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Hiring a car in Sicily makes it easier to combine coastal stops, inland towns and overnight stays in different parts of the island. On Rent.it, you can compare offers from different rental suppliers and choose a starting point that suits your route: Catania for the east, Palermo for the west, or alternatives such as Trapani and Comiso.
Choose a town or a specific pick-up location, then enter your dates, collection and return times, and the driver’s age. If your trip finishes elsewhere, select a different return location before comparing the available offers. Look at the overall price alongside the mileage allowance, fuel policy, deposit, excess and included cover.
Check charges for extras such as an additional driver, age-related supplements and out-of-hours services. Rent.it is a broker: the selected rental supplier provides the car and handles the rental agreement. Keep your booking voucher and read the location instructions before travelling.
The main decision is which side of Sicily you intend to explore. Catania and Palermo are useful starting points for the eastern and western areas respectively. Airport collection suits a trip that begins after landing; a city branch may work better if you want to spend your first few days exploring on foot.
A station or port location name does not guarantee a desk inside the building or at the quay. Check the actual address and opening hours. Airport offers may involve a terminal desk, a nearby branch or a shuttle; consult the dedicated location page and your voucher for the arrangement attached to your booking.
Check the requirements for a valid driving licence, identification or passport, booking voucher and an accepted payment card in the main driver’s name. Minimum licence-holding periods and additional documents depend on the supplier. If your licence was issued abroad, check whether an International Driving Permit or translation is required.
To hire without a credit card, choose an offer that explicitly accepts your type of debit or prepaid card. Check the card network, cardholder name, physical-card requirements and available funds. A card used successfully to pay online is not automatically accepted for the security deposit at collection.
Accepted cards, deposits, excesses, cover, minimum age, mileage and supplements vary by supplier, location, vehicle and offer. The security deposit and insurance excess are different amounts: review both in the vehicle details and rental terms before booking.
A compact car can make urban manoeuvres and parking easier. For a family trip with several hotel changes, check luggage capacity as well as the number of seats. Select automatic transmission explicitly if you need it, rather than relying on the example vehicle photo. If you choose an electric car, plan charging stops around your route and accommodation.
The A19 links Palermo and Catania through the island’s interior. The A29 serves the west towards Trapani and Mazara del Vallo, while the A20 Messina–Palermo and A18 Messina–Catania serve the northern and Ionian coasts and include tolled sections. Check road-operator notices before setting off, as works, diversions and traffic can affect your journey.
Palermo and Catania have restricted traffic zones, known as ZTLs, and pedestrian areas. Follow current signs and check municipal access rules before entering. An accommodation booking does not automatically authorise your number plate. For historic centres, consider parking outside restricted areas and continuing on foot; check local parking charges, hours and the route recommended by your accommodation.
From Catania, build an eastern route around the Etna towns, Taormina, Syracuse and Noto. Comiso is another starting point to consider for Ragusa and Modica. From Palermo, choose between Monreale and Cefalù or a westward route towards Castellammare del Golfo, Trapani, Erice and Marsala. Agrigento and Piazza Armerina can form part of a wider tour.
Allow time for each area rather than repeatedly crossing the island. For Mount Etna, check current access restrictions and conditions: a hire car can take you along permitted roads to access points, rather than giving unrestricted access to the craters.
Return the car to the agreed branch at the booked time, following the fuel policy. Allow time for refuelling, inspection and any transfer to the terminal. An out-of-hours return must follow the supplier’s specific instructions and is not automatically available.
Collecting in Catania and returning in Palermo, or the reverse, may save a return journey if the supplier allows it. Check availability and any one-way fee in advance. Before taking the car on a ferry, across the Strait of Messina or to another island, obtain the supplier’s approval and check which cover applies. A ferry ticket does not itself authorise transporting a rental vehicle.
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