Large new ferry to link tourists on Italian mainland with Sardinia
A new ferry, hailed as one of the world's largest of its kind, will be running between Italy's Sardinia and the mainland from Saturday onwards, making it easier to reach the popular holiday island in the Mediterranean south of Corsica.
Operated by shipping company Moby Lines, the Moby Legacy will connect Livorno in Tuscany and Olbia in the north-east of Sardinia, with a one-way trip taking eight to nine hours.
The 237-metre-long ferry can accommodate up to 3,000 passengers and up to 1,300 cars. It will join the Moby Fantasy, which has been operating on the same route since summer 2023.
According to the shipping company, the two ships are the largest passenger ferries built worldwide, and feature a children's play area, restaurants and bars.
Like other shipping companies, Moby Lines offers ferry services to Sardinia from various locations on the Italian mainland. In addition to Livorno, departure ports include Genoa and Civitavecchia to the north-west of Rome.
The best months to visit Sardinia, which is home to some of Italy's most pristine beaches, are May and June, when the the scrub growth known locally as the maquis is in bloom, and the less busier months of September and October, when the sea is still warm enough for swimming. In between, in high summer, it is too hot for hiking, while in winter it rains a lot.
