Sicily holiday and driving

MrsDexterr · 2025-05-11T11:12:05+00:00

Looking for advise if anyone has done a driving holiday in Sicily. I hear so much about how bad the driving is, but we are fairly used to driving abroad including in Italy. We happily drove in Naples and Amalfi coast.

LumpyPumpkin · 11/05/2025 13:20

Following this thread because we're going next summer and also wondering how bad the driving is. My husband has only driven abroad a couple of times.

I lived near Naples as a kid and I've heard my Dad and other people say if you can drive in Naples you can drive anywhere, so hopefully you'll find Sicily ok.

mochimoons · 11/05/2025 13:25

We hired a car in Sicily and my partner drove, I wouldn’t have been able to do it but am quite a nervous driver. The driving is quite something, especially in Palermo I’ve never seen anything like it! But I agree if you can drive in Naples then you’ll be fine.

Radiatorvalves · 11/05/2025 13:37

Years ago and it was fine. Just like anywhere else in Italy. Less challenging than amalfi coast. We were around catania and did quite a lot of driving.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 11/05/2025 13:39

Been to Sicily many times,but always have a driver, so can’t comment on diy driving there,but wouldn’t fancy it tbh.

Aria999 · 11/05/2025 13:43

lol yes Sicily was something else. There was one point in a city centre where there were no lanes in the traffic and I became a kind of one car island with everyone else shuffling round me because I just wasn't assertive enough to make progress. And people tailgate you really aggressively but on the plus side they are also willing to overtake in ridiculous places like on a blind corner so they don't tailgate you for long. The town centres are full of tiny twisting stone streets and I got stuck and scraped the hire car. Also parking is very hard (there just isn't much) and the car got towed because we accidentally parked in a spot that wasn't a spot. Still we survived and I would probably do it again (though not with a big car if I could avoid it).

JDM625 · 11/05/2025 13:43

We spent 2 weeks in Sicily and it never occurred to me to hire a car! Surely parking in the cities would be a nightmare for a start?

We travelled from Palermo to Agrigento by train, Agrigento to Catania by coach. Syracuse and back to Palermo also via coach. Clean, on time and relaxing. I haven't answered your question, but a hopeful bump to someone who can.

MissAmbrosia · 11/05/2025 13:50

We did 2 weeks without a car too. Between Catania,Siracusa and Taormina. Parking is a pain and cars not allowed in the historical centres. Did, taxi, train and buses. It was fine. It depends where you want to go though.

TuesdaysAreBest · 11/05/2025 14:03

The tooting of horns seems to start at the slightest excuse. I wouldn’t do it but if Amalfi is ok with you then Sicily will be fine. The lack of potholes is a bonus compared with the uk!

Original poster

MrsDexterr · 11/05/2025 14:03

Thanks for all the replies. We love road trips, so really want a car, but was thinking of getting a tiny one and also not driving into city centres at all. We are planning 10-14 days and I want to see as much as possible and maybe have a few days near a beach at the end to just to chill 😎

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsDexterr · 11/05/2025 14:05

TuesdaysAreBest · 11/05/2025 14:03

The tooting of horns seems to start at the slightest excuse. I wouldn’t do it but if Amalfi is ok with you then Sicily will be fine. The lack of potholes is a bonus compared with the uk!

I didn’t find the tooting horns aggressive. I actually found Naples less aggressive than the UK. I think U.K. drivers, having driven all over Europe, are often really aggressive and humourless.

OP posts:

daffodilsandaisies · 11/05/2025 14:06

Get a tiny car. Get the most comprehensive insurance! (We never do normally but DEF worth it there!)
will be fine

Trueloveneverdies · 11/05/2025 14:25

I’m heading there next month! I have done some digging on reddit and pinned a load of accessible just out of town car parks on google maps. Hoping that takes the stress out of driving a little.

SweetChilliGirl · 11/05/2025 14:38

We did it - my husband drove - and it was fine. We didn't go into Palermo though. We found carparks on the outskirts of towns so didn't need to worry about navigating narrow streets. It was definitely worth having a car. We were able to stop at little hilltop villages, remote ruins and little beaches all along the South coast

StanfreyPock · 11/05/2025 14:42

The hooting isn't aggressive, just a kind of conversation letting you know they're there! A Sicilian friend told us not to bother looking in the mirror as 'it doesn't matter what's behind you' . Expect the unexpected ie stopping mid street to let nonna out at the bakery etc and you'll be fine. Have a fab time, we took our old camper van to Sicily and had a ball.

