How to Get from Malta to Sicily: Ferries, Flights & Day Trips

Crossing from Malta to Sicily takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour 45 minutes, costs from €25, and is the fastest way to turn a Malta holiday into a two-island Mediterranean trip. This guide covers every way to get from Malta to Sicily in 2026: ferry routes, flight options, day trip feasibility, organised tours, and what to see once you land in Sicily. We live in Catania, on the Sicily side, so every practical detail — from where the ferry docks to which day-trip destination works best — is tested by someone who crosses this route regularly.

How to Get from Malta to Sicily: At a Glance

Option	Route	Duration	Cost (one-way)	Frequency	Best for
Virtu Ferries	Valletta → Pozzallo	1h 45min	€76–96	Up to 3× daily	Foot passengers, car travellers, day trips
Grimaldi Lines	Valletta → Catania	1h 15min	from €59	6× weekly	Direct Catania arrival, no drive from Pozzallo
Ryanair	MLA → CTA	30min	from €25	1–2× daily	Fastest door-to-door, no car needed
KM Malta Airlines	MLA → CTA	30min	from €35	1× daily	Includes checked bag, more flexible ticket

If you are planning a combined Malta–Sicily trip rather than a day trip, read our Malta and Sicily itinerary guide for day-by-day plans with Catania as your base.

Malta to Sicily Ferry: Virtu Ferries (Valletta–Pozzallo)

Virtu Ferries has operated the Malta–Sicily route since 1988 and runs the only year-round high-speed catamaran service between the two islands. The crossing takes 1 hour 45 minutes and docks at Pozzallo, a port town on Sicily’s southern coast.

The catamaran seats about 800 passengers in airline-style seats. Boarding starts 45 minutes before departure. There is a café on board serving sandwiches, coffee, and pastizzi. Business class (€30–40 extra) gets you a quieter cabin with more legroom and complimentary drinks. On a clear day, Sicily appears on the horizon about 40 minutes before docking.

Schedule. In summer (April–October), there are up to 3 crossings daily each direction. The earliest departure from Valletta is around 6:00–6:30 AM, with returns from Pozzallo in the late afternoon or early evening (typically 6:00–7:00 PM). Winter schedule (November–March) is reduced to 1 crossing per day, and cancellations are more likely in rough seas.

Terminal. Departures are from the Virtu Ferries Terminal at Pinto Wharf, Valletta (Grand Harbour). Check-in closes 30 minutes before departure. Arrive at least 1 hour before, or 1.5 hours if you are bringing a car. At Pozzallo, the terminal is small — you will be off the boat and through in 10 minutes. Car rental desks are inside the terminal (book in advance in summer).

Malta to Catania Ferry: Grimaldi Lines

Grimaldi Lines operates a direct Valletta to Catania ferry, crossing in 1 hour 15 minutes. This is the fastest ferry option and the most convenient if Catania is your Sicily base: you step off the boat and you are already in the city centre, no drive from Pozzallo needed. The service runs 6 times per week (no Tuesday sailing), with departures from Valletta in the late afternoon.

One-way tickets start from €59 for a deck seat. The Grimaldi catamaran is newer than the Virtu one and slightly smaller, but the shorter crossing time more than compensates. Book at grimaldi-lines.com. This route is less known than the Virtu one — it rarely sells out even in August, but book a week ahead to be safe.

Malta to Sicily Flights

Ryanair flies Malta (MLA) to Catania (CTA) in 30 minutes, with tickets starting from €25 one-way. There are 1–2 flights daily, typically in the morning and late afternoon. Ryanair’s basic fare includes only a small personal bag — a carry-on or checked bag costs extra (€12–25).

KM Malta Airlines (Malta’s national carrier) also flies MLA–CTA once daily, with fares from €35 including a checked bag and a more flexible change policy. The flight time is the same 30 minutes. KM Malta Airlines uses ATR turboprops — smaller planes, fewer passengers, quick boarding.

