There are many options to choose from when it comes to selecting a ferry from Croatia to Italy.
Travellers can choose from 6 companies offering 14 ferry routes connecting different ports in Italy and Croatia.
The seasonal high-speed catamarans (passenger only) sail from the coast of Istria to northern Italy (Venice, Trieste, Cesenatico and Pesaro), while conventional passenger/car ferries generally depart from Split, Zadar and Dubrovnik to the ports of Ancona and Bari.
With so many routes on offer Direct Ferries make is simple to compare all routes from Croatia to Italy in one search so you can quickly find the best option for you. The booking process is quick, easy and secure with instant confirmation.
If you prefer flying, choose one of the numerous flights between Croatia and Italy available throughout the year.
For getting between southern parts of Italy and Croatia, take a car/passenger ferry from Dubrovnik to Bari in Puglia region. This ferry runs only once a week starting from May until mid-October.
This means that you have limited choice when it comes to dates, so be sure to book well-in-advance to secure your place on the ferry. The sailing time is around 10 hours.
Please note that there are no ferries between Venice and the southern part of the Croatian coast (Split or Dubrovnik). So, for travelling from Venice to Dubrovnik, take a train to Rome (very comfortable and affordable; book ticket here) and from there take a flight to Dubrovnik from Fiumicino Airport (to get to the airport take Leonardo Express train).
If travelling from Split to Ancona (Le Marche region of central Italy) you can choose from Jadrolinija and SNAV ferries.
Jadrolinija is a Croatian company that operates this route all-year round with 2 sailings weekly during the winter, while in the summer there are 3 departures weekly.
The route is operated by Marko Polo car/passenger ferry (choose from reclining seats or cabins) that needs 11 hours from Split to Ancona.
In addition to Jadrolinija ferry, you can choose to travel by SNAV, Italian company sailing on this route several times a week during the tourist season (April to October). SNAV ferries are cruise style ships with restaurants, bars, shops and range of cabin options).
Once you reach Ancona, you can in a few hours get to any other part of Italy by train, including Rome (book your train tickets here!).
New route from Jadrolinija connects Split with Bari (Puglia region) once a week starting from May until mid-October. The typical crossing time for this ferry is approximately 10 hours.
Travelling between the Istrian ports (northern part of Croatian coast) and Venice is easy and comfortable due to the ferry routes available in the summer.
VENEZIA LINES and KOMPAS operate high-speed catamarans between Venice and ports of Pula, Porec and Rovinj. Sailings are available throughout the week with morning departures from Istrian ports and return the same day in the late afternoon. The sailing time range from 2h 45 minutes to 3h 45 minutes, depending on the route. Vessels operating on these routes are high-speed and modern offering a smooth travel to the passengers.
In addition, LIBERTY LINES operates fast hydrofoils Croatian ports of Porec, Rovinj and Mali Losinj and Trieste (this service is available in July and August).
An Italian ferry company, GOMO VIAGGI, runs high-speed catamarans between a few Croatian ports and Cesenatico and Pesaro in Italy (from mid-June until the end of August). Gomo Viaggi links these ports in little more than three hours, offering some of the quickest ferry transportation in the region.
Catch their catamarans from Rovinj, Novalja (the island of Pag) and Mali Losinj (the island of Losinj) to Cesenatico and from Mali Losinj and Novalja to Pesaro.