Pusspot · 11/05/2025 18:55

We hired a car in Sicily recently. We flew to Palermo, got a taxi share (it’s a thing!) to the city, had three carless days and then got the bus to pick up a car from the airport on Day 4. It only took an hour or so so not a big disruption to our itinerary. Palermo airport is a good starting point for the west of Sicily, or to drive straight down to Agrigento. We spent ten days travelling around Sicily, which was great. Hiring a car meant we could access lots of the more remote towns and beaches, as well as providing flexibility. There are plenty of buses though, if you decide against it. Downsides were the often aggressive local drivers, who honk their horns at everything! Parking was a bit tricky at times, but we had a tiny car and usually found a spot. You need to be super vigilant when entering a town, as they have restricted traffic zones everywhere (ZTLs). Otherwise, it was all good, and we’d do it again.
Btw, we returned the car to Catania, and it was only about €50 more for the convenience.
I’ve also just remembered that we ‘lost’ the car in Noto, because the little road we parked on wasn’t listed on Google maps. We walked around in circles for an hour trying to find it. A charming local man helped us locate it, bless him. I would advise that you park in car parks/bigger roads to avoid that stress!

SweetChilliGirl · 11/05/2025 19:20

Pusspot · 11/05/2025 18:55

We hired a car in Sicily recently. We flew to Palermo, got a taxi share (it’s a thing!) to the city, had three carless days and then got the bus to pick up a car from the airport on Day 4. It only took an hour or so so not a big disruption to our itinerary. Palermo airport is a good starting point for the west of Sicily, or to drive straight down to Agrigento. We spent ten days travelling around Sicily, which was great. Hiring a car meant we could access lots of the more remote towns and beaches, as well as providing flexibility. There are plenty of buses though, if you decide against it. Downsides were the often aggressive local drivers, who honk their horns at everything! Parking was a bit tricky at times, but we had a tiny car and usually found a spot. You need to be super vigilant when entering a town, as they have restricted traffic zones everywhere (ZTLs). Otherwise, it was all good, and we’d do it again.
Btw, we returned the car to Catania, and it was only about €50 more for the convenience.
I’ve also just remembered that we ‘lost’ the car in Noto, because the little road we parked on wasn’t listed on Google maps. We walked around in circles for an hour trying to find it. A charming local man helped us locate it, bless him. I would advise that you park in car parks/bigger roads to avoid that stress!

We drop a pin on Google maps when we are still in the car park.

Trueloveneverdies · 11/05/2025 19:27

Pusspot · 11/05/2025 18:55

We hired a car in Sicily recently. We flew to Palermo, got a taxi share (it’s a thing!) to the city, had three carless days and then got the bus to pick up a car from the airport on Day 4. It only took an hour or so so not a big disruption to our itinerary. Palermo airport is a good starting point for the west of Sicily, or to drive straight down to Agrigento. We spent ten days travelling around Sicily, which was great. Hiring a car meant we could access lots of the more remote towns and beaches, as well as providing flexibility. There are plenty of buses though, if you decide against it. Downsides were the often aggressive local drivers, who honk their horns at everything! Parking was a bit tricky at times, but we had a tiny car and usually found a spot. You need to be super vigilant when entering a town, as they have restricted traffic zones everywhere (ZTLs). Otherwise, it was all good, and we’d do it again.
Btw, we returned the car to Catania, and it was only about €50 more for the convenience.
I’ve also just remembered that we ‘lost’ the car in Noto, because the little road we parked on wasn’t listed on Google maps. We walked around in circles for an hour trying to find it. A charming local man helped us locate it, bless him. I would advise that you park in car parks/bigger roads to avoid that stress!

Do you have any tips must sees? I’m heading to Noto next month. Planning on hiring a car and site seeing, Modica, Ragusa and Syracuse.

Hiker27 · 11/05/2025 19:31

Someone overtook me on a roundabout. A small roundabout! The driving is appalling.
My husband said my driving became very Sicilian. Beautiful place and a wonderful holiday. Just put your foot down and join in.

