How to Get to the Tremiti Islands (Isole Tremiti)
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Plan your summer getaway to one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Discover everything to know about how to get to the Tremiti Islands!
Floating in the mesmerizing turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea is a small assembly of islands known as the Tremiti Islands. They fly under the radar for most non-Italian tourists, which means the Tremiti Islands shine through as one of the best undiscovered summer destinations in Italy.
Enjoying the Tremiti Islands is a hop and skip away from a few different ports on mainland Italy, making it an ideal day trip or weekend getaway.
In this short guide, discover the various ferry routes, schedules, and how to book tickets to the Tremiti Islands.
The Essentials for Getting to the Tremiti Islands
🛳 The most common way to get to the Tremiti Islands is by ferry. Departure ports from mainland Italy include Termoli, Peschici, Vieste, and Rodi Garganico.
⏱ Looking for the shortest journey? Book the Termoli to San Domino ferry.
🎒 Save money on accommodation and book a day trip to the Tremiti Islands instead.
🚤 The Tremiti Islands are part of a nature reserve and consist of small islands that are best explored by sea. Plan on booking a small rental boat or joining a boat tour to make the most of your time there.
Where Are the Tremiti Islands?
The Tremiti Islands form a small archipelago on the east coast of Italy in the Adriatic Sea. Also known as Le Isole Tremiti in Italian, the group consists of five pocket-sized islands, including San Domino, San Nicola, Capraia, Cretaccio, and Pianosa.
The Tremiti Islands are protected pieces of land and sea which belong to the Gargano National Park, located in the northern Puglia region on mainland Italy.
While southern Puglia often stars as the headliner for “summer in Italy,” the Tremiti Islands are typically only known about and therefore frequented by Italian tourists.
From mainland Italy, The Tremiti Islands only sit about 30 km (19 miles) from shore.
What Is the Easiest Way to Get to the Tremiti Islands?
The most common way to get to the Tremiti Islands is by ferry. There are 4-5 different ferry routes which connect mainland Italy to the turquoise islands of Tremiti, all of which are, of course, most active during the summer months.
Depending on where you’re departing from, you can find a passenger ferry to the Tremiti Islands from the Abruzzo, Molise and Puglia region.
While there is a heliport on San Domino island, flying to the islands by helicopter is not the most cost-effective solution for the typical traveler. On the other hand, if you are looking for an exclusive method of transportation and aren’t budget-conscious, reaching the Tremiti Islands by helicopter is an option.
The Various Ferry Routes to the Tremiti Islands
There are four consistent ferry routes to choose from when deciding on how to get to the Tremiti Islands. The departure ports from mainland Italy include Termoli, Peschici, Vieste, and Rodi Garganico. You may see additional departure points such as Pescara and Vasto, but these are not typical and often refer to private charters.
The Termoli to San Domino ferry is the shortest crossing and arrives at the Tremiti Islands in just one hour.
Ferries departing from both Peschici and Rodi Garganico take slightly longer, around 1.5 hours. Taking a ferry from Vieste on the eastern coast of the Gargano peninsula to the Tremiti Islands will take just over 2 hours.
How to Buy Ferry Tickets to the Tremiti Islands
If you’re figuring out how to get to the Tremiti Islands during the summer, plan on purchasing tickets in advance. To find and book ferry tickets ahead of time, there are a couple of different ways to achieve this. If you are price conscious, we highly recommend exploring all of the various venues for the best price.
Unfortunately, prices can fluctuate based on some rhyme or reason we haven’t quite figured out yet.
First, there are Italian websites (which can be translated by your web browser) that sell ferry tickets online to the Tremiti Islands. Some of the most common sites include:
https://traghettiisoletremiti.it
If you’re more comfortable using an app and value an effortless user experience, book ferry tickets to the Tremiti Islands through Omio. The prices are more or less on par with what you’d find if you were to book directly, but instead you receive a layer of customer service (in case anything happens) and convenience.
FAQs: How to Get to the Tremiti Islands
1. What Is the Tremiti Islands Ferry Schedule Like?
Peak season begins in May and tapers off in September. During this time, ferries to the Tremiti Islands are scheduled regularly every day. However, most ferries will only depart from mainland Italy in the morning before 10 am and then again in the afternoon after 3 pm. You will not find ferry crossings at midday.
The same applies for also leaving the Tremiti Islands. You can either book a ferry during the morning hours or again around 4 pm to return to mainland Italy.
2. Can You Take a Car to the Tremiti Islands?
As a tourist, you cannot take your car with you on the ferry to the Tremiti Islands. Driving on the Tremiti Islands is reserved only for residents or other authorised vehicles. All of the ferries that depart from mainland Italy to the Tremiti Islands are for foot passengers only.
3. Where Should You Park When Taking a Ferry to the Tremiti Islands?
All ferry ports on mainland Italy will have designated parking lots for visitors who are taking a passenger-only ferry to the Tremiti Islands. However, some are much smaller than others.
If the parking lots located directly at the ports are full, you must find street parking in the city centres which allow all-day or long-term parking (metered). It will be nearly impossible to find free parking within close proximity to a port.
The Termoli ferry port is considerably larger than the others and therefore has the most convenient situation for parking. There is metered parking in addition to a private lot, which costs €10 per day, but is just steps away from the ferry.
4. Can You Book a Same Day Round Trip Ferry to the Tremiti Islands?
Given the lack of accommodation on the Tremiti Islands, day trips are incredibly popular among visitors. Since most of the ferry crossings to the Tremiti Islands takes between 1 – 2 hours, most people take a morning ferry to the islands and return in the afternoon on that same day.
This way, you also save money by not paying for a place to stay on the Tremiti Islands but still enjoy the paradise of the archipelago.
5. Are Dogs Allowed on the Ferries to the Tremiti Islands?
All of the passenger ferries headed to Le Isole Tremiti are pet-friendly. During our ferry crossing from Termoli to San Domino, we saw many dogs of all sizes, even in the inside seating areas of the boat.
Unlike some other ferry journeys in Italy, you are not required to place your pet in a kennel during the crossing.
It is advised to accurately purchase a ticket for your pet to avoid any surcharge or complications upon boarding the ferry. A ferry ticket for one pet costs around €6 one-way.
Where to Stay on the Tremiti Islands
The Tremiti Islands are a nature reserve that largely lack the development of hotels and resorts that you’d come across on other Italian islands. Therefore, there are very few places to stay that are located on the actual islands of San Domino or San Nicola.
Furthermore, the handful of accommodation options that do exist on the Tremiti Islands are usually sold out and fairly pricey. If you are not adamant about staying on the islands, it’s better to choose a hotel or apartment on mainland Italy instead and make a day trip to the archipelago.
Still, spending a night or two on the Tremiti Islands can be a magical and unique experience that’s well worth the extra dollar. These are the best places to stay on the Tremiti Islands.
Tremiti Islands Travel Resources
☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage
✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com
🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com
🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio
🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries
🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago
☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo
📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator
