Car Rental in Sicily

It is no coincidence that tourists from all over the world come to Sicily. Sicily is the largest island in the entire Middle East, with a length of about 350 km while its width, in the widest part, reaches 200 km. If you really want to get to know the island up close and see all the most interesting places it has to offer, the best option would be to rent a car here. There are several options to do this and you can pick up the car directly from the airport, that is, right after collecting your luggage, or you can also pick up the car in one of the various Sicilian cities. There is no better option than another, you should only take into account the fact that if you do not pre-order the car and rent it at the airport without prior reservation – you may pay more for it. Also, if you arrive at the peak of the season, you take the risk of being left without a rental car since many tourists from all over the world choose to arrive, rent a car, and explore charming Sicily. Therefore, in all opinions, it is better to close the matter of ordering the car in advance, and as early as possible.

Palermo and everything around

The capital of Sicily, as you probably know, is Palermo, so you can’t really say you’ve been to this magical island if you don’t go to see this beautiful city as well. What’s more, if you were thinking of entering it with your rental car, it is very important to avoid this mistake. It is not really convenient as many Israelis tend to think, since the traffic in the city is heavy and it is very difficult to find parking. In this place it would be better to park the car outside the city and from there move on foot, by taxi or by public transport. Beyond the fact that you can spend whole days in Palermo and stroll through its most beautiful streets, there are also quite a few places around Palermo that you should go to. For example, a visit to Mount Pellegrino (Monte Pellegrino) can be particularly interesting and here you can also enjoy hiking trips of different degrees of difficulty. In addition, Spiaggia Di Mondello is also an interesting place worth visiting. In fact, the place is located north of the city and the beautiful promenade here used to be the main meeting place for the heads of the mafia in the area. The place has become a point of pilgrimage so it is worth stopping here and being impressed by the special place. Another interesting point in the area of ​​Palermo is the fishing town of Cefalú. This charming town is only about 70 km from Palermo, so you can get here with a pleasant drive that won’t take you more than an hour. It is a small fishing town that over the years has also become a fun Kate town, as the surrounding landscape is especially beautiful and pastoral.

A trip with the car in western Sicily

Another charming area to which you can drive with your car in Sicily is the west of the island. First, it would be worthwhile to visit the town of Érici, which is also known as the “marzipan city”. This beautiful town is located on the side of a mountain at a height of about 750 meters above sea level, so the beautiful view is guaranteed here from every angle. In addition, if you are a fan of marzipan, this is the place for you, because here they produce quality marzipan in different quantities and flavors that you have probably never tasted before. The beautiful town is dominated by the Castle of Venus (Castello Di Venere) which was built somewhere in the 11th century and this is a place that is definitely worth going in and visiting. Also, a walk through the streets of the town can be particularly enjoyable, but it should be done on foot when the car is parked outside the center of the town. After you finish your trip in Richa, you should also go further to the city of Trapani. It is a large and especially important port city in Sicily, where you can enjoy a stunning pedestrian street, very famous salt pools and also the possibility of shopping for friends at home. Here too, it is advisable to leave the car outside the city and travel on foot. In general, all the cities in Sicily, and in Italy as a whole, are very busy with traffic, which may be complex and challenging for most tourists. Therefore, even if you are people who are used to driving long distances in your daily life in Israel, it is not certain that you will want to deal with the Italian traffic congestion and would prefer to leave the vehicle outside the city and use it only for traveling between cities. If you happen to arrive in the city of Trapani on Easter, you will be able to enjoy an important Christian event like no other: a huge procession with dozens of heavy wooden stretchers on each of which you can see a different Christian figure of particular importance.

Central Sicily with a car

It is impossible to think of a stunning trip in Sicily without also going to the center of the island, and here the star is the volcano Etna. It is the highest (and most active) volcano in all of Europe. With your rental car you can reach an altitude of about 2,000 meters and from there you can continue by cable car for another 500 meters. You can do the rest of the distance to the mouth of the mountain (at an altitude of 3350 meters) on foot if you are interested, and the truth is, it is worth the investment. It is important to know: if you are going all the way to this stunning and special mountain, you must arrive in very warm clothing. Note that even on the hottest days of the year, it is very cold at the top of the mountain, so it is important to arrive prepared. It is also recommended not to give up the city of Enna – it is the heart of the entire island. This charming city is located about 80 km west of the city of Catania, so you can also drive here with a particularly pleasant ride in your rental car. Here you can enjoy one of the most beautiful viewpoints that Sicily has to offer you, and the visit to it is going to leave you, like all the other tourists , positively shocked.

Don’t give up Eastern Sicily either

If you already have a rental car and a few more days to burn, you should also go to Eastern Sicily. Here the main city is Catania, and in fact it is the second largest city in all of Sicily, with no less than 1.2 million inhabitants. It is recommended, as usual, not to enter the alleys of the old city with the car and make sure to park it outside. The main streets here are charming and you will see that walking in the area is particularly enjoyable. Another interesting eastern point that you should visit is Zafarana Del Etna. In fact, this point is a point of ascent to Athena and in this special town you will also find unique local delicacies. About 15 km north of the city of Catania you can find Nicolosi – one of the most special villages at the foot of the volcano. In fact, it’s amazing, impressive and scary to think that the last time the village was covered by lava from the nearby volcano was in 2001. Don’t miss either The city of Syracuse (Siracusa), also known as “the city of Archimedes”, is a beautiful coastal city dating back to ancient Greece and from the very first moment your trip here will be particularly interesting.

Travel safely throughout Sicily

It doesn’t matter how you plan your trip in Sicily and it doesn’t even matter if you take your rental car for a week or ten days. What is certain is that beyond the fact that you need to plan the route carefully to ensure that you use the time on your trip properly, you should also check the rental car. I mean, do you prefer a bigger car to travel comfortably? Or are you simply looking for the cheapest deal available? In addition, it is very worthwhile to take out comprehensive insurance for the car, with coverage as broad as possible. Sicily is indeed very beautiful, but you still wouldn’t want to get stuck on the road there because of a flat tire or for any other reason and find out that you don’t have insurance. It’s true that the passers-by are generally nice and will try to help as much as they can, but on the other hand, if you don’t have car insurance, the trip could cost a lot more than you think. In addition, as is the case everywhere else where you can rent a car in Italy, also in Sicily it would be worthwhile to check the issue of the car’s gearbox, because the default is manual gear. Therefore, if you do not want to find yourself driving hundreds of kilometers in a car with manual transmission, it is highly advisable to check the issue before you sign and set off with your rental car.