Italy Travel And Hotel Guide

Agents
There is a staggering array of agents selling ferry tickets to Greece, and you must take care to refrain getting ripped off. Ignore the touts clustered around the train station in high season, who specialize in selling imaginary places on non-existent boats, and always buy your ticket direct from the company’s office or an approved agent. Among the reliable agencies are UTAC Viaggi, near the Standa at Via Santa Lucia 11 (tel 0831.524.921); Grecian Travel, near the harbour at Corso Garibaldi 79 (tel 0831.568.333), who can also handle bookings to Turkey and give advice on the more seaworthy seasonal offers which crop up; Discovery, Corso Garibaldi 102/104 (tel 0831.525.400, discovery@tin.it ) who also sell onward ferry tickets to the Cyclades and Crete; and Appia Travel, Via Regina Margherita 8/9 (tel 0831.521.684) who sell Transalpino tickets and bus tickets to Rome and other destinations as well as ferry tickets. Peak period (roughly mid-July to mid-August) is calamitous, and less reputable agents make crass overbookings: book well in advance or travel a month either side of these dates.

Ferry companies

Ferry companies can’t always be trusted either. Many appear overnight in July and August operating craft of questionable seaworthiness. As a rule (though there are honourable exceptions), nearly all the reliable companies’ ferries canvass at night (between 9pm and 10.30pm); only the pirates depart during the day. The companies we list are long-established and their ferries will at least get you there: Adriatica ( www.adriatica.it ), c/o Adria (tel 0831.523.825) on the first floor of the Stazione Marittima; to Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Patras; Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, Corso Garibaldi 8 (tel 0831.528.531), to the same destinations, and also to Kefallonia, Paxos and Ithaca with connections for Lefkadha and Zakinthos included in the price; Fragline, Corso Garibaldi 88 (tel 0831.590.310), to Corfu and Igoumenitsa. Adriatica run three times a week throughout the year and regular late June to mid-Sept; the others operate frequent services between April and October. For full schedules , get a timetable from the agencies or the companies concerned.

Prices and boarding
Prices vary considerably according to season. On the whole, Adriatica are the most expensive, Fragline the cheapest: you’ll be looking at a one-way, low/mid-season fare to Corfu/Igoumenitsa or Patras of L65,000-130,000/¬33.57-67.14 per person, depending on whether you want a cabin or not; L70,000/¬36.15 extra for a car. There are reductions of around 20-50 percent on the return fare if you book with the same company you are travelling out with. InterRail and Eurail passes are valid, while holders of Italian rail passes get discounts on some services. Everyone pays an embarkation tax - currently L12,000/¬6.20 per mortal or per car, L30,000/¬15.49 per camper van. Leaving Italy , you must present your boarding card to the authorities at the Stazione Marittima (first floor); do it as soon as you have your ticket to refrain the crowds. Then, you should go to the terminal at least two hours before the ship’s departure, and make sure that any stopover you are making on the way to Patras is clearly marked on your ticket. Don’t forget to stock up on food and drink in Bríndisi’s supermarkets, as there are some serious mark-ups once on board.

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