Catania Boat Tour Prices: What Should You Expect to Pay?

How much does a Catania boat tour cost?

There is no standard price, because the coast has two kinds of starting point.

Trips from Aci Trezza leave from beside the Cyclops Islands marine protected area. The Faraglioni and Lachea Island are a few minutes out, so operators can sell short trips cheaply.

Boats from Catania’s port sail north along the coast past Ognina and Aci Castello before they reach Aci Trezza. That makes the trip longer and dearer, and the coast on the way becomes part of what you pay for. Keep this in mind whenever two prices look far apart. Our guide to where Catania boat tours leave from shows each pier.

1. Short Cyclops Coast tours: about $17 to $28 per person

The cheapest sightseeing trips leave from Aci Trezza on small motorboats.

The Cyclops Coast Boat Tour with Swim Stop costs $28 for 90 minutes past Lachea Island, the Faraglioni and the Ulysses Caves, with a swim stop inside the marine protected area and masks and snorkels included. It has only six reviews so far (4.3/5), so read them before you book. The Odissey Faraglioni Boat Tour with Swim Stop costs $22 for 45 minutes (4.0/5 from 19 reviews).

The lowest price you will see is $17, for the 45-Minute Boat Tour to Aci Castello with Swim, which has a single review. Don’t build a budget around the lowest figure in a search result: check the date, the passenger type and the option before you assume it is the adult price for your day.

What you usually get

Expect a small motorboat, an hour or two on the water and a compact route along the lava coast: Lachea Island, the Faraglioni, the marine reserve, often Aci Castello and sometimes the Ulysses Caves. A swim stop is common.

Is it worth paying more than the cheapest price?

Often, yes. If two similar-looking trips cost $22 and $57, compare the group size, the length and the swimming time before you pick the cheaper one. On a short trip, an extra half hour on the water makes a big difference.

2. Swimming and snorkelling boat tours: about $57 to $63

For many visitors this is the best value. You still see the Faraglioni and Lachea Island, but the skipper stops in calmer water so you can swim, and the masks are on board.

• The Boat tour to Aci Trezza with the chance to see dolphins costs $57 for two hours from the Aci Trezza seafront (4.9/5 from 105 reviews).
• The Boat Excursion to Acitrezza with the Faraglioni and Snorkeling costs $57 for two hours from the same promenade (5.0/5 from 33 reviews).
• The Boat Tour & Snorkeling at the Cyclops Islands with Aperitif costs $63 for three hours from Aci Castello (4.7/5 from 93 reviews).

If all you want is to see the Faraglioni, swim in the marine reserve and be back in Catania for the afternoon, you don’t need to spend $90. A two-hour trip from Aci Trezza does the job. Remember to add the bus or taxi to Aci Trezza, which these prices leave out.

3. Sailing tours from Catania: about $50 to $77 per person, plus cash fees

Here prices climb, and the trip changes. You board inside Catania’s port and sail north along the volcanic coast.

The cash fee changes the order. Once you add its €20, the $50 sail costs more than the $60 one, which has no fee on the day, and the $77 trip is the longest of the four. The operator of the five-hour trip, Papa Sail, lists it on its own site at €79 plus the same €10 skipper fee, starting from Blu Marina on Via Cardinale Dusmet with guided snorkelling and stand-up paddleboarding at Aci Trezza and a seated Sicilian aperitif with prosecco.

You are paying for time on the water, not entry to a sight. Our Catania sailing tour page compares the boats in more detail.

Who should spend the extra money?

Choose the longer sail if the boat is part of the holiday. It suits couples, groups of friends and anyone who would happily spend half a day swimming, eating and sailing. If you only want a photo of the Faraglioni from the sea, you don’t need it.

4. Sunset boat tours: about $40 to $90 per person

Catania is good for sunset sailing because of the way the coast and Mount Etna line up. The sun doesn’t always drop into the sea in front of the boat; you go for the light on the lava coast, Etna’s outline and the cooler evening air.