Total journey time. The flight itself is 30 minutes, but factor in: 20 minutes from Valletta to MLA airport, 1 hour security and boarding, 30 minutes flight, 15 minutes to exit CTA and pick up a rental car. Door to door: about 2.5 hours. The ferry takes 1h 45min crossing + 15min check-in + 10min exit = about 2 hours 10 minutes from Valletta centre to Pozzallo terminal. Add the drive to Catania (1.5h) and the ferry route becomes longer for Catania-bound travellers — unless you take the Grimaldi direct ferry.

Ferry vs Flight: Which Is Better?

Factor	Ferry (Virtu)	Ferry (Grimaldi)	Flight (Ryanair)
Crossing time	1h 45min	1h 15min	30min
Total journey Valletta→Catania	~3.5h (includes drive)	~1.5h	~2.5h
Cost (one-way, low season)	€76	€59	€25
Can bring a car	Yes (€250+ return)	Limited	No
Luggage	Unlimited included	Unlimited included	Extra €12–25 per bag
Experience	Scenic, relaxed, on-deck views	Fast, direct to Catania	Quick but airport hassle
Reliability	Occasional winter cancellations	Generally reliable	Reliable year-round
Best for	Car travellers, day trips, scenic crossing	Direct Catania arrival, no car	Cheapest, fastest air route

Our recommendation. If Catania is your final destination and you are not bringing a car, take the Grimaldi Lines ferry straight into Catania port — it is the simplest door-to-door option. If you are doing a day trip, Virtu Ferries to Pozzallo gives you more schedule flexibility. If you find a Ryanair ticket under €30 and are travelling light, the flight is the budget winner.

Can You Do a Malta to Sicily Day Trip?

Yes, but it is a long day. Taking the earliest Virtu Ferries departure from Valletta (check-in by 5:30 AM, sailing 6:30 AM), you arrive in Pozzallo by 8:15 AM local time. The latest return ferry from Pozzallo to Valletta departs around 7:00 PM in summer (check-in by 6:30 PM). That gives you about 10 hours in Sicily — enough to see Syracuse, explore the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto, or even reach Taormina and Mount Etna if you join an organised tour.

Doing it independently. You will need a rental car — Pozzallo’s public transport is limited, especially on Sundays. Rent a car at Pozzallo port (book in advance) for about €50–70/day. The drive to Syracuse is 45 minutes, to Ragusa Ibla 35 minutes, to Noto 25 minutes. Taormina and Mount Etna are further (1.5–2 hours) and work better with an organised tour if you want a relaxed day.

Doing it with a tour. The easiest option. Tour operators pick you up from your Malta hotel (often before dawn), handle the ferry, provide a coach and guide in Sicily, and return you to Malta late at night. You will spend more money (€100–180 per person) but zero mental energy. See the next section for the main tour options.

Organized Day Tours from Malta to Sicily

Several operators sell Malta-to-Sicily day trips. All include the Virtu Ferries crossing, a coach with guide in Sicily, and return to Malta the same evening. Here are the three main itineraries:

Mount Etna and Taormina (€140–180/person). The most popular tour. After arriving in Pozzallo, a coach takes you to Mount Etna (Rifugio Sapienza, 1,910m). You get about 2 hours to explore the Silvestri craters, or you can add the cable car + jeep to the summit (extra cost). Then on to Taormina for a guided walk of the Greek Theatre and Corso Umberto, with free time for lunch and shopping. This is a long day — hotel pickups in Malta can be as early as 3:30 AM, with returns after 10 PM. Book via maltatours.com or getyourguide.com.

Syracuse and Marzamemi (€100–130/person). A more relaxed option: the coach takes you to Syracuse for the Neapolis Archaeological Park (Greek Theatre, Roman Amphitheatre, Ear of Dionysius) and Ortigia island, then to the fishing village of Marzamemi for a late lunch by the sea. Less driving, more time on the ground. Best for culture and food-focused travellers.

