Page 48 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

invitation to play human skittles.

Car rental

Car rental in Sicily starts at around €200 per week for a three-door, a/c Fiat Punto,
with unlimited mileage. It’s usually cheaper arranged in advance through an online
broker (though watch out for hidden extras), with your travel agent or tour operator, or

through a large international chain such as Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Holiday
Autos and Thrifty – check their websites for online-only deals and special offers.
Otherwise, rental agencies – including local companies like Maggiore ( maggiore.it)
– are found in the major cities and at Palermo, Catania, Trapani and Comiso airports.

It’s essential to check that you have adequate insurance cover for a rental car. Going
by the dents and scratches on almost every car on the road, you want to make sure that

your liability is limited as far as possible. Ensure that all visible damage on a car is
duly marked on the rental sheet. It’s worth paying the extra charge to reduce the
“excess” payment levied for any damage, and most rental companies these days offer a
zero-excess option for an extra charge. You can also avoid excess charges by taking
out an annual insurance policy (from £38.99) with insurance4carhire.com, which
also covers windscreen and tyre damage.

Scooters, quads and mokes

Virtually everyone in Sicily – kids to grandmas – rides a moped or scooter, although
the smaller models are not suitable for any kind of long-distance travel. They’re ideal
for shooting around towns, and you can rent them in Taormina, Cefalù and other
holiday centres – check the Guide for details. Crash helmets are compulsory, though

you’ll see many Sicilian youths just riding with one slung over one arm. Lampedusa
and other minor islands also have quad-bikes and mini-mokes available for rent,
which are great for bashing around local roads to beaches and beauty spots – just be
aware that there’s a high accident rate with machines like these.

Taxis

There are plenty of honest, reliable taxi drivers in Sicily, but as ever there are a few
sharks; to be on the safe side, always establish a price before you set off. Although
meters are supposed to be used by law, both passengers and drivers usually prefer to
settle on a fee before setting out. Fares for long-distance journeys are published by
each city – for example, the official rate from Siracusa to Catania airport is €70,

though you may be able to negotiate. A day-tour by taxi, say taking in Siracusa, Piazza
Armerina and the temples of Agrigentos will cost around €250.

By ferry and hydrofoil