• The 2-Hour Dolphin Watching Boat Trip at Sunset from Aci Trezza costs $40 and runs from 5 to 7 p.m. It has only three reviews, all 5/5.
• The Sunset Sailing Tour with Aperitif from Catania costs $60 for three and a half hours, plus a €10 skipper fee (4.7/5 from 195 reviews).
• The Sunset Dinner Sailing Tour from Catania costs $90 for three hours, plus a €15 boarding fee, and adds dinner (4.5/5 from 64 reviews).

What usually pushes up a sunset-tour price?

The length, the boat, the group size and whether you get a drink and snacks or something closer to dinner. A $90 sunset sail is not overpriced next to a $40 one: you may be comparing two hours on a motorboat with three hours under sail and a meal. Our sunset boat tour page covers the sunset trips one by one.

5. Full-day sailing trips: about $90 to $135 per person

Full days are rarer than short trips, but they make sense if the boat is the main thing you do that day.

• The Full-Day Boat Trip to the Cyclops Nature Reserve with Lunch costs $90 for seven hours, plus a €15 agency fee in cash (4.8/5 from 24 reviews).
• The Sailing Tour with Aperitivo and Prosecco, at no additional cost costs $111 for six hours, with no cash fee listed (5.0/5 from 11 reviews).
• The Coastline Sailing Trip 6hr with Aperitif and Lunch costs $135 for six hours (4.6/5 from 72 reviews).

$90 sounds steep next to a $28 trip until you divide by the hours. The 90-minute trip works out at about $19 an hour on the water. The seven-hour day works out at about $13 an hour before its €15 fee, and lunch is included. That doesn’t make the full day better for everyone, but it shows why price per person on its own is a poor comparison. Our half-day vs full-day guide helps you choose the length.

6. Private boat tours: when paying for the whole boat makes sense

“Private boat” can mean anything from a small motorboat with a skipper to a large sailing yacht, so private prices vary widely.

The clearest benchmark on GetYourGuide is the Private Sailing tour along Catania & Cyclops coast: $609 for the boat for four hours, for up to 12 people, plus a skipper fee in cash of about €140 for a half day, or €250 to €280 for a full day. It has seven reviews, all 5/5. For the evening, the Guided Sunset Sailing Trip with Aperitif & Prosecco costs $774 for a group of up to 10 for three hours (4.7/5 from 67 reviews).

$609 plus €140 is a lot for two people. Split between eight, it comes to about $76 each plus €18 in cash, close to a seat on the five-hour shared sail. That is why families and groups should price a private boat before booking eight separate tickets.

Private tours become especially attractive when

You have six or more people, want to choose your own swim stops, are celebrating something, have children who need flexibility, or would simply rather not share a small boat with strangers. Our small-group vs private guide works through the numbers for different group sizes.

7. Self-drive boat rental: from about $102 per boat plus extras

Aci Trezza also rents small motorboats that you can drive without a boating licence. The Boat Rental without Licence for up to 6 People costs $102 for the boat, a 5.4-metre motorboat with a briefing at the pier on the controls and the marine protected area limits. It has only two reviews so far.

This is the category where the “not included” list matters most. That listing excludes a skipper, food and drinks, towels and snorkelling gear, and fuel is extra: when you return, the operator counts the fuel you used and charges for that. Ask for an estimate before you set off.

Rental vs guided tour

Rent if you value freedom over commentary: you swim when you want, stay longer in a bay and skip a fixed itinerary. Book a guided trip if this is your first time on this coast. The skipper knows where swimming is safe, reads the sea and can explain what you are looking at, and inside a marine protected area that local knowledge counts. Our boat rental guide covers the rules.

What is normally included in the price?

Check each listing, because inclusions vary.

On cheap sightseeing trips the ticket usually covers the boat, the skipper, life jackets and the stated route; the $28 Aci Trezza trip adds masks and snorkels. On the mid-priced sails you usually also get snorkelling gear, drinks and an aperitif. Longer trips add lunch, stand-up paddleboards or other water toys.

The five-hour sail from Blu Marina, for example, includes guided snorkelling and paddleboarding at Aci Trezza and a seated Sicilian aperitif with prosecco, and still charges a €10 skipper welcome fee in cash. Read the exclusions before you assume the booking price is the full cost.

