I'm prone to seasickness. Had a rough time traveling between the islands in Greece. How are the waters between Naples & Sicily? Should I stock up on the dramamine?

You could take a train or hire a driver. Just a thought...

It was like a rollercoaster when I went one November night when there was a storm. MANY people were sick. I wonder if flights between Naples and Palermo are very expensive?<BR><BR>I also know someone who sailed in good weather and she said it was very smooth. <BR><BR>

Thanks Kay and Diane. So I could take a train from Naples to Sorrento? Didn't think of that. How long would it take? <BR><BR>And how about the ferry from Sorrento (or, probably back to Naples) to go to Lipari? How's that route? I'm hoping that in May the weather would be okay. Is there another option?<BR>

We took the boat from Palermo to Naples and we did not like it. We had a first class cabin, and it still felt like you were in a box. My daughter got sick, and it took me about 2 days to feel myself again. When we arrived in Naples, we had a driver to drive us to Ravello and we stopped in Positano on the way.<BR><BR>On the way back, I wouldn't get back on the boat so we got our return ticket money back and flew from Naples to Palermo. Only 45 minutes vs. 12-hour boat ride.

I have described the Naples to Lipari overnight car ferry (Siremar Lines) in some detail in this site. Bear in mind that the Naples to Palermo overnight car ferry (Tirrenia Lines)is a MUCH larger and MUCH more modern ship! There is also a very fast (4.5 hours) daylight Catamaran service (SNAV Lines) between Naples and Palermo daily from April to October (passengers and cars) One should ALWAYS carry dramamine for these services, even during the summer months. Everything depends on sea conditions. When I took the ferry from Lipari to Naples in early June of this year, the water was so calm that one could easily forget being on a ship. However, one week earlier during moderately heavy seas, the catamaran from Milazzo to Lipari was a torture.<BR><BR>Schedules and fares:<BR><BR>www.tirrenia.it<BR>www.siremar.it<BR >www.snavali.com<BR><BR>

Is there a train from Naples to Sorrento? How about the ferry from Sorrento to Lipari and Lipari to Sicily? These aren't too long, are they? Thanks

There is a local commuter train from Naples to Sorrento called the "Circumvesuviana". It takes 65 minutes and runs every half-hour throughout the day. You catch it from the Central Train Station in Naples. There is no boat service from Sorrento to Lipari. You need to return to Naples, and take either the overnight car ferry from the Stazione Marittima, or (from June 1 through September 30)the daylight hydrofoil from the Mergellina Dock. If you do a search under "Lipari" in this site, you will find numerous postings of mine about both services. The ferry takes 12.5 hours to reach Lipari; the hydrofoil less than half the time.<BR>From Lipari to Sicily, all ferries and most hydrofoils go to Milazzo, the closest port. The hydrofoil takes one hour, and stops briefly at Vulcano Island. During the summer, there are also hydrofoils direct to Cefalu and Palermo. There are also year-round hydrofoils from Lipari to both Messina (Sicily) and Reggio Calabria (on the Italian boot). The ferry from Naples to Lipari is extremely scenic (from Stromboli south) and relaxing when the sea is smooth. It can be uncomfortable in rough waters. Also, the sleeping cabins are extremely basic and tiny. Some people would not enjoy the ferry ride, others would be very happy.

Once again, GAC, you are a wealth of helpful information! Many thanks!!<BR><BR>Didn't realize I'd have to back track from Sorrento to Naples, to get to Lipari. 12.5 hrs. Yikes! I'll pray for smooth waters, or I won't make it to Lipari since I won't be there for hydrofoil season. Then again, I hear I may not be as seasick if I remain horizontal, due to equilibrium.