It is our first trip to Sicily. Does anyone have any specific recommendations related to renting a car in Sicily— I have.a lot of experience driving in Europe— not a first timer — Specific model car, rental company, etc?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17973 posts
www.autoeurope.com (or www.kemwel.com, same company but check both their websites as deals may differ). They work with all major rental companies.
Then select the best deal for your dates.
As in the US when you rent a car type you get that car model, “or similar”, so no guarantee you might get the exact model you think you are booking.
Try not to have a car while staying in Palermo. A car is not needed or desirable while in Palermo. Rent before or after visiting Palermo, depending on your itinerary.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3509 posts
When price shopping, also check www.autoeurope.eu site. They sometimes ave substantially better deals than the US site, particularly in Italy.
Posted by
1050 posts
Welcome to the forum! You should rent a Mercedes S-class from the Avis in Agrigento.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17973 posts
Why not a Ferrari or Lamborghini?
Posted by
1050 posts
Even better! Grok recommends Ferrari!
Posted by
1422 posts
If you plan on driving anywhere in the east, particularly southeast, I’d recommend getting an automatic. A day driving through the hills with a stick-shift will put your arms to the test.
Rental companies are what they are, but I’ve mostly used Europcar and been happy with them.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8652 posts
We went through Avis in Sicily, but which company you choose is a personal preference. As per model, you only reserve a size and you’ll get what the company has when when get there. It may or may not be the model shown when you made the reservation. We had a manual and had no problems. I suggest a smaller compact vehicle since some streets can be narrow.
Posted by
Sarasota,FL
472 posts
We rented a car on the way out of the Palermo. Our recommendation is the smallest car so you can park more easily. I enjoyed driving a stick shift even in the switch backs. It was a skill from my youth in the 1960’s -70,s. The driving skills came back naturally. Enjoyed driving around the island and then dropped the car off in Catania, the city we flew out of. Did take buses to Taormina and Syracusa. Did some driving in Palermo and it was horrible. Loved Sicily and the food was exceptional.
Posted by
Florida
19 posts
Hi, I used SIcily by Car and while I had a good experience with them, I wish I had gotten a smaller car. I scraped the side of my mid-sized SUV in one town, thanks to the narrower roads. Whatever you do, get insurance! It eventually paid for the scrape, which was around $800. Good luck.