Ports of Augusta, Catania, Syracuse and Pozzallo
The Port System Authority of the Eastern Sicilian Sea manages the ports of Augusta, which is mainly an oil and commercial port and those of Catania, Syracuse and Pozzallo. These last three ports are commercial and cruise and passengers’ ports.
Catania
The city has historically been a prime destination for cruise tourism. The port has four docks (10-11, 12, 13, 25-26-27, for a total length of 1200 linear meters) primarily dedicated to cruise ships and a passenger terminal, managed by Catania Cruise Port, which operates under the control of Global Ports Holding, one of the world’s largest port operators in the sector. Eastern Sicily, with its rich heritage of monuments, landscapes, and food and wine, has always been a precious cultural treasure of great
international appeal. There is therefore a wide range of excursions available for cruise passengers. In addition to the ever-popular but already well-known destinations of Catania with its baroque monuments, Taormina, and Mount Etna, there are numerous nature trails on foot or by bike accessible year-round; golden beaches and clear waters; food and wine tours, where you can explore the diverse nuances and aromas of Sicilian wines exported worldwide, paired with traditional local cuisine; slow
food courses, and other certainly interesting options. Furthermore, the cruise terminal’s proximity to the city’s historic center allows cruise passengers to easily visit the city with its baroque monuments and enjoy its distinctive features: art, history, flavors, and tradition.
Syracuse
The cruise terminal in Syracuse is located at Porto Grande, a large natural harbor in the center of the city, where cruise ships dock, dropping oƯ passengers near the historic center of Ortigia. Characterised by huge historical, architectural and landscape riches, the city of Syracuse was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. Cruise ships can dock at piers 3 (280 mt.), 4 (165 mt) and 5 (140 mt). In the next future also dock n. 2 will be available. The cruise terminal is equipped with everything needed to carry out the embarkation, disembarkation and transit operations. Discover and experience this part of south-eastern Sicily, it is a unique experience that has always managed to make travelers from all over the world fall in love with the charm and boundless beauty of its culture, history, traditions, art, landscapes and with a nature capable of giving a thousand emotions. Visiting the Isle of Ortigia is an amazing experience as well as visiting all the other tourist and cultural sites. From Syracuse it’s also easy to reach Noto, the capital of the Sicilian baroque and Mount Etna.
Pozzallo
The Port of Pozzallo became part of the Eastern Sicilian Sea Port System Authority in the summer of 2022. Pozzallo, despite being the most important commercial port in southern Sicily, also has a tourist vocation and has a fully equipped maritime station that is currently used for boarding the catamaran operating between Pozzallo and Malta. Pozzallo, known as “the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean,” boasts a climate with mild winters and hot summers tempered by a pleasant breeze, making it an ideal destination for both summer and winter holidays. At the port, the Riva dock is dedicated to passenger ships, as it is located directly in front of the terminal. It is 310 meters long, making it ideal for ships up to 250/300 meters in length, or shorter if docked with a catamaran. Pozzallo also boasts a large harbour in front of the port where cruise ships can anchor and easily transfer passengers to land. In the large square in front of the terminal, they can easily use excursion buses, book taxis or chauƯeur-driven cars, or set oƯ on foot or by bike to their desired destinations. For several years, a strong tourism revitalisation policy has brought Pozzallo to the top nationally for water quality, services, facilities, and hospitality. This eƯort has also been recognized by the awarding of the Blue Flag for its sea and the Green Flag for its beaches. Numerous shore excursions are available: Modica, Ragusa Ibla, Ispica, the Baroque train, the Hyblaean literary tour, the Noto wine route, as well as various nature trails for walking or biking.
