Where is best to berth in Palermo?

[MAFWeiss]

During our two week return trip south from Salerno to the Aeolian Islands later this summer, we are making our first ever foray to Palermo (and indeed Sicily itself) for a couple of nights at the very end of July, and the first day or so of August to drop off and pick up guests.

I am undecided as to where to book a berth. One option is what appears to be the relatively largish and secure marina, Villa Igiea, which is a little bit outside from the city. The other option is one of the pontoons in the commercial harbour itself, such as Nautica Fratelli Galizzi, which would be in walking distance of the city centre. Has anybody got any recent experience of either of these two options?

 

[MapisM]

I've yet to go there by boat (will do during the Venice-CF cruise, and we might as well come across by the time you'll be there, but I'm not sure about our dates yet).
Otoh, I've visited that area extensively, also a few months ago, and I'd rather stay in Villa Igiea, unless the walking distance from the historical centre is crucial.
Both places will be busy at the end of Jul/beginning of Aug, but the commercial harbour area will be MAD busy.

A wild card I would recommend unless you are specifically interested in visiting Palermo (which you can still do, but it takes about one hour and a half drive from there) is San Vito Lo Capo, a small village W of Palermo surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape and crystal clear waters - not to mention its beautiful beach.
Btw, it's just about half way between Palermo and Trapani airports, which might give a convenient choice if you will have guests coming/arriving.
Oh, and from there, it would be worth to extend your trip to the Aegadian Islands, off the western tip of Sicily.
A bit less known than the Aeolian, but equally nice if not even better. :encouragement:

 

[Richard10002]

Another option is for your guests to come to you at one of the islands? There is an extensive and regular ferry system running around the islands, so shouldnt be too difficult.

In 2007 one of our crew left us from Stromboli by ferry. He didnt mention any difficulties with the trip.

 

[MAFWeiss]

Otoh, I've visited that area extensively, also a few months ago, and I'd rather stay in Villa Igiea. Both places will be busy at the end of Jul/beginning of Aug, but the commercial harbour area will be MAD busy.

Oh, and from there, it would be worth to extend your trip to the Aegadian Islands, off the western tip of Sicily.
A bit less known than the Aeolian, but equally nice if not even better. :encouragement:

Thank you Mapism, having just looked at arial views courtesy of Google Earth, I think will try book Villa Igiea. We do want to visit the historic centre of Palermo, so staying close to the town is my preferred option. Regarding the Egadi Islands, it is certainly on my bucket list but it will have to wait for another year and do have the intention, at some point, of taking 3-4 weeks to sail all around Sicily. So the Egadi will likely have to wait till then. After our stay in Palermo we were going to potter round to Cefalu for a night, before heading back to the Aeolian Isles for a few more days then taking a leisurely few days to get home to Salerno

 

[MAFWeiss]

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Another option is for your guests to come to you at one of the islands? There is an extensive and regular ferry system running around the islands, so shouldnt be too difficult.

In 2007 one of our crew left us from Stromboli by ferry. He didnt mention any difficulties with the trip.

We did get our guests to do that on our previous two trips to the Aeolian Islands in 2015 and 2106, but this year we specifically want to visit Palermo (and Cefalu).

 

[Hurricane]

Loved your bit in MBY on the islands.
Maybe we will fit it in sometime.
I broke my ankle a couple of weeks ago so lots of thinking about future cruises at the moment.


BTW we visited the Marina d'Arechi staff at LIBS earlier this year.
They are very keen to get us out there.
Still getting regular emails from Anna.
I told them at the time that we have a long term provisional plan (to move east for a few years) that won't start until the end of 2018.
Two areas of interest at the moment - Greece/Corfu/Lefkas and Marina d'Arechi.
The Marina d'Arechi idea was given some support in our minds after reading your MBY articles - particularly the one on the Aeolian Islands.
But now MapisM has also mentioned the Aegadian Islands so more research needed.
Any plan would definitely go south round Sardinia and use Carloforte en route.

