My husband and I will be picking up our car in Nice. We plan to stay there for a couple of days and then head out to Siclly. It looks like it would be a shorter trip on a ferry from Genoa to Palermo. Is there anyone who has done this and what was it like. It looks like it takes about 20-21 hours and we can get a cabin. I would appreciate any input on this subject. We plan to spend a couple of weeks in Sicily and then head to Puglia and back up to Northern Italy and Nice. Thanks for any help you can give.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
If the price to put the car on the ferry is not bad, then also check your car rental agreement to make sure it is not disallowed. I usually sleep well on an overnight ferry, when I have a cabin.
Or, consider flying to Sicily; see www.skyscanner.com. Also check prices for picking up a car in Sicily, then dropping it within Italy at Genova. I saw no fee added for a Palermo-Genova rental through Auto Europe.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
I would return the car in Nice or Marseille, then fly to Sicily (Ryanair, Easyjet etc.). You can rent a car in Sicily and drive back up to Northern Italy from there. If you need to return to Nice to catch a flight, you can always return your car in Genoa and proceed by train. Or maybe you could fly back home from Italy.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
Why would you spend a "couple of days" in Nice and then head to Sicily, unless you want the picturesque drive? Is that the case? If you're looking for lovely beaches, Sicily has lots of them, lots and lots! Unless you're just going to 'enjoy a drive' or need to be in Nice for business or something, why not just go to Sicily and rent the car there and take the ferry to Puglia and drive back up to Northern Italy and fly out of Milan?
I'm now thinking you've gotten a great flight deal flying into and out of Nice. If that's the case, just disregard my entire post.