You may remember my first solo trip back in May, where I tried out a new flight route with Ryanair.
Flying from Manchester to Reggio Calabria, in Southern Italy, costing me just £28 return!
I've explored northern Italy quite extensively over the last few years with my husband and children, but in all honesty, knew very little about the Calabrian region until this year.
Well I fell in love! As soon as I got home from my last trip, I booked to return in October (again as a solo traveller), just before the season ended. This time paying a little more, but still a bargain at just £52- to find the cheapest dates I used the sky flight search
In May's trip I explored Scilla and Tropea, as well as spending a little time in Reggio Calabria itself- all beautiful towns, located in Calabria which I would highly recommend.
Reggio Calabria is just across the water from Sicily, but due to the plans I'd already made, I never got the chance to include Sicily in my last trip. This time, I decided to base myself purely there.
On my itinerary this time was Messina, Taormina, and Cefalù, all stunning destinations rich in history, views, and local charm.
So without further-ado, here’s everything you need to know to make this journey from Reggio Calabria to Sicily on a budget. From public transportation costs in Sicily, to tips on affordable accommodation.
As mentioned above, the flight from Manchester to Reggio Calabria Airport was just £52 return. Ryanair started flying this route at the end of April 2024, which ran until October. Unfortunately, they now only fly from London Stansted for UK departures. Hopefully this route will become available in the future.
At the time of publishing, Ryanair will also be running flights to Reggio Calabria in 2025 from Barcelona, Berlin Brandenburg, Bologna, Brussels Charleroi, Frankfurt Han, Katowice, London Stansted, Marseille, Milan Malpensa, Paris Beauvais, Pisa, Tirano, Turin & Venice Marco Polo.
Reggio Calabria airport is located just 4.8km from the city centre- approximately a 12 minute drive. Very convenient in terms of getting to the centre and for any onward connections.
The airport at Reggio Calabria is very small. When you enter the departures hall there are a couple of check-in desks, a vending machine and public bathroom, but nothing else.
At security you'll find just two security scanners and two counters for passport control, I think it's the smallest airport I've ever been to during my travels.
Once through security, you'll find a kiosk selling hot and cold drinks, pastries, sandwiches and a few other snacks.
There's also vending machines and a public bathroom. There is no duty free or other shops/restaurants. There are also just two gates- one for international flights and one for internal within Italy. It's advisable to eat before arriving at the airport for this reason.
On arriving in Reggio Calabria airport, again there's just two counters for passport control. It's so small that there aren't even any customs channels to walk through, so don't be surprised when you are approached by a member of staff before leaving the airport, asking if you have anything to declare.
Upon landing in Reggio Calabria, I caught a coach from outside the airport - you'll find local buses outside the arrivals hall, waiting to take passengers on to Reggio Calabria Centrale Train Station, Reggio Calabria Centre and the Reggio Calabria Ferry port.
The cost of a ticket from Reggio Calabria Airport to the ferry port was just €2, payable in cash to the driver. The journey took around 15 minutes.
Once at the Port, I bought a ticket at the counter to take me to Messina Ferry Port (Sicily) for €4- payable by cash or card. You can also purchase tickets online here
To see where else you can cross from mainland Italy to Sicily read our guide here
Ferries run approximately every hour, and the crossing takes around 40 minutes.
For anyone looking to explore Sicily without a car, this route is ideal, as Messina’s public transport network can then connect you directly to key destinations across the island including Catania and Palermo.
You'll find Messina Marittima Train Station right next to Messina Ferry Port and Messina Centrale Station is just a 4 minute walk away too.
This ferry from Reggio Calabria is for foot passengers only and the crossing I found to be relatively smooth, passed by talking to a few ladies from my flight who were heading to Taormina for a week.
As a disclaimer, when I booked this trip I reserved accommodation in Cefalù. Unfortunately, just 24hrs before my departure I discovered that there was a train strike planned on the day I needed to fly home- meaning I'd need to get back from Cefalù to mainland Italy with little time for delays. This didn't seem viable with it being around 3.5 hours away from the airport.
Luckily I was able to cancel that stay, and decided to book 3 nights in Messina instead. By staying in Messina, I did not need to rely on the trains at all on the strike day.
Staying in Messina would allow me to walk from my accommodation to the port, then cross back to the mainland as a foot passenger on the ferry.
Messina is not as picturesque as towns such as Taormina or Cefalù, but it is very well connected to the rest of Sicily with trains and coaches leaving regularly to all major towns and cities. Messina is therefore a great base, giving you many options on places to explore.
The accommodation I chose in Messina was the Borgo Antico Rooms, located just a 14 minute walk from the port, and 12 minutes from the main train station in Messina (Messina Centrale).
