We crossed the Tyrrhenian Sea by ferry to reach Sicily from Tunisia. Because the ride is long, we decided to take an overnight ferry with a reserved cabin, using the ferry as our lodging for the evening. We read some reviews in advance so we thought we knew what we were in for. It was far worse than our low expectations. We booked through Grimaldi Lines, one of the two companies that make the run, and possibly GNV offers a better experience.

The boat was dirty, reeked of second-hand smoke, and took forever to load and unload. The entire process was a chaotic ordeal that I hope to not experience again.

We were supposed to arrive by 4:30 PM for a 7:30 PM sailing, but we arrived closer to 2:30 PM. It was an easy run through security to get into the ferry terminal, as they did not appear to be actually looking at any anomalies on the metal detector or X-ray machine. We had hoped to put our stuff down and sit outdoors for a drink or some food. Instead, we found a crowded terminal with absolutely zero services other than the ticket counters. Check-in was easy and we were given tickets and our cabin room keys.

We brought our own food and drink, and since there was a sandwich cart outside of security, we bought some baguettes which we then carried around in comical fashion. And then we waited. The terminal was the stuff of my nightmares: there were literal marching bands coming back from an event in Tunisia. People were screaming, clapping, and singing in circles, with the occasional booming of drummers practicing. One person started smoking directly under a NO SMOKING sign. The terminal was lacking in both ventilation and air conditioning, and eventually there was a dive-bar haze as the de facto smoking section spread to about half of the terminal.

The ship was late, and it was only when the ship was at the pier at 8:30 PM that the doors were opened to start processing passengers for passport control and customs. Everyone crowded to squeeze through one set of double-doors. We sat and waited until the line was manageable. After that line was the line for passport control, then the line for customs. Then a half-mile walk along the pier to the aft of the ship, where we dragged our luggage up the same ramp that the cars loaded from. There, everyone whose company we had just enjoyed for the last six hours was gathered around yet another single door. There was only a single elevator to service every foot passenger and their luggage, including the kettle drums and tubas.

Again we stood back and let others crowd and argue with each other. The crew alternated between smoking and providing a semblance of crowd control. After an hour we reached the elevator, brought to a public deck, and were told that to get to our cabin meant hauling our luggage across the entire ship. No problem, we can walk a little further. But the problem is that every bit of hallway floor space was being used as sleeping areas by those who did not have a cabin, including accessories like air mattresses and tents. This is why passengers were so eager to be first on board! But it made it a real chore to get our stuff to our cabin without stepping on people or their beds. We arrived at our room well after 10 PM, where we finally enjoyed our dinner (with the baguettes!) and went to sleep.

The cabin itself was similar to an interior cabin on an older cruise ship but reminiscent of a crew cabin. That was as expected. Unlike a cruise ship, the cabin restroom looked to have been barely cleaned between passengers. We were provided two small bars of soap and two bath towels. Bedding was sheets and a scratchy blanket. Regardless, I slept like a log and avoided the shower.

Our first wake-up call was just after 7 AM, a loud announcement in Italian over the public address system. By 7:30 AM, staff was frantically knocking on doors, telling passengers to clear their rooms and head to the public areas of the ship. The ship was not docked. No one disembarked until after 9 AM, and there were still crowds leaving the ship until well after 11 AM.

To provide some faint praise: the ship did bring us from Tunis to Palermo, as promised. And the espresso at the bar reminded us that we were heading to Italy: strong and reasonably-priced. The real sell on the ferry is the price: Around $40 USD per person without reserved seating, compared to $130 USD for a flight (and it’s a one hour flight). We paid $175 USD for two tickets and the cabin. Next time we would take a plane, especially since we still have a ton of airline miles to burn.

At an airport, all passengers go through security and customs, get to the gate, and then the airplane comes to the passengers. This was the opposite: the boat docks and only then do the passengers get processed. I cannot recommend a ship experience that takes six hours from check-in to opening the door to a dingy room.

We are taking another overnight ferry in June, a SNAV-operated run from Ancona, Italy to Split, Croatia. Unfortunately, the reviews sound exactly the same as this line: old ship, dirty rooms, disorganized loading/unloading, and common area space claimed by folks and their bedding. The price delta is about the same for this run, so my guess is that we will end up wishing we had taken the plane. Sorry mom and dad, this will likely be an unforgettable if not regrettable part of your trip with us in June!

