Driving in Sicily

I drove in Sicily during my visit last spring and had no troubles. Well, if you don't count the parking ticket we got while loading our luggage in front of our hotel :-) But then I'm used to driving in Italy and England and Ireland.

My friend's husband also drove and it started to wear on him after the short distances that we drove. The roads are far narrower than we're used to in the US. Finding parking can be difficult. And then getting the car into what seems like tiny parking spaces. And dodging pedestrians and parked cars and double-parked cars....

But, it gave us the flexibility to go where we wanted, when we wanted. Even on the dreaded Sundays in Sicily, when (I gather) public transportation is thin.

Tips:
Get your International Driver's License (from AAA, for example)
Research your parking options at each hotel or sight ahead of time.
Don't leave valuables in your car.
Carry small change for road tolls.
Avoid driving in town centers and especially avoid the dreaded ZTLs (which you've probably seen in other parts of Italy)

I found this in another post and it seems prudent.

If you've never driven in Italy, please read this.
https://media.sumo.com/3edd7a94b19350d13b81f277e1c2f5b5c0f917d5965b529d238da52daa2b93f6

Have done both, driving in Sicily is stressful in any town or city, not bad at all on the open road. Saves time but is more expensive, lets you stop and visit places difficult to access by public transport. Public transport will get you where you want to go but may take longer but you haven't the stress of driving and navigating. Buses on minor routes can be erratic.
I would first decide where you want to go and what you want to see and then work out if you can do it easily by public transport or not. It can also be an option to rent a car just for the days you really need it.

I used public transport only, and I got around quite well though not terribly efficiently. One key thing to remember is that you are likely to need to use buses pretty often in Sicily, since rail service is limited. For me the buses were reliable, but there is often very little or zero bus service on Sundays and holidays. That's something you need to keep in mind when building an itinerary.

I have rented a car and driven in Sicily and it allowed me great flexibility and the ability to see much more in the time I was on this marvelous island. Yes, driving in cities can be stressful but if you take your time and be careful it should not be a problem. On my journey, I rented a car in Palermo and getting out of the city was not one of my favorite things to do. Driving in smaller towns, be aware that many streets are extremely narrow and that can be challenging. When you rent your car, stick with the smallest vehicle in which you feel comfortable, opt for the $0 deductible insurance, familiarize yourself with the dreaded ZTL's, make sure you have your International Driver Permit and by all means either have a GPS or a device that will provide mapping.

In the countryside, beware if you see a bunch of dogs barking at you as you approach a blind corner - it just might be a flock of sheep that the shepherd is moving down the road. Enjoy Sicily. It's one of the wonders of Italy!

Had a rental there last September and had no problems. I felt the rural roads were poorly marked and not always in great repair. I researched parking before going over and plugged some public lots’ locations into my GPS for towns I knew I’d be driving in. I chose hotels that had free parking on site or nearby. Rather than drive in Palermo, I stayed in Monreale and took the bus into the city. Also used the bus to go into Catania. Watch your speed. The ZTLs are pretty obvious. Road lane markings seem to be guidelines only, so 2-lanes might turn out to be 3 or 4. If you decide to let a driver on a side street turn out in front of you, expect that a few more will take advantage of your kindness.