed there. Most of the food is grown on the premises, and the meals are great.

[Huzo]

I've taken the ferry from Napoli to Palermo with a motorcycle and it works fine if you don't want to ride south to Villa San Giovanni.  You do typically need to make advance reservations and I got a cabin for the overnight crossing - which may be cheaper than the hotel room you'd otherwise need that night, and so may not be a bad deal.  Also you save the substantial price of Autrostrada tolls and gasoline for the ride south.

I've also taken the Villa San Giovanni to Messina ferry and it's as Daniel describes. No problem. I arrived late the night before I wanted to cross, and stayed at the Plaza Hotel in Villa San Giovanni, which is directly across from the train station and adjacent to the ferry boarding area.

PS There is also a very long Palermo to Genoa ferry which I took for the return one time because it was outrageously hot in Sicilly and I wanted to escape to cooler climes. It leaves in the evening, I spent the following hot day on deck with a breeze, arriving early afternoon in Genoa.   I rode to Mandello for the night and the next morning I was in the Alps.

That should give you some choices 

That's also a viable alternative worth considering.
Unless it's ridiculously hot, I'll most likely do the ride thing but we'll see. Thank you for the advice, I will certainly keep it as a possibility.