Driving in Sicily: Useful tips
Driving in Sicily is one of the best ways of experiencing this beautiful island. While it does come with some challenges don’t shy away from discovering the hidden nooks of this enchanting Mediterranean gem.
Here’s what you need to know about embarking on a self-drive adventure in Sicily.
Preparing your drive
Driving in Sicily can be both exhilarating and challenging. The freedom to explore remote beaches, ancient ruins, and mountaintops comes with navigating narrow, winding roads and adapting to the local driving style which can be assertive and unpredictable. Ensure you are comfortable with manual transmission, as automatic cars can be rarer and more expensive to rent.
Car rental
To make sure you won’t have to queue for a long time in the airport, book your car in advance online. While there are many websites out there that offer car rental services, the best price I managed to find for Sicily was on Discover Cars.
Make sure to check the deposit amount before booking a car as some of them tend to be quite high and always opt for full insurance coverage.
Good to know that the minimum rental age is 19 years and a young driver fee applies to drivers under the age of 25.
Driving tips:
Be alert: Sicilians are known for their passionate driving. Be alert, especially in bigger cities where traffic rules can often be seen more as guidelines (Catania for example). On rural roads, I personally didn’t have any issues, just enjoyed the beautiful scenery and kept an eye out for sharp bends and occasional potholes.
Roundabouts: You should always assume that all traffic joining the roundabout will not give way. Pay attention and keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you.
Understand the ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato): ZTLs are found mostly in the historic centres of cities and it is forbidden to drive inside. The majority of fines that tourists (including myself) get are from driving inside these areas. The easiest way to avoid this is to simply assume that you are not allowed in the centre and just park somewhere else.
Plan your route: Sometimes traffic signs can be difficult to read in Sicily so always check what larger cities are close to and around your destination as those will always be shown on your route.
Get an eSIM: Consider buying an eSIM (or a local SIM card) for GPS and emergency calls, as cell service can be spotty in rural areas.
Parking in Sicily
Parking in cities can sometimes be scarce so if you find a spot don’t give it a second thought. Keep in mind that you can only park in either free parking spots (usually marked by a sign) or inside parking spots marked with blue lines (paid parking).
Also, parking is free during the night or on Sundays and public holidays (the hours will be marked on the parking sign).
While all of this sounds very complicated, and I think it is, you can just download the EasyPark app. The app will show you what the price per hour is for your chosen spot, it will not charge you after hours or on public holidays and it charges your card so there’s no need to take cash out. Just make sure you stop the parking on the app when you move your car.
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