Last year, I embarked on a journey to Ibiza without the luxury of flying. This year, armed with newfound knowledge about the accessibility of Mediterranean holiday islands by train and a short ferry ride, I decided to travel flight-free to Malta. Despite facing obstacles due to rail strikes in France, both on my way there and back, I found that overcoming these challenges added an exciting twist to my 10-day trip.
Sure, flying would have been faster, easier, and cheaper. But it would have also been incredibly dull. By choosing to travel overland for most of the journey, accompanied by my trusty Brompton bike, I was treated to a series of mini-holidays. I savored a cup of espresso in a renowned coffee shop next to the Pantheon in Rome, cycled up Mount Etna, and wandered through Salerno at sunrise.
One of the most peculiar experiences of my trip was the rail journey from Italy to Sicily. A train was loaded onto a ferry and transported across the water—a truly unique and memorable experience. My adventure began in Newcastle, where I boarded the sleek LNER train to London. Starting from my hometown added an extra day to the trip. However, for those living in London, it’s possible to travel flight-free to Malta in just two days.
Of course, overnight stays in hotels added to the overall cost. But I discovered a clever alternative—I booked at least one sleeper train, saving money on accommodation. To simplify my travel arrangements, I utilized the Omio smartphone app to purchase electronic tickets and received refunds for any unused tickets through my stored credit card. This app also conveniently offered ferry and flight ticket options, making it easy to find alternatives along the way.
After a late arrival in Milan, which surprisingly happened to be half an hour earlier than scheduled, I stayed at Baglioni’s new boutique hotel—a subject that deserves its own article. The following morning, I set off early to traverse the entire length of Italy by train, completing the journey in a single day. The high-speed trains between Milan, Rome, and Naples were incredibly efficient, and I had covered two-thirds of the journey by lunchtime.
However, the train from Naples to Catania in Sicily proved to be much slower, taking nine long hours to cover a distance of 240 miles. Nevertheless, the stunning Mediterranean views along the coastline made up for the sluggish pace. As we approached Villa San Giovanni station at dusk, a train manager advised the remaining passengers to sit in the correct carriage. Half of the train went to Palermo, while the other half headed to Siracusa. But we all had to board the same ferry.
Here began the oddest part of the journey—I witnessed the locomotive being uncoupled, and the carriages were shunted onto the ferry, which had rail tracks on its deck. I felt like I was participating in a truly multi-modal experience: a folding bike on a train on a boat. After briefly exploring the ferry, I returned to the train since it was too dark outside to enjoy the views of the Mediterranean.
The ferry crossing lasted less than 40 minutes. At Messina, the carriages went their separate ways. I found myself on the correct carriage for the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Catania, the Sicilian city nestled beneath the majestic Mount Etna. Promptness was crucial as I had to reach a budget hotel before its 10 pm closure. If the train arrived on time, I would have 20 minutes to get there—a manageable task on a bike. Fortunately, the train was only slightly delayed, and I reached the hotel with ten minutes to spare.
However, my excitement quickly turned to frustration when the security code provided by the hotel didn’t work. Unable to contact the hotel through calls or texts, I had no choice but to find another accommodation to avoid sleeping on the streets. Sadly, there were no corporate hotels open late at night in downtown Catania, which left me with no other option than to book a room at the Romano Palace Hotel, located six miles away. Although it was three times the price of my original reservation, it provided a 24-hour reception.
Using the GPS device and the address I copied from Booking.com, I embarked on my journey to the Romano Palace Hotel. To my dismay, I pedaled uphill for 40 minutes only to find myself on the wrong road—Via J F Kennedy in Misterbianco, which was a residential street rather than the luxurious hotel I had anticipated. Frustrated, I quickly found the correct address and returned to town, making my way downhill. Soon enough, I arrived at the Romano Palace Hotel just before…
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