Hidden costs to check before booking

Check four things before you pay: cash fees, fuel, transport and food.

• Cash fees. Most of the Catania sails charge €10 to €20 per person on the day: €10 on the five-hour Blu Marina trip and the $60 sunset sail, €15 on the Vecchia Dogana cruise, the dinner sail and the full day, €20 on the $50 sail. The private sailing boat adds its skipper fee of about €140 for a half day.
• Fuel. Self-drive rentals are the most likely to leave it out.
• Transport. No shared trip on this page includes hotel pickup. Aci Trezza trips expect you to get there yourself, so add the bus or taxi from Catania.
• Food. An “aperitif” can be a glass of prosecco and crisps or a generous plate of Sicilian food. Read the inclusion list, not the title.

Catania vs Aci Trezza: why the departure point changes the price

The departure point explains much of the price gap.

Leave from Aci Trezza

You are already on the Cyclops Riviera, among Lachea Island and the Faraglioni within minutes. That is what makes short, cheap trips possible. Choose it if you want the most scenery for the least boat time.

Leave from Catania

You get a longer coastal run, past San Giovanni Li Cuti, Ognina and Aci Castello before the Cyclops Islands, depending on the route. It costs more, and the journey becomes the trip. Choose it if you want to sail, not just loop the Faraglioni. Our Catania or Aci Trezza guide lists which tour leaves from which side.

Is a cheap Catania boat tour worth it?

Yes, if you know what you are buying. The famous sights here sit close together: the Faraglioni are just off Aci Trezza, Lachea Island beside them, Aci Castello a short way down the coast. You don’t need a six-hour trip to see them, and a short one can be good value.

Cheap trips work less well when you want time to swim or relax on board. On a 60- to 90-minute trip, every swim stop takes a large share of the time. For a first visit, two to four hours is usually the best compromise.

Is a private Catania boat tour worth the money?

For two people, a private sail is mostly a treat. For six to twelve, it becomes a real alternative to buying seats on a premium shared trip: the $609 boat shared by eight comes to about $76 each plus the skipper fee.

You control the day. You don’t wait for a dozen strangers to climb back aboard after a swim, you can ask for more swimming and less commentary, and if your group wants to sit with a drink looking at Etna, that is your call.

When are Catania boat tours most expensive?

GetYourGuide shows “from” prices, and the price for your date can be higher in July and August, especially for private boats. Shared-trip prices move less, but in peak summer the problem becomes availability: the sunset departure you want can sell out while a less appealing time is still free.

For a good mix of weather, choice and price, look at June, September and early October. Our best time for a boat trip guide has the sea temperatures month by month.

Should you book in advance?

For a daytime Aci Trezza trip outside July and August you can usually book a day or two ahead. For sunset sails, private boats and any date in July or August, book ahead.

Weather matters too. Small boats on this coast are much more affected by wind and swell than a museum is by rain. Operators can change the route, move the departure time or cancel when the sea is rough. The $28 Aci Trezza trip, for example, confirms departure times the day before according to sea conditions. When two trips cost about the same, pick the one with free cancellation; all of the GetYourGuide trips above can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead, but check your option.

What is the best-value Catania boat tour?

Here is how we would split the choices by budget:

• Under $30: a short Cyclops Islands trip from Aci Trezza. You see the famous coast without spending much.
• $50 to $65: the best value for most people. Look for about two hours, a swim stop and a small group, like the two-hour trips from the Aci Trezza seafront.
• $60 to $80 plus cash fees: a proper four- or five-hour sail from Catania with food, drinks and snorkelling.
• $90 to $135: a sunset dinner sail, a small group or a full day on the water. Judge it by what you get, whatever the “premium” label says.
• $600 and up per boat: compare private boats, especially if you are a group.

Which price should couples budget for?

For two adults, allow about $100 to $155 for a good shared trip, plus €20 to €40 in cash fees on the Catania sails. That gets you past the most basic loop and into the swimming, snorkelling or sailing trips.

Couples who mainly want atmosphere should put that money towards a sunset sail. Couples who mainly want the landscape can spend much less by getting to Aci Trezza on their own and taking a two-hour daytime trip.

