Our Malta – Sicily ferry trip: Valletta – Pozzallo

It was only when we were in Malta that we realized how close the Italian island of Sicily was.

So we decided that would be our next stop! It’s actually possible to get there by boat.

I don’t know if it’s the only company, but we went with Virtu Ferries. They offer routes connecting Valletta to Pozzallo.

On weekdays, there are two crossings a day: one early in the morning and one in the late afternoon. On weekends, it’s only in the morning.

We left on a Friday, departing at 7:30 am. The journey takes 1 hour 45 minutes.

The tickets cost us €61 per person; we bought them online.

Note that the ferry can carry cars. It’s also possible to buy a bus transfer to Catania for €10.

The terminal is located here (Google Maps link). If you’re in Valletta, it’ll only take a few minutes to drive there.

As indicated when booking, we arrived an hour early for check-in. In the end, arriving 30 minutes early would have been more than enough and would have let us sleep a bit longer.

Even though we’re in the Schengen area, there’s an ID check.

After the ticket and ID check, you can drop off your luggage. I find it a bit of a shame that you don’t get a receipt when dropping it off. In case of loss, it will probably be difficult to claim compensation.

On our trip (January 2023), the ferry was far from full. The seats are comfortable and the journey pleasant. There’s an area to buy drinks and snacks.

Head to the back of the boat on departure: the view of Valletta is beautiful.

Upon arrival in Sicily, you have to wait a bit, as passengers with cars get priority.

Getting your bags back is easy (it might be more chaotic if the ferry is full).

We took a van taxi (which can carry several different passengers at once) that took us to our hotel in Pozzallo for €15. There’s a train station in Pozzallo but there are very few trains, so check beforehand.

There were only two taxis that day, so it might be better to book one. Here’s our taxi’s business card.