Getting there and away
How to get to Lipari
Ports serving Lipari
The main port serving Lipari is Milazzo (North-East coast of Sicily).
From Milazzo there are several hydrofoils per day with the last one usually leaving in the early evening. The name of the hydrofoil company is Liberty Lines and the journey takes approximately one hour.
If you wish to bring a car to the island (allowed only for a minimum of 7
days during the summer - typically June to September) you can also take a car ferry from Milazzo.
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Usually there is a car ferry in the morning, one in the late afternoon and one in the evening (for the complete timetable please check the Caronte Tourist website). There are two ferry companies operating this service: Siremar and NGI).
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Another port serving Lipari is Naples. Throughout the year there is an overnight ferry leaving Naples in the evening (two or three times per week) which reaches Lipari the morning after. This is a lovely trip stopping at several of the Aeolian islands. The timetable can be checked on the Caronte Tourist website (the ferry line is Siremar). The return ferry from Lipari to Naples usually leaves in the afternoon also two or three times per week, depending on the season.
There is also a daily hydrofoil from Naples reaching Lipari in just over 5 hours running in the summer. The company running this service is called Snav.
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In the summertime there is a daily hydrofoil from the port of Palermo (North-West coast of Sicily) The company running this service is called Liberty Lines. The journey takes just over four hours.
How to get to the ports
The main international airport on the island of Sicily is Catania Fontanarossa (on the East Coast). The airport is 110km from the port of Milazzo.
To reach Milazzo you can either book a shuttle bus that brings you directly to Milazzo port (journey time around 2 hours). This service is run by the company Alibrando.
Otherwise, if you are planning to bring a car to the island, you can hire one at one of the many international car hire companies at the airport (there are also several car hire companies in Milazzo and some local car hire places on the island of Lipari).
The other international airport in Sicily is Palermo Falcone e Boresellino. This airport is 35km from the port of Palermo. To reach the port you can either get a shuttle bus or train to Palermo
central station.
If you wish to continue from Palermo to Milazzo (200km) the quickest option, unless you opt for car hire, is to take a train from Palermo central station to Milazzo (around 3 hours).
When you arrive in Milazzo you will need to get a taxi or bus to the port (Milazzo train station is 4km away
from the port).
Milazzo train station is on one of the main Italian rail lines and there are direct trains both from Rome and Naples (check Trenitalia for more info and timetable).
The ferry port in Naples is connected to the international airport of Naples Capodichino by a regular shuttle bus. The journey to the port takes around 35 minutes.
The main airport hub for Italy is Rome Leonardo Da Vinci . From Rome you can take a train to Naples or a domestic flight to either Catania or Palermo.
If you are taking a plane we recommend getting to Sicily, Naples or Rome airport in the morning and for your journey back home we recommend getting a flight in the late afternoon or evening.
This should give ample time to complete your journey within the day
PORT OF NAPLES
PORT OF PALERMO
PORT OF MILAZZO