Ragusa Ibla, Modica, and Scicli (€110–150/person). The Baroque tour. You visit the three most atmospheric towns of the Val di Noto UNESCO area: Ragusa Ibla (hilltop old town, Duomo di San Giorgio), Modica (famous chocolate, the Duomo of San Giorgio climbing the hillside), and Scicli (the least known, most authentic). Best for photographers and architecture lovers.

What to See on a Day Trip from Malta

If you are travelling independently, here are the best day-trip destinations from Pozzallo, ordered by travel time.

Ortigia, Syracuse

45 minutes from Pozzallo. Syracuse was the largest city in the Greek world in the 5th century BC. Today, Ortigia island is the highlight: the Duomo is a Greek temple wearing a Baroque facade, the Fonte Aretusa is a freshwater spring where papyrus grows wild (the only place in Europe it does), and the seafront promenade wraps around the island. The Neapolis Archaeological Park (€13, a 10-minute drive from Ortigia) has the 5th-century BC Greek Theatre and the Roman Amphitheatre.

Ragusa Ibla, Sicily

35 minutes from Pozzallo. Ragusa Ibla sits on a hilltop, connected to modern Ragusa by 300+ steps — or take the €1 shuttle bus. The Duomo di San Giorgio dominates the main piazza; its neoclassical dome is visible from kilometres away. Walk through the Giardino Ibleo for valley views, then stop in Modica (15 minutes further) for the unique Aztec-style chocolate at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (founded 1880, free tastings).

Mount Etna

1.5 hours from Pozzallo. On an independent day trip from Malta, aim for the Rifugio Sapienza area (1,910m) where you can explore the Silvestri craters for free — a real volcanic landscape without the cable car cost, taking 30–45 minutes. If you want to go higher, the cable car (€30) takes you to 2,500m. The full summit experience (cable car + jeep + guide, €80) takes about 4 hours and may be tight on a day trip unless you join an organised tour. Bring a jacket even in August — it can be 15°C colder at 2,900m than at sea level.

Ancient Theatre of Taormina

1.5 hours from Pozzallo. Taormina is worth the drive for the Teatro Antico alone — a 2nd-century BC Greek theatre with the Ionian Sea on one side and Mount Etna on the other, still used for summer performances. Walk Corso Umberto for shopping and the Piazza IX Aprile panoramic terrace. Park at Porta Catania (€15/day). Taormina works best as an organised tour from Malta (the coach handles the 3-hour round-trip drive for you).

How Long Is the Ferry from Malta to Sicily?

The fastest ferry takes 1 hour 15 minutes (Grimaldi Lines, Valletta to Catania). The most frequent route, Virtu Ferries from Valletta to Pozzallo, takes 1 hour 45 minutes. Both are high-speed catamarans operated year-round. The distance is about 90 kilometres (50 nautical miles). On a clear day, you will see Sicily on the horizon about 40 minutes into the crossing.

How Much Does the Malta to Sicily Ferry Cost?

Ticket type	Low season	High season (Jun–Sep)
Adult one-way (deck)	€48–76	€76–96
Adult return (deck)	€130–140	€150–170
Child return (4–12)	€70–80	€85–95
Infant (under 4)	Free	Free
Car + driver return	€250–280	€300–350
Business class upgrade	+€30–40	+€30–40

Prices rise closer to departure and in peak summer. Book at least 1–2 weeks ahead for summer crossings. Mid-week sailings are often cheaper than weekends. The Grimaldi Lines Valletta–Catania route starts from €59 one-way. For flight prices, Ryanair Malta–Catania starts from €25 one-way if booked 1–2 months ahead.

Which Is Nicer, Malta or Sicily?

