There is something almost ridiculous about waiting forty minutes in line at an airport for a one-hour flight, when just a few kilometres away there is a dock with a boat that takes you to the same place without making you take off your belt, without body scanners, and without anyone forcing you to throw away your bottle of water. The ferry has transitioned from being grandma's transport to becoming a seriously considered option for more and more travellers, and not just out of nostalgia.
Why the Boat is Gaining Ground Over the Plane
For years, flying was synonymous with speed and the boat with resignation. But the map has changed. The maritime routes crossing the Mediterranean, especially those connecting the Peninsula with North Africa, have been modernised in terms of both comfort and frequency. Companies like Trasmed operate these lines with a regularity that seemed unthinkable a few years ago, and this has completely changed the equation for those travelling with a car, with family, or simply without the desire to check in luggage as if it were a diplomatic negotiation.
The Price, the Main Argument
There is no fine print here: travelling by ferry is usually cheaper than flying, especially if there are more than two people in the group or if the vehicle is included. A car in the hold can cost the same as a checked bag on certain low-cost airlines, not to mention that there are no surcharges for bringing a beach umbrella, a cooler, or that spare tyre you never use but which gives you peace of mind. When calculated calmly, the numbers almost always favour the boat.
Crossing the Strait Without Rush
There is a type of traveller who will hate this idea and another who will love it unconditionally: crossing the Strait by boat means, literally, stopping to look at the clock. The journey becomes part of the trip and not an uncomfortable procedure between two points. You can have breakfast while looking at the water, take a nap in a reclining chair, or simply stay on deck watching the coast recede while your phone, for once, stays in your pocket.
This is no small matter. We live surrounded by constant haste, and the ferry imposes, almost by decree, a different rhythm. There is no way to speed it up, no shortcuts, and that enforced slowness ends up being, for many, the true luxury of the journey.
What to Bring Onboard if Travelling with a Car
Anyone who has taken this route with a vehicle knows that there are three items that should never be missing: a light blanket (the air conditioning in the common areas can be generous to the point of cruelty), something to eat that doesn't solely depend on the ship's cafeteria, and patience for boarding, which is usually the only moment when chaos reappears with enthusiasm. Once onboard, everything simplifies.
It is also advisable to book in advance during peak season. Spaces for vehicles sell out faster than one imagines, and arriving at the port without a reservation, relying on luck, is at least a risky bet.
Nature and Scenery Not Seen from the Air
From an airplane, the Mediterranean is a blue patch without relief. From the deck of a ferry, it is something completely different: dolphins are seen more often than people think, the changes in water colour according to depth can be distinguished, and on clear days the African and European coastlines can almost be seen at the same time, something that few landscapes in Europe can offer from such an accessible mode of transport.
For nature tourism lovers, this stretch of sea is not just a necessary route but an experience in itself. There is no need to pay for a whale-watching excursion to enjoy that marine wildlife; just choose a good spot on deck and have a bit of luck, which is not as scarce as it seems.
A Plan That Pairs Well with Slow Holidays
The so-called slow tourism, which prioritises the journey over the destination, finds in the ferry its natural ally. It is no coincidence that more and more families are choosing to make the crossing the first stop of their holiday rather than just a simple intermediate step. Playing cards at a table with sea views, letting the kids run on deck without the stress of an airplane aisle, or simply disconnecting for a few hours are sufficient reasons to rethink how a trip to the south is organised.
The Mediterranean remains the same as always, but the way to cross it is changing, and more and more people are discovering that the maritime route is not the uncomfortable alternative, but simply another way to travel that many should have tried before.
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