When searching for accommodation, I found most choices to be very reasonable in terms of cost. A double room at Borgo Antico rooms cost me just £167 for the three night stay (around €199). I was travelling solo, but the cost would have being the same for a couple too, so very good value.
The Borgo Rooms were great for exploring Messina itself, being right on the doorstep of the main shopping and restaurant area of the city.
The room was spotless and included towels, toiletries and room service each day.
It was well equipped with plenty of sockets, a hair dryer, flat screen tv with Netflix, mini fridge, desk and most importantly air-con!
The owner was also on-hand at all times via WhatsApp to answer questions and to facilitate check-in and out.
After a long day travelling, then getting settled and freshened up in my accommodation, it was around 6pm when I headed back out to explore Messina.
Some areas around the port appeared a bit run-down when I arrived and therefore I wasn't sure what to expect from Messina. However, heading in to the city centre reminded me of Turin’s architecture which I love and the main areas were a lot cleaner and well maintained.
Unfortunately Southern Italy & Sicily has a lot less investment than the north, but with that, it brings its own unique charm and definitely shouldn't be missed!
Messina was bustling, with local families and tourists enjoying food and drinks in outdoor cafés, late in to the evening- which I quite often find on a Sunday night in Italy, something I wouldn't see in the UK.
I must have spend a good 2-3 hours wandering around the city centre and visiting Messina's historic sites- the Astronomical Clock of the Cathedral of Messina, Tempio di Cristo and Bascilla Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta being very impressive.
By this point I was so hungry as I hadn't eaten much all day. Everywhere looked very busy, but I managed to find a restaurant that was near to Bascilla Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta.
Despite it being very busy, I luckily managed to get a table at Past'Ovo, a local spot where I had a spaghetti Bolognese and a selection of arancini for starters-they were out of my first choice of a local pasta dish.
All in with a few large wines and a bottle of water, the cost was around €35.
The staff were very attentive and the atmosphere of the place was great- it wouldn't have been my first choice if the city wasn't as busy, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Budget-friendly places to eat in Messina are abundant, making it a great city for solo travellers seeking local Italian cuisine without overspending. I'm in no doubt I could have chosen somewhere cheaper, but given I'd been travelling all day with no more than a sandwich on the plane, I didn't mind paying a bit extra.
By this point it was now around 10.30pm and I was exhausted, so I headed back to my accommodation for the night.
Day 2 began with me getting some work done- yes I love to travel, but often that means I bring my work with me, the joys of being fully remote (no that wasn't sarcasm, I actually love it!).
Due to my late change in plans, I actually hadn't got the chance to fully research how to get to certain places I wanted to see, I therefore needed to do some research before heading out.
After looking online, it actually seemed easier to get to Taormina from Messina by coach than train-all the blogs I consulted only mentioned the train option.
You can get the train from Messina Centrale to Taormina in around 45 minutes. However the nearest train station (Taormina-Giardini) is around a 1 hour walk, all uphill to Taormina centre and not recommended. With this option you'd then need to wait for the local bus, which can be fairly irregular or opt for an uber costing around €15.
From outside Messina Centrale train station you can get a coach, directly to the historic centre of Taormina for just €6, taking around 1hr 20 mins. A little longer than the train, but it eliminates the need to then catch a bus, so overall is probably quicker.
The journey was very comfortable and thankfully the coach air-conditioned.
For the best views sit on the left hand side of the coach!
You can read more about the details of this route and bus here
Arriving directly at Messina Gate in Taormina, I immediately understood why this town draws so many visitors. In all honesty I think this is the nicest town I've ever been to in Italy, it definitely should not be missed!
You'll find lots of local shops as well as some big brands and many restaurants and bars to choose from within the centre.
The only negative I would say about Taormina is that it was very busy- even though it was October. I would imagine in the height of summer, it would be far too crowded, as the streets in the centre are relatively narrow.
Taormina was featured in the Netflix series 'The White Lotus', which seems to have increased the towns popularity- what most people don't realise is that many of the scenes were actually shot in Cefalù!
For those interested in doing the 'White Lotus' tour in Taormina, this one comes highly recommended by many travellers
In terms of cost, I found Taormina more expensive for food and drink then any of the other places I've visited in Southern Italy or Sicily. If you're on a budget, a day trip here may be a better option than actually using it for a stay.
In the afternoon I enjoyed a meal at Ristorante L'Orologio, located just off the main square, which I would highly recommend in terms of service, quality of food and people watching!
For a main and side with a few drinks it cost me around €50, but I did spend a good few hours there and thoroughly enjoyed it.
In Taormina there are lots of different types of activities to do, both in the town itself, and some further afield.
I must admit after my meal, I met up with the ladies I'd been talking to on the ferry to Sicily, and we enjoyed a great evening over some drinks in the square.
