ZTLs in Sicily

We drove in parts of Sicily and didn't have any issues. That said, we were pretty strategic about where we drove. We picked up a car when leaving Siracusa and used into to travel to Trapani, stopping at Agrigento, Villa Romana, Ragusa and surrounding cities, and Segesta and Selinunte. (We visited Noto on a train day trip from Ortigia).

From Palermo to Cefalu to Messina, we used public transportation and it worked well.

Even if there is an app, don't trust it. And there is something even better than an app, there are signs on the side of streets that tell you where the ZTLs are.

My experience is that there are many fewer ZTLs in Sicily, certainly nothing like Northern Italy where you can assume every town has one or more. That said, we only rented to visit the smaller towns in the center and South Coast, avoiding driving in Palermo, Messina, Central Catania, Syracuse, and Ortigia.

Not sure where Tinder is, but for Palermo, Messina and Catania, driving will only be a headache. You could do as well by train, then rent a car at the Catania Airport to head to Agrigento. If you are heading from Catania to Agrigento, it would be a shame not to stop in Piazza Armerina to see Villa Romana del Casale, a major Roman ruin.

But, I get husbands can be stubborn, I am, but still, I would look at the train.

We always drive in Italy! What is stopping you from renting a car?
In twenty plus years of driving in Italy I have only gotten one ticket related to a ZTL.

Us, too --- 20 years of driving in Italy and the only ZTL ticket was from parking for a week where the owner of our apartment said we could park (strangely, only the one ticket, not seven or more). But when I say "us," I mean my husband --- it's a tiny adventure for me to drive to the library from our house in St Paul. People are different.

It does really help to have the front seat passenger navigating and looking out for signs instead of enjoying the view.

Do learn what different signs mean. We were just in Florence for 5 weeks without a car and I wondered whether the electronic signs saying whether a street was currently open or not (“ ztl attiva ” and “ ztl non attiva ”) could be confusing for someone who doesn't know what "attiva" means, maybe thinking it means "open."

If you can avoid having a car while in Palermo or Catania. Palermo is best done using public transportation and taxis, and you won’t need a car. If Palermo is at the start of your visit, rent a car when you leave the city, if at the end of the trip, return the car upon arrival. I don’t find Catania particularly interesting, so you can skip it. ZTL are in most towns, including Siracusa/Ortigia, Erice, Taormina, etc. but they are well signaled by the round white sign with red border.

You can see the map of all cities ZTL’s, with locations of cameras and parking in the website below. Enter the name of the city you are interested in.
https://www.accessibilitacentristorici.it/

There are just as many ZTL in Sicily as there in northern Italy, speaking as one who’s done more than 2000 miles Of driving in Sicily and probably 20x that amount in the north. I’ve only gotten one ticket from a ZTL and that was in Ortigya because the sign was covered by graffiti. (Such an Italian thing). Who are these naysayers telling you not to drive in Italy? Guatemala I can understand having driven there for a day and then giving up. There are no apps that show ZTL locations. Usually they can be found on that town or municipality website. The signs on walls surrounding the ZTL work too. Just be vigilant and don’t sweat the small stuff. Enjoy!

Last year, we drove all through Tuscany, including returning the car at the Florence train station and we found it to be easy and delightful. With just a little research, you can find the ZTL zone maps for any city, and maps with parking lots that are just outside of them. Everywhere had signage that was very driver friendly. This is Palermo:

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainmenu-147/italy-mainmenu-81/sicilia-region/palermo

We loved having the car to stay flexible and stop at an interesting spot or to move on if we weren't that impressed. I know some have been unpleasantly surprised be a hefty ticket, but its sounds like you have a good understanding of the system.

You may have already covered this, but note that each driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are easily available at any AAA / CAA office for a small fee, and are valid for one year.

No reason to not drive in Italy; good reasons to not drive in Palermo and Catania, but given they can easily bookend a trip, that is how most structure it.
You can find ZTL maps online to use when cross referencing accommodation locations, but best strategy in the moment is to watch for signs.

Thank you everyone who has responded. Great advice. We feel much better about the ZTLs now.