Siremar

Who they are

Siremar (Sicilia Regionale Marittima) is the car ferry service for Sicily's small islands. It carries passengers, cars, motorbikes, campervans and goods to the same island groups that Liberty Lines serves with fast passenger boats. The two work side by side: Siremar is slower but can carry vehicles; Liberty Lines is faster but passenger-only.

Siremar was founded in 1975 as part of the state-owned Tirrenia group. After privatisation, the brand and its routes were taken over on 12 April 2016 by Caronte & Tourist Isole Minori, a company of the Caronte & Tourist group, the operator of the Strait of Messina ferries. The fast hydrofoil lines went to Liberty Lines at the same time. Siremar still runs under public-service contracts, which means year-round sailings to small islands where a purely commercial service would not pay. For many island communities it is a lifeline rather than a leisure service.

Network and routes

Milazzo, on Sicily's north-east coast, is the main port for the Aeolian Islands: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi and Alicudi. The Aeolians are a UNESCO World Heritage volcanic archipelago, with busier islands (Lipari, Vulcano, Stromboli) and quieter ones (Alicudi, Filicudi) at the western end. Siremar also has a longer line from Naples to the Aeolian Islands and Milazzo.

Trapani in western Sicily is the port for the Egadi Islands (Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo) and for Pantelleria, the volcanic island between Sicily and Tunisia.

Porto Empedocle, near Agrigento, is the port for the Pelagie Islands, Linosa and Lampedusa. The Siremar night ferry leaves around midnight, calls at Linosa early in the morning and reaches Lampedusa after roughly 8–10 hours.

Palermo is the port for Ustica, north of the city.

Fleet and on board

Siremar's fleet consists of conventional ro-ro car ferries of different sizes. The larger ships on the Aeolian, Pelagie and Pantelleria runs have vehicle decks, indoor lounges, a bar or cafeteria and open deck space. Smaller ships serve the shorter routes.

Crossing times range from under an hour for the nearest Aeolian and Egadi stops to a night at sea for Lampedusa.

Booking and tips

Book vehicle space as early as possible for July and August on all routes. Lampedusa and Pantelleria have limited car capacity, and summer demand is high.

For the Aeolian Islands, decide which island you are heading to before booking. Lipari is the hub of the archipelago. Many travellers leave the car in Milazzo and travel on foot, using the fast boats for island hopping.

If you need speed rather than vehicle space, use the Liberty Lines fast boats on the same routes. For the Strait of Messina crossing, see Caronte & Tourist.