The island Sicily is the closest neighbour to Malta and Gozo. The largest of the Italian islands is situated around 90km north of Malta, and due to its proximity it is one of the most important trade partners of Malta. Many foodstuffs and goods in Malta have been imported from Sicily, and the island has strong economic ties with its neighbour.
But Sicily is not only interesting for commercial trade, it is also a popular travel destination for visitors from Malta.
Sights in Sicily
The probably most well-known tourist attraction on Sicily is the active volcano Etna. The volcano is located in the Catania region of Sicily. The distance from Pozzallo to Etna is around 160km. Other places o interest include the tourist resort Taormina, Syracuse, numerous Greek temples, tombs and other historic villages and sights. It is possible to book 1-day trips from Malta to Sicily. These trips are very popular with tourists that are visiting Malta, and would like to take a quick look at Sicily as well. But also people who are living in Malta regularly visit the island to go on a short trip. There is a number of different packages available, and they can be booked through agents or Virtu Ferries directly.
The ferry connection Valletta – Pozzallo
There is a daily ferry connection with the Virtu Ferries catamaran, which takes only 90 minutes from Malta to Pozzallo. Since Malta is in the Schengen Zone, and part of the European Union, it is simple to transport goods between the two islands. Virtu ferries has now made it even easier to travel across to Italy. Tickets are more flexible, children under 14 travel free when there are two paying adults, and commercial vehicles up to 5m get a heavily discounted rate. Changing names and dates on tickets has also been simplified. All that needs to be presented when boarding the ferry is a valid travel document, such as a passport or an official state ID. The ferry is one of the largest catamaran ferries in the world and can hold up to 800 passengers. Cruising speed is around 39 knots, and a day return ticket is currently €73. The complete list of ferry prices can be seen here.