They are not competitors — they are complementary. Malta is compact, polished, English-speaking, and feels like a fortress-island that learned to welcome the world. Sicily is wild, sprawling, volcanic, and has the kind of food and landscapes that reset your standards. If you have time for both, you get the best of both Mediterranean worlds. If you only have time for one, pick Malta for an easy, history-packed short break; pick Sicily for a deeper, more intense travel experience. Read our Malta and Sicily itinerary guide if you are combining both.

Practical Tips for Crossing from Malta to Sicily

• Documents. EU citizens: valid ID card or passport. UK/US/other nationals: valid passport. Malta and Italy are both in Schengen — you clear immigration once (arriving in Malta) and cross to Sicily without passport control.
• Booking. Book ferry tickets at virtuferries.com or grimaldi-lines.com. For flights, check ryanair.com and kmairlines.com. Book 1–2 weeks ahead in summer.
• Check-in. Arrive at the ferry terminal 1 hour before departure (1.5 hours with a car). Check-in closes 30 minutes before sailing. No check-in desks at Pozzallo for the return — just show your ticket at the gate.
• Seasickness. The Malta–Sicily channel can be rough in winter (November–March). Take seasickness medication if you are prone. Summer crossings are usually smooth.
• Siesta. Shops and many restaurants in Sicily close from 13:00 to 16:00. Plan your independent day trip around this — visit sites in the morning, eat lunch 12:30–14:30, shop and explore towns after 16:00.
• Parking in Pozzallo. If you are driving yourself to the ferry terminal, there is a paid car park at the port (€5–8/day).
• Offline maps. Download Google Maps offline for Sicily before leaving Malta. Data roaming applies in Italy for non-EU visitors (UK phones post-Brexit may incur charges).

From Pozzallo to Catania: Your Gateway to Sicily

Port of Pozzallo

From Pozzallo, Catania is a 1.5-hour drive north on the A18 motorway (toll-free). If you did not rent a car, your options are: taxi (€100–120 to Catania centre, book ahead), bus (AST operates limited services from Pozzallo to Catania, about 2.5 hours, check schedules at the terminal), or train (the nearest station is in Modica, a 15-minute taxi from Pozzallo — trains to Catania take about 2 hours and cost around €10).

If you took the Grimaldi Lines ferry, you skip all of this — you dock directly at the Port of Catania, in the city centre. From there, it is a 10-minute walk to Piazza Duomo.

Catania Airport (CTA)

Catania Airport is 15 minutes by taxi from the city centre (€20–25 fixed fare). If you are flying into Catania from Malta, you are in the city before you know it. The airport has all the usual services: car rental desks (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, SicilyByCar), ATM, café, and a duty-free shop. The AMT Alibus runs from the airport to Catania central station every 20 minutes (€4, 25 minutes).

Why Catania? Because it is the natural gateway to eastern Sicily. From Catania you can reach Mount Etna in 40 minutes, Taormina in 50 minutes, Syracuse in 45 minutes, and the Pozzallo ferry terminal in 1.5 hours. It costs less than Taormina, has better food than Palermo (we are biased, but we are also right), and puts you in the middle of the Sicily you came to see. Read our full Malta–Sicily itinerary for a day-by-day plan with Catania as your base.

Where to Stay in Catania

After crossing from Malta, you need a base in Sicily that is central, comfortable, and well-connected. We run apartments in Catania city centre, in a historic building on Via Santissima Trinità, walking distance from the Pescheria fish market, Piazza Duomo, and the best street food in town. From here you can reach Mount Etna in 40 minutes, Taormina in 50 minutes, Syracuse in 45 minutes, and the Pozzallo ferry terminal in 1.5 hours. See our Catania apartments.

The information in this guide was correct at the time of writing. Data can change from season to season without notice: before you travel, always check the official channels and websites for updates. We review this guide periodically, but the official channels are always the authoritative source. We also cannot guarantee that the suggested routes or the attractions described are always reachable or accessible: roads, trails and sites may be closed, damaged, altered or unsafe. Assessing the practicability and safety of itineraries and attractions always remains your own responsibility.