Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and is only a few kilometers from the famous “Italian boot”. That is why a trip to Sicily is considered a separate adventure, and not part of a trip to Italy. Today we will tell you everything you need to know when setting off to conquer Sicily by car.
What is the best way to get to Sicily
The first question that arises before a traveler who wants to organize a car tour of Sicily is how to quickly and inexpensively get to the island.
There are several options. The first is an airplane. This is the most common way to arrive in Sicily. First, you buy a ticket to Rome or Milan, and from there you get by air on a local low-cost airline to Palermo or Catania, where the major airports are located. Already there, on the spot, it will be possible to rent a car from Sicilian rental companies.
The second option is to use a special ferry while traveling in Italy by car, which will take you across the strait between the Apennine Boot and Sicily. The cost of the crossing is low and directly depends on the season during which you are going to visit the island with your car.
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Car rental in Sicily
Despite the fact that Sicily does not look impressive enough on the map, exploring this island by car is not an easy task. You will hardly have time to see all the most interesting places and sights, relax on the most popular beaches and visit big cities even in a couple of weeks. But, no doubt, having a car will greatly simplify your task.
The easiest way to rent a car in Sicily is through the websites of special companies. It is best to place an order in advance, as it often happens that upon arrival at the place it turns out that the desired car has already been booked or someone has taken it “literally just now”.
Booking a car online is very easy. You need to fill out the form on the site, pre-pay for the order and provide all the necessary information about yourself. It is important to correctly indicate the start and end dates of the lease. After filling in everything you need, you will be sent a special ticket, which you will need to print out in order to present it at the office of the rental company. Be sure to first check the data on the ticket with your documents – everything must match exactly, otherwise problems will arise and you may simply not get the right car.
Many firms refuse to work with cash – they only accept bank cards on the spot or payment through the site.
You can choose a car for rent, compare prices and book online in the most popular service Rentalcars.com. The entire booking procedure takes place online, and the car you have chosen will be waiting for you right at the airport!
Conditions for renting a car in Sicily
There is a mandatory list of documents for renting a car in Italy and Sicily, which rental companies sometimes have the right to supplement (information about this is available on each individual website). Prepare the following documents immediately:
• International passport;
• Bank card;
• Driver's license (most often a license from your country is enough, but there are companies that require an international driver's license).
At the same time, you, as a driver, also have a number of requirements. Economy cars are issued to anyone over the age of 21, but more expensive cars can only be rented from 25 years of age. Driving experience must be at least one year. Business class cars are issued to drivers with five years of experience.
Daily rental price. On average, we are talking about 30-50 euros per day, but it all depends on the season and the brand of the car. The longer the rental period, the cheaper the daily rate will be.
Refueling and fuel costs
When planning a long trip around Sicily by car, it is worth considering that almost all gas stations on the island are open until seven in the evening and do not open at all on public holidays. However, this does not apply to all gas stations located on the highways.
As in all of Italy, there are self-service stations in Sicily. They work 24/7 every day. All of them are indicated on the maps of the navigator.
The cost of gasoline reaches 2 euros per liter. Diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline by 20-30 cents.
And the online tour booking service will help you find the best deal on tours to Sicily tiqets.com.
Major traffic fines and violations
The rules of the road in Sicily are generally pretty standard. Even the road signs are the same as in all of Europe, including its eastern part. The only serious difference is the representatives of the road patrol service. You won't be able to reach an agreement with them 100% of the time. So, if you have already violated something, just listen to the instructions of the officer and take a check to pay the fine. All attempts to “solve on the spot” will result in an increase in the fine by several times.
The main rule concerns the speed of movement. In the city you can not go faster than fifty kilometers per hour. On a normal road, the limit is one hundred and ten kilometers per hour. On the highway you can move at speeds up to one hundred and thirty kilometers per hour. Violation of speed limits can result in fines ranging from 500 to 3,000 euros.
Remember to turn on low beam headlights on any road outside the city limits. This is a generally accepted rule, the violation of which leads to a fine, albeit not so large. Do not talk on the phone while driving while driving without using a mobile headset.
For running a red light, you can receive a check for 160 euros, which must be paid within three days. Among other things, local police are very fond of fines for improper transportation of preschool children and the lack of seat belts while driving.
Book in advance a room in a hotel in Sicily that you like, because in the high season there are very few offers.
Parking lots in Sicily
Going on a car trip in Sicily, be prepared for the fact that parking spaces are a serious expense item. Finding free parking during the day in any locality is almost impossible, which distinguishes Sicily from the southern part of Italy, where in the high season even paid places are often made free.
Stopping all parking zones is strictly not recommended, since almost certainly in 15 minutes a tow truck will be next to your car, which will take the car to the impound lot.
In general, the system for marking parking spaces is the same as in the rest of Italy. White parking lots are free. Yellow ones are shareware, as only local residents are allowed to use them. Blue car parks are only used at night. Red parking spaces are paid at any time of the day.
And in order not to puzzle over how to get from the airport to the hotel you need, use the online booking service for transfers around the world Киви.Такси. Everything is very simple – choose the desired date, points of departure and destination, the comfort class of the car, make an advance payment and that's it. The driver will meet you with a sign right at the exit from the airport, and the price of the trip will be known to you in advance.
Toll roads in Sicily
The island has a fairly large number of free trails that will easily lead you to any city and any famous sights. The most popular toll free motorway leads from Catania to Rosolini. There are also several major highways that cross the island from east to west and from north to south.
For maximum comfort, you can travel along the main motorway of Sicily from Taormina to Palermo. The fare is paid in a special window. Before entering the track, you will have to get a ticket in a special machine.
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Sights of Sicily
In the end, I would like to tell you about the most interesting places and sights of Sicily, which are definitely worth a visit.
Despite the fact that the Sicilians are most often associated with the mafia, today there is no real mafia left on the island. However, local police managed to overcome it just a couple of decades ago. Now Sicily is a quiet and calm island, striking in its originality and beauty. An island with the most unusual history, in which dozens of different, so dissimilar cultures intertwined.
The city of Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a must-see. Nearby is Corleone – the birthplace of the local mafia, where literally on every corner you will find references to certain famous criminals, and you will also find the place where The Godfather was filmed. It is also impossible not to look into Taormina and Catania, which are famous for their resort areas and architectural monuments.
Sicily itself is a paradise for those who love history and at the same time do not mind relaxing on a beautiful beach. On the one hand, here you will find traces left by the ancient Romans, enlightened Greeks, Byzantines, warlike Normans and Arabs, who moved at the beginning of the second millennium and founded several of their states here. On the other hand, Sicily is beautiful nature, the impressive Mount Etna, a lot of beautiful beaches and the most well-developed tourist infrastructure.
It is worth looking into one of the thermal springs near the volcano. If you are traveling with children, then an interesting place to visit will be the large Sicilian Zoo, which is located in Etnaland, one of the largest recreation areas in all of Europe.
Going on a trip to Sicily, be ready for adventure and new discoveries that await you at every turn. Get ready to feel the freedom of the island, feel the special mentality of the locals and gain experiences for the rest of your life.