What you should know before hiring a car in Palermo
| Palermo city centre | ||
| Punta Raisi Airport (PMO): 15 mi from city centre | ||
Car hires in Palermo: practical information
Where to rent a car in Palermo
There are few places as romantic as Sicily. With thousands of years of history starting with the Phoenicians to today, Palermo is an architectural gem and a hot spot for holidaymakers. Already booked your flight tickets from London to Palermo? We don't blame you! If you're planning to explore what Sicily has to offer past Palermo then we highly suggest picking up a car hire Palermo airport as soon as you land. There are several options to choose from at the Palermo Airport Car Hire Centre: Avis, Easy Car, Europcar, Hertz, Holiday Car Rental, Maggiore, AutoEuropa, Locauto, Sixt, Targarent and Budget.
If you need a car hire Palermo city, that's also possible. Try Car Hire Palermo on Via Carella or Sicily by Car. If you're looking for more internationally known car rental companies in Palermo you'll find Budget on Via Anwar Sadat and Hertz on Via Messina. When choosing between a local supplier and an international one, always compare prices and policies. The same goes when choosing your flights to Palermo as well!
Driving in Palermo: parking and other tips
Palermo isn't small, its actually quite a large city which makes it difficult to get around on foot. It's easiest to choose a district and then leave your rent car in Palermo at a car park for the day, exploring on foot that way. It may be difficult to find parking in central Palermo but it's not an impossible feat. If you see on-street parking with a blue line, it costs €1/hour but you need to buy your ticket from a tobacco shop or news stand. Try parking near Piazza Marina and getting there before shops open in the mornings.
There are a number of car parks in Palermo as well, which is a great alternative if your hotel in Palermo doesn't offer parking. Try Piazza Ungheria, off of Via Ruggero Settimo. Expect to pay €1.50/hour. The bonus here is that most of Palermo's major attractions and sites are very close by!
Road trips from Palermo: what to do, what to see
Trapani
If you head west you'll run into a number of very charming towns, including Trapani. Once you get past the concrete blocks of flats you'll emerge into a beautiful city centre with wide pedestrian avenues and lovely baroque architecture. Other western Sicilian towns worth checking out on Palermo holidays are Erice and Marsala.
Catania
Catania is a city with a lot of attitude. It can stay up all night long partying and having a good time and still look good in the morning! If you can keep up with the pace of the nightlife here, amazing! If not, at least try to have some grace. Not to miss is the amazing (early morning) fish market.
Egadi Islands
Egadi Islands are known for their clear water coasts which make it a perfect place for scuba diving and snorkelling. They're just off the coast from Trapani. Favignana is the largest, followed by Levanzo and then Marettimo. Favignan in particular is a pleasure to visit, especicaally if you're in search of its calcarenite rock caves.