How much should a family budget?

Families have more reason than couples to compare shared and private prices. Four seats at $75 already cost $300, plus €60 in boarding fees; six cost $450 plus €90. At that point a self-drive rental at $102 per boat, or the $609 private sail, starts to compete.

Check the child price too, rather than multiplying the adult fare: some listings price children lower, and the booking page shows it once you enter their ages.

How to compare two Catania boat tours properly

Don’t ask only which boat tour is cheaper. Ask:

• Where does it leave from, and how will you get there?
• How long is it, and how much of that is swimming time?
• How many people are on the boat?
• Is it a sailing boat or a motorboat?
• Are snorkelling gear, food and drinks included?
• Is there a cash fee, and are fuel and the skipper included?
• What happens if the sea is too rough?

Once you have those answers, the price differences usually make sense.

My price guide: what we would pay

These are not official tariffs. They are the ranges we use to judge whether a listing looks cheap, normal or expensive.

• A 90-minute Aci Trezza trip: about $20 to $30 per person.
• A two-hour trip with swimming or snorkelling: about $50 to $60.
• A four- to five-hour sail from Catania: $50 to $80, plus a cash fee of up to €20.
• A sunset sail with aperitif: $40 to $60, more if dinner or a very small group is included.
• A full day on the water: $90 to $135.
• A private four-hour sailing boat: about $600 for the boat plus the skipper fee is normal.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a boat tour in Catania?

A short shared trip from Aci Trezza costs $17 to $28 per person on GetYourGuide. A two-hour swimming trip costs about $57 to $63, and a four- or five-hour sail from Catania costs $50 to $77 plus a cash fee of up to €20. Private boats start at about $609 for the boat.

What is the cheapest way to see the Cyclops Islands by boat?

Go to Aci Trezza and take a short local trip. The Faraglioni and Lachea Island are just offshore, so trips of 45 to 90 minutes cost $17 to $28, much less than a sail from Catania.

How much is a sunset cruise in Catania?

Sunset trips cost about $40 to $90 per person, depending on the length, the boat and whether dinner is included. The Catania sunset sails add a €10 or €15 cash fee.

How much is it to rent a boat in Catania?

A licence-free motorboat for up to six people costs from $102 for the boat in Aci Trezza. A skipper is not included, and you pay for the fuel you use when you return.

Do I need a licence to rent a boat in Catania?

Not always. Some small motorboats in Catania and Aci Trezza are rented without a boating licence because their engines are within Italy’s licence-free limits. Check the individual listing before booking.

Are snorkelling equipment and drinks included?

Often, but not always. Most of the mid-priced sails and snorkelling trips include masks and an aperitif, while basic sightseeing trips may include little beyond the boat ride and life jackets.

Are private boat tours charged per person?

Usually per boat. The private sailing trip on GetYourGuide costs $609 for up to 12 people, plus a skipper fee of about €140 for a half day paid in cash.

Is Catania cheaper than Taormina for boat trips?

They are different markets. Aci Trezza has cheap short trips because the Cyclops Islands sit just offshore. Taormina also has plenty of short shared trips, so compare the actual route and departure point before you assume one place is cheaper.

Should I tip the skipper?

Tips are not compulsory. The cash skipper or boarding fees on the Catania sails are not tips; they are part of the price. If the crew has been especially helpful, a small tip is appreciated.

The bottom line

Budget $50 to $80 per adult for a good Catania boat trip, plus up to €20 in cash. You can spend less: a short trip from Aci Trezza gets you close to the Faraglioni, Lachea Island and Aci Castello for under $30. If the boat trip is meant to be a highlight of your visit, the extra money for a four- or five-hour sail with swimming and an aperitif is the best use of the extra money. And if you are six or more, do the sums on a private boat before you book separate seats.

Prices checked October 2026; “from” prices change with the date, the passenger’s age and the season, so check the price for your day. Check dates for the Sail Tour of Cyclops Coast with Sicilian Aperitif above, or read Which Catania Boat Trip Is Right for You?, Catania Private Boat Tour and Aci Trezza Boat Tour.