Overnight ferries to Sardinia and Sicily are Italy's best-kept TRANSPORT secret. Board at 8-10pm. Sleep in a cabin or berth. Wake at 6-8am on an island. Cost: €40-90 with a cabin — LESS than a hotel night + daytime transport combined. You lose 0 vacation hours (you're sleeping) and gain 1 extra day. The views at dawn — approaching a Sardinian port as the sunrise turns the sea gold — are a bonus the €40 didn't promise. All ferry routes → · Night trains →
To Sardinia: 1. Civitavecchia (Rome) → Olbia: 6-8h overnight. Depart 10pm, arrive 6am. Companies: Moby, Tirrenia, Grimaldi. Cabin: €50-90 (2-berth inside). Deck seat: €30-40. 2. Civitavecchia → Cagliari: 14h. Depart 7pm, arrive 9am. Tirrenia. Cabin €55-100. 3. Genova → Olbia/Porto Torres: 10-12h. Depart 8-9pm, arrive 6-8am. Moby, Tirrenia, GNV. Cabin €50-100. 4. Livorno → Olbia: 8-10h overnight. Grimaldi, Moby. Cabin €45-85.
To Sicily: 5. Naples → Palermo: 10-11h. Depart 8pm, arrive 6-7am. GNV, SNAV (summer). Cabin €55-100. THE classic overnight to Sicily. 6. Civitavecchia → Palermo: 14h. Depart 8pm, arrive 10am. Grimaldi. Cabin €50-90. 7. Genova → Palermo: 20h (overnight+day or depart afternoon, arrive next morning). GNV. Cabin €60-110.
Poltrona (reclining seat): €30-45. NOT comfortable for sleeping. OK for short crossings (6h) if you're young and exhausted. Cabina interna (inside cabin, no window): €45-80 (2 or 4 berths). The sweet spot — flat bed, shower, privacy, affordable. Cabina esterna (outside cabin, porthole): €60-100. Sea view if you wake up. Suite: €100-150. Double bed, sitting area, window. Available on GNV and Grimaldi on longer routes.
Book 2-4 weeks ahead for summer cabins (July-August SELL OUT). Bring: Earplugs (engine noise), water, snacks (onboard restaurants are overpriced + mediocre). Car: Drive on, park in the hold, take the elevator to your deck. Foot passengers: Walk on, go to your cabin, sleep. Morning arrival: Set an alarm 30 min before docking — the APPROACH to Olbia/Palermo at dawn is worth seeing from deck. Onboard: Most ferries have: restaurant (€15-25 dinner, mediocre but exists), bar, lounge, deck chairs, sometimes pool (GNV). WiFi: Limited/paid — €5-10 for a few hundred MB. Pro tip: Book the CHEAPEST cabin + bring your own food + enjoy the crossing. The ferry IS the experience.