Travel to Italy by boat, ports and destination options
While the convenience of arriving in Italy by plane cannot be denied, the boat trip includes a carefree and relaxed pace that cannot be matched. The process of getting to the port, getting on the ferry slowly, on foot or by car made it unique in itself. However, the search for your cabin or seat can be accompanied by coffee or even your favourite snack. Who wouldn’t want that? and when this process is done to go to Italy, the experience becomes even more special!
Run to the deck to greet Greece thinking you’re already in Italy, until you arrive you’ll be gazing at the waves. Well, yes, you’re on the boat heading for the beloved Italy. But how do we go on? We go down to the restaurants for a while and watch the truckers. Loyal passengers on this route. They have their own schedule and based on that they know every inch of the ship. A little further on, students are running around and playing impatiently. School trips are not missing from our journey.
The next day finds us closer to Italy and the first images from the boat overlooking the land and its coastline fill us with even more anticipation.
Where do we start?
The main ports from which we can start our journey to Italy are two.
The best known to Athenians is the port of Patras. The journey there is 2.5 hours.
The second port is Igoumenitsa, which is 5 hours from Athens and 3.5 hours from Thessaloniki.
The third port is that of Corfu, while during the summer months the boats to Italy also reach the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia. Once a week though! So be careful in your choice!
By boat to Italy – what are the destinations?
- From Patras to Brindisi
- To Bari in 15 hours
- Ancona in 19.5 hours
- Venice
- Igoumenitsa – Brindisi
- Bari in 9 hours and 31 minutes
- Igoumenitsa – Ancona in 15 hours and 45 minutes
- Corfu – Brindisi
- Corfu – Ancona
The fastest route between Greece and Italy is Brindisi. This means, of course, that you have to get to Igoumenitsa before getting on the boat. From there the hours at sea are about 9.
The destination ports
Venice
Venice is the perfect Italian port for those who dream of experiencing one of the most famous and romantic cities in the world. However, if you and your friends are planning to get to the mountains of Italy for a winter roadtrip, Venice is ideal for that too!
You save the extra hours of driving you would have done if you had gone down to one of Italy’s other ports and gain time to get to know the northern parts of Italy better.
You can get to Venice from Corfu (only in summer), Igoumenitsa and Patras. Travel times: approximately 28 hours from Igoumenitsa and 34 hours from Patras.
Ancona
Ancona is the most famous port for Greeks who decide to visit Italy by boat. It is the port that serves Rome, central Italy, but also Milan and by extension the entire Northwest plus Switzerland, France and part of Germany.
It is a city built on three hills and is washed by the Adriatic Sea. If you’re not travelling in the summer months then head straight to San Marino. Moreover, if you are a lover of good food, you will find Bologna very close by.
Travel times: approximately 17 hours from Igoumenitsa and 21 hours from Patras.
Bari
Bari is the queen of the south! It is also the hub for a roadtrip to the most Greek prefecture of Italy. Start your journey from there to the Greek-speaking villages, discovering instagrammatic places like Alberobello and Polignano.
During the summer period, anyone can reach Bari from Zakynthos or Kefalonia. If you are thinking of choosing one of these two places to make your trip, you should book your ferry tickets well in advance as the direct ferry leaves only once a week.
Travel times: approximately 11 hours from Igoumenitsa and 15 hours from Patras.
Brindisi
Brindisi is a wonderful port even closer to Greece. In fact, it takes only 7 and a half hours from Corfu and 8 hours and 30 minutes from Igoumenitsa.
From the port, the historic centre is a stone’s throw away and once you have arrived here before leaving for the next town by road, choose to visit the main monuments of the city. However, you should not miss the interior of the Cathedral. Finally, don’t forget to take some time to enjoy a plate of pasta with seafood in one of the restaurants of the port, the combination of taste and the unique view will enchant you.
Travel times: approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes from Igoumenitsa and 15 hours from Patras.
Companies for travel to Italy by ferry
The companies that serve the Greece – Italy route are:
- Super Fast Ferries
- Anek Superfast
- Grimaldi Ferries
- Ventouris Ferries
Superfast Ferries, with its red and white ships, connects Venice, Ancona and Bari with Igoumenitsa and Patras all year round.
The historic Cretan company, Anek Lines travels from Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Patras to Venice, Ancona and Bari.
Grimaldi Lines, an Italian company with a long history, has now aimed much more than before towards Greece. Its routes are many. Specifically, from Brindisi and Ancona the ferries depart for Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Patras, with different frequencies depending on the destination you choose.
Finally, Ventouris Ferries is one of the smallest Greek companies operating to Italy. It has an Italian terminal in the port of Bari, from where it departs for Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Kefalonia (Sami).
Where to book ferry tickets to Italy
The Ferryscanner ferry search engine has all the information on routes from Greece to Italy. Find the available routes with their timetables and book your ferry tickets to Italy today.
If you plan to visit Italy in winter, choose roadtrips in Northern Italy and budget rides in Southern Italy, not to say that summer is not one of our favourite suggestions for a ferry trip.
Find ferry tickets on Ferryscanner for all ports in Italy and beyond!
Don’t forget that the choices are more and more every year!