One of the main sites in Taormina is the Ancient Theater- apart from one in Syracusa, the Ancient Theater of Taormina is the largest building for shows in the Italian Peninsula.
For those wanting to see an authentic opera performance in Taormina, Nazarena Theater has regular shows available to book here.
Other activities in or from Taormina include cooking classes, boat tours and Godfather Tours.
One of the most popular tours you can do from Taormina is 'Mount Etna'.
Mount Etna is one of Europe’s most active volcanoes. The trip typically starts with a scenic drive from Taormina, taking about an hour, bringing visitors to the base of the volcano.
From here, multiple options are available to ascend Etna, depending on your adventure level.
The most common approach is a cable car ride from the Sapienza Refuge up to 2,500 meters, offering stunning views of the volcanic landscape.
From the cable car station, visitors can either hike on foot or take a 4x4 jeep further up to approximately 2,900 meters, where guided tours are available to explore the craters.
For more independent travellers, hiking directly from the Sapienza Refuge is possible, though it requires good physical fitness.
Guided tours from Taormina are another popular choice, including full-day excursions with expert guides who share insights into Etna’s geology, eruptions, and ecosystem
While it’s easy to see why some ask, “Is Taormina worth visiting?” it’s a must-see, even if just for the day. The lively atmosphere, quaint shops, and friendly locals make it a perfect spot for solo travellers.
Despite my change of plans, I decided I still wanted to see Cefalù. From Messina Centrale Station I took the train directly to Cefalù for just €11 each way- the journey time is around 2 hours.
Cefalù’s train station is conveniently located close to the beach- under a 15 minutes walk. The coastline is beautiful and is filled with striking beach parasols. Even though it was October, there was lots of people sunbathing and in the sea.
While in Cefalù, I walked through the historic centre and visited the ancient lavatoio medievale (historic laundry), which is free to explore and gives insight into the town’s history.
Many ask, “Which is better, Taormina or Cefalù?” Both towns offer unique experiences, but Cefalù has a more laid-back feel, perfect for a day of relaxing and discovering local culture.
Taormina on the other hand has more shops, restaurants and things to do. Both are fantastic places to add to any Sicily Itinerary though, and I recommend you include both if you have the time.
After a gelato, I had a beachfront dinner, enjoying the sunset as light rain began- the first and only on this trip. The temperature in Sicily for the duration of my trip was a warm 28 degrees Celsius.
Mosquitoes can be an issue here in October as I found out to my surprise, so I’d recommend insect repellent, especially for those sensitive to bites.
I started my final day early, catching the 10:30 AM ferry from Messina back to Reggio Calabria.
The ferry journey was just as easy as before, and I connected with the coach back to Reggio Calabria Airport, arriving at the airport just before noon- again the total for the ferry and coach was just €8.
As I mentioned at the start of this blog, amenities at Reggio Calabria airport are extremely limited, so make sure you eat beforehand and don’t rush through security as there is little seating once through passport control.
For anyone planning a similar trip, here are a few practical tips on low-cost transportation options for Italy and Sicily:
Ferries: Regular ferries between Messina and Reggio Calabria cost about €4 and offer a scenic way to cross from mainland Italy to Sicily.
Trains and Coaches: Trains in Sicily are affordable, with options like the Messina-Cefalù route costing around €11 each way. Coaches are also budget-friendly, with air-conditioned rides between Messina and Taormina for only €6.
Food: Finding budget-friendly places to eat in Sicily is easy if you explore local spots. Messina and Cefalù have an array of trattorias, where a meal with wine costs under €25.
Accommodation: Staying near ports or central train stations can save time and money on transportation, especially for those without a car.
Locals and fellow tourists are generally friendly, but it’s always a good idea to keep contacts handy for assistance, especially in quieter areas. I was lucky enough to meet two groups of female travellers from my flight that were staying in the region- both gave me their mobile numbers should any problems arise, which was very reassuring.
In terms of where to stay, smaller towns with plenty of tourists like Cefalù and Taormina seemed safer than Messina. In Messina I did encounter cat-calling a few times and it didn't feel as safe on the Monday and Tuesday evenings when there wasn't as many families around. Messina is generally considered safe for solo travellers and personally I wouldn't hesitate to return.
As expected follow normal practices like you would at home by staying in well lit areas and main roads when walking at night. Avoid getting cash out and wearing expensive items too.
Exploring Sicily on a budget doesn’t mean compromising on experiences. With careful planning, you can savour the best this region has to offer- from Sicily’s ancient theatres and picturesque beaches to the lively streets of Taormina and Cefalù.
For more inspiration on affordable Italian coastal trips or hidden gems in Sicily take a look at the blogs featured below.
Copyright © Build a Break | Website by Furness Media