So we landed in Palermo ready to refamiliarize ourselves with coffee, cornetto, and culture!

Mondello

Mondello is the beach suburb north of Palermo proper. We booked a rental in Mondello through Airbnb. It was a great space with cute touches, but best of all it had a hot tub. After so much walking in Tunis and the hassle of the ferry, our bodies welcomed the relaxing soaks in the jacuzzi tub. We were able to check in early and we immediately jumped into the jacuzzi. After that we freshened up and went out in search of food. Luckily for us we were in Italy!

We strolled down to the famous Mondello beach but it was cool and cloudy and not many people around. We walked north along the boardwalk until we reached the piazza and Osteria Mondello, a restaurant with fab reviews and good prices. We ordered a mixed fried appetizer, sardine meatballs, a pasta, and the biggest cannoli I’ve ever seen. A great introduction to Sicilian cuisine!

After that we walked back to the centro of Mondello and visited a wine store to taste some Sicilian wines. Cantinetta Enoteca has a large selection of wines to purchase, and a few tables for drinking and snacks. There was no written menu of glass pours but they were happy to talk through what options they had available. First, we enjoyed two different sparkling wines made in the traditional method (a la champagne), one made with grillo and one made with chardonnay grapes. Then we had two reds made from 100% syrah. We have had grillo before (it is an acidic Sicilian white) but never as a sparkling wine, and we did not know that either chardonnay or syrah was grown in Sicily! Service was excellent and knowledgeable. Across the street is their full restaurant, which looked like it would be worth a visit.

The night was capped off with another soak in the tub.

Palermo

The next morning we took the bus into downtown Palermo. It felt nice to be back walking along historical European streets. We first visited Mercato di Capo, where fresh-squeezed juices and spritzes abound for around three euros a piece. Continuing south through the small streets and piazzas, we stopped for lunch at Primi Piatti, an affordable place located in an alley.

After lunch we went to the Quattro Canti (Four Corners) intersection and walked all four directions, just enjoying the sights and window shopping. We walked by most of the sights that were on our list for historic Palermo, including the Teatro Massimo, the Royal Palace, and multiple pizzas, fountains, and churches.

Sicily is famed for its street food, and we tried a couple of the specialties. Corey tried a Pani ca Meusa, a sandwich made with slowly-simmered beef offal (spleen, lung, and other mysteries). Corey liked it and I surprisingly thought it wasn’t bad, especially with a squeeze of fresh lemon on it. Both of us enjoyed freshly-fried arancini (rice balls) at Sfrigolo. Most arancini we saw were already made and heated up in an oven (or worse, a microwave), and having them fresh was a game changer.

We rode the bus back to Mondello. Like many Italian bus systems, tickets are bought at tobacco shops and then need to be validated onboard, where a date/time stamp is added to the ticket. We used Moovit to find the schedules. At least in April, the bus from Palermo to Mondello was not crowded, but we have heard that it gets packed in the height of the summer.

As the sun set, Corey did karate on the patio and I soaked in the hot tub!

Mondello Beach Day

The next day was a beach day! The weather was pleasant but still too cold for swimming. We joined hundreds of other people to gather on the sand and soak up some sun. It was a sunny Sunday and the whole beach was buzzing. Kids kicking around balls, teens splashing around, and bikers cruising by decked out in leather. The boardwalk was shoulder to shoulder with people walking. It was fine but I can imagine it could be unbearably crowded on a summer weekend!

Sadly our short time in Palermo came to an end. It created curiosity to see the rest of Sicily, both the other cities like Catania, but also to drive around and explore the natural beauty and small towns.

We boarded another ferry to transport us to the Aeolian Islands. This was a passenger-only hydrofoil operated by Liberty Lines, and the experience was outstanding!

After checking out of our Airbnb, we arrived at the ferry terminal early. We were happy to see a delightful terrace for waiting with a cafe with pastries, snacks, a full menu, and a full bar. Spritzes were eight euros, so a little higher than market.

We even saw MSC Seaside sail in, the cruise ship that in a few months will transport us across the Atlantic Ocean.

Eventually we boarded the hydrofoil and enjoyed the quiet and efficient trip out to the islands. The ship travels from Palermo to Milazzo, visiting six Aeolian stops in between. So we got a bit of a scenic cruise before disembarking in Lipari!

The biggest town on the island of Lipari is also called Lipari. Just north of that is Canneto, the second-largest town, and our home for the month of May. We will cover that in our next post!