Pusspot · 11/05/2025 19:39

@SweetChilliGirl that’s what we usually do, but we weren’t on the ball that day. Lesson learnt!

suah · 11/05/2025 19:40

We hired a car in Sicily and it was our first time driving abroad! We picked up a car at Palermo airport after a few days there and then drove to Scopello. I wouldn’t recommend driving in Palermo as the streets are very small but outside of that it was fine as long as you work on the assumption no one else will have any lane discipline! We went on a day trip to Agrigento ruins which we wouldn’t have been able to do without a car.

StanfreyPock · 11/05/2025 19:49

Trueloveneverdies · 11/05/2025 19:27

Do you have any tips must sees? I’m heading to Noto next month. Planning on hiring a car and site seeing, Modica, Ragusa and Syracuse.

Edited

Show quote history

You'll be not far from Palazzolo Acreide, a beautiful but less visited town with an amazing ancient theatre and archaeological site - we were the only people there the day we visited. There is also a renowned pasticceria for a coffee and cornetto stop.

Pusspot · 11/05/2025 19:55

@Trueloveneverdies Noto was our least favourite of the Baroque towns, although still very nice. We preferred Ragusa and Modica. The buildings and little streets are wonderful.
We stayed in Ortigia for three days, which was gorgeous. We walked into Siracusa from there, to visit the Roman sights. Ortigia is nicer than Siracusa, IMO. It’s a walled ‘island’ attached by a bridge.
We thought we would love Taormina, but it was rammed with tourists (including us). It felt very fake and also very expensive, compared to Palermo. Taormina is a good location however to drive out to some Godfather locations, and the views are gorgeous.
We really liked the beaches on the south coast, and we stayed in Marina di Ragusa (beach town) in a great hotel for four days. Can’t remember the name right now.
We also liked Agrigento for the ancient ruins, and a charming seaside town called Selinunte.
Overall, our favourite places were Palermo and Ortigia, and we will return to visit the rest of the island soon.

CraftyNavySeal · 11/05/2025 20:01

MrsDexterr · 11/05/2025 14:05

I didn’t find the tooting horns aggressive. I actually found Naples less aggressive than the UK. I think U.K. drivers, having driven all over Europe, are often really aggressive and humourless.

Show quote history

Yes!

I drive around Naples and Southern Italy with DP and I find it easy. The driving is “worse” but people are much more forgiving if you make a mistake. As long as you don’t purposely drive into someone you’re fine.

In the UK all the drivers are NPCs and unable to cope with anyone straying from what is expected.

Just be careful with satnavs, sometimes they don’t realise the “quickest route” is actually an abandoned mountain road.

Trueloveneverdies · 11/05/2025 20:10

Pusspot · 11/05/2025 19:55

@Trueloveneverdies Noto was our least favourite of the Baroque towns, although still very nice. We preferred Ragusa and Modica. The buildings and little streets are wonderful.
We stayed in Ortigia for three days, which was gorgeous. We walked into Siracusa from there, to visit the Roman sights. Ortigia is nicer than Siracusa, IMO. It’s a walled ‘island’ attached by a bridge.
We thought we would love Taormina, but it was rammed with tourists (including us). It felt very fake and also very expensive, compared to Palermo. Taormina is a good location however to drive out to some Godfather locations, and the views are gorgeous.
We really liked the beaches on the south coast, and we stayed in Marina di Ragusa (beach town) in a great hotel for four days. Can’t remember the name right now.
We also liked Agrigento for the ancient ruins, and a charming seaside town called Selinunte.
Overall, our favourite places were Palermo and Ortigia, and we will return to visit the rest of the island soon.

This is really helpful. We were torn on where to base, but liked the apartment we found in Noto. Hoping to spend a lot of time exploring and see as much as we can in our five days. Thank you for the advice 🙏

Trueloveneverdies · 11/05/2025 20:11

StanfreyPock · 11/05/2025 19:49

You'll be not far from Palazzolo Acreide, a beautiful but less visited town with an amazing ancient theatre and archaeological site - we were the only people there the day we visited. There is also a renowned pasticceria for a coffee and cornetto stop.

Show quote history

This is great! Looks right up my street, thanks 🙏