At the moment, we are planning a visit by air this year for a few days to check things out.
Initially, I was thinking Corfu but now Marina d'Arechi seems more likely - especially as Anna and the staff at Marina d'Arechi seem so welcoming.
We love Sant Carles so we wouldn't sell our berth there but Marina d'Arechi staff seem to have the same degree of friendliness.
All at the planning stage but in the past, we have carried out such plans.

 

[Corribee Boy]

Was in Galizzi a couple of weeks ago - it's about ten minutes walk from the town though it's a fairly grubby area to walk through. The facilities are OK but not stunning - once the yard empties of boats I believe they make a bit of a garden.

Moorings by the Cala are probably quite noisy from the road traffic.

 

[Corribee Boy]

Oh, and Cefalu was a nice town. The marina's a short walk from it but not offputting, with a bit of a hill to conquer but perhaps 15-20 minutes max. Well worth it for a quick Apero spritz in front of the cathedral.

There was quite a lot of early morning fishing boat activity in the marina but we used it as a jumping-off point for the Aeolians quite happily.

 

[Richard10002]

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We did get our guests to do that on our previous two trips to the Aeolian Islands in 2015 and 2106, but this year we specifically want to visit Palermo (and Cefalu).

Sorry! Teaching my grandmother to suck eggs

 

[MAFWeiss]

Loved your bit in MBY on the islands.

Thank you for your very kind words, it was very easy to write about this spectacularly beautiful cruising area.

The Marina d'Arechi idea was given some support in our minds after reading your MBY articles - particularly the one on the Aeolian Islands. But now MapisM has also mentioned the Aegadian Islands so more research needed.

I cannot yet comment on all the comparatives between the Aeolian and Aegadi islands, as we have yet to visit the latter, but my impression from what I already know is that much of the coast line of the Aegadi are protected marine reserves and and anchoring, etc tightly governed and requiring a permit for those areas where mooring is actually allowed. They are also much smaller and less options of interesting places to visit. That said, they clearly are very special and well worth a visit.

At the moment, we are planning a visit by air this year for a few days to check things out. Initially, I was thinking Corfu but now Marina d'Arechi seems more likely - especially as Anna and the staff at Marina d'Arechi seem so welcoming.
We love Sant Carles so we wouldn't sell our berth there but Marina d'Arechi staff seem to have the same degree of friendliness.
All at the planning stage but in the past, we have carried out such plans.

FYI, and I hope he does not me mind me announcing this, but Medmilo and his Fairline 65 has just arrived in the Marina d'Arechi and he has rented a berth just a few boats down from me for a year. So he would be a good person at some stage to chat with. Certainly I can vouch for how friendly and accommodating all the staff and owner's of the marina are, and I highly recommend you, or indeed anybody else vaguely interested, make a 'flying visit' to see for yourself :eagerness:

 

[MAFWeiss]

Sorry! Teaching my grandmother to suck eggs

Haahaa no problem, and I will have even more experience of cruising the Aeolian Isles after our two weeks there this summer! :biggrin-new:

 

[MapisM]

Certainly I can vouch for how friendly and accommodating all the staff and owner's of the marina are, and I highly recommend you, or indeed anybody else vaguely interested, make a 'flying visit' to see for yourself

Positively +1.
No experience of being there by boat (yet), but as it happens, one of the boats I considered in my recent search - one which eventually was in our final short list, btw - is owned by the main MdA shareholder.
Which I didn't meet, but aside from the (also very friendly) broker, I did meet the MdA yard manager and some ladies in the office, and it's been a pleasure to deal with all of them, bar none.
The marina infrastructures are also very good - I would say the best in southern Italy.
With the large building/bridge designed by Calatrava (planned but yet to be built), it could easily become one of the very best marinas of the whole Med.
Not to mention the stunning coastline, both a few miles N and S... :encouragement: