Id just like to say that according to the UK Government website you DO NOT need an International Drivers Permit to hire a car in Italy. Absolute top video by the way very helpful especially the parking app tip. Thank you
That's correct. That's what I already mentioned in the video description a few months back. Unfortunately UA-cam does not allow to modify the videos. More info in my post too. Cheers and enjoy Sicily
Thank you for sharing. And thank you for letting us know that it could be more expensive to rent a car. The only thing you could’ve added to the video was to say what your cost was along the way. That would be super helpful! Thanks again!
Renting a car has its costs, the same as travelling by public transportation. Cost-wise, if planned in advance, I personally do not see any difference if travelling in 2 people. The car becomes more convenient if in a group of 3 or more. The sooner you rent a car the better prices you get, same with public transportation although if planned at the last minute you may not even find a seat on a train or bus (July and August are bad for public transportation). During peak season, finding local transportation becomes a real challenge and taxis make the most out of it (read possible scam, very annoying). The cost along the way, besides the rental cost, is petrol (budget 2Euro/l, on average you need 1 litre every 12-17Km based on the type of road), highways, where available, are mostly free except on the north coast near Messina (neglectable cost). Parking when visiting the location, is between 2 and 10 Euro based on the place, some are free. Include the full insurance to avoid any damage cost. That's pretty much it. Enjoy your drive
Great review Stefano, thankyou. I'm thinking of picking up a car in Salerno then driving down the coast. I'll probably stay in Naxos then do day trips around the island. Naxos is a bit more expensive than I thought though. AUD$1000 for six nights! I'll see if i can get something cheaper in an AIR BNB.
Thanks Rob, nice trip! Last year I have done something similar but in reverse. If you have a car and you are flexible, have a look at Letojanni. It's usually cheaper, also close to Taormina and there is a train station in case you are planning a day trip to Catania without a car. Have a great trip
Stefano, we booked Giardini Naxos. Great as a base for us to explore. The rental car seems to be really expensive though. If we pick it up in Salerno, drive around for a couple of weeks then drop it off in Bari, it’s about $1000 more than dropping it off back in Salerno. Not sure why this is?
@@StefanoFerro yes I’ve noticed. I’ll plan to take the car back to Salerno then after Bari and catch the train to Florence. I won’t get mugged in Salerno train station will I? I know there’s a big issue with the Marochini in the railway stations in southern Italy these days.
Hi Stefano, my friend and I are off to Sicily on Friday, so this was a very helpful video - thank you. But , as others have mentioned below a UK drivers licence IS valid in Italy and therefore all insurance will be too. Perhaps you could update your video to reflect this fact ? I researched this thoroughly whilst planning our trip, so your video completely freaked me ( as I am sure it did others) when you said that our licenses were not valid....x
Thanks Jo, you are 100% correct. I did realise the mistake too late, but unfortunately, UA-cam doesn't allow you to "modify" the video.. I wrote it in the video description in big letters, that usually helps. I agree on insuring before the trip Cheers
@Snappie7 I usually rent from the link in the video description. There are a few companies rated by customers, a sort of Airbnb for car rentals. I go for rated 8/10 and above. 9 even better. Enjoy your trip
Hi Stefano, Thanks for all the hard work. Much appreciated 👍 Can you share which car rental (comparisons) you used? I’ve been looking (also going in September) and the prices are VERY HIGH
I think I'll pass on driving, those zones I didn't realized where restricted got or unexpected tolls got me a $2000 bill when I went to UK. Not taking the chance in Sicily.
Pro tips for driving in Sicily. 1. Never put your phone down. And remember, texting while driving is a skill that needs to be practiced. 2. Drive as fast and reckless as possible. When you see pedestrians or bicyclists on the road, don't slow down. Try to see how dangerously close you can get without hitting them. Especially at crosswalks. The same rule applies to driving near motorcyclists on the autostrada. 3. When entering a roadway or intersection, never look in the direction of the oncoming traffic. Only look in the direction that you want to drive. If there's traffic, block the oncoming cars and wait until there is an opening in the lane you need. And of course, never use your indicators. 4. Ignore all speed limits and stop signs. When at a traffic light, honk your horn as soon as the light turns green. Don't be shy, horns are made for honking. 5. Parking. Make sure that when double parking you block as much traffic as possible. 6. If the car or motorcyclist in front of you is not going as fast as you want, be sure to tailgate at least a half meter from their bumper. Don't forget to dangerously pass whenever possible, even on blind corners.
Sad truths unfortunately. But you missed so much. Like gigantic potholes, like a highways being a joke, with 110 speed limit, tolls you can only pay with cash, and one of lanes closed for maintenance every 10km, etc. Seriously I've never enjoyed driving around so little as in Sicily...
Thanks :) the price in May for a small car is probably around €25/day. That is on average and it depends on the days you want it. I highly suggest taking a full insurance (usually around €6-7/day) for peace of mind. I usually get the best deals through this aggregator mel365.com/MySuggestedCarRentalWebsite Enjoy your trip Cheers
On my last trip I was in Sicily till the end of September and we weather was excellent, with usual sunny days and 17-28 degrees during the day. October is usually similar although cooler. Water is also not cold. November is a bit of hit and miss. It could be as warm as October or quite cold with possible snow on the Etna peak. I hope I was able to help. Cheers
@@StefanoFerro It was, thank you very much. Right now I'm shooting for late Oct/early Nov. Either way it will be warmer/nicer compared to where I live in Scandinavia 😅
Hi Nico, safe as driving on the road, yes, I would personally do it. I actually did most of Italy, till Calabria. The only exception by motorbike was Sicily, but just for lack of time than anything else. Driving the motorcycle inside the island is a dream come true, as well as the road to the Etna cable car. In saying that, you have to pay extreme attention to where you leave your motorbike, lock it twice, if not three times. But honestly I did that everywhere I was in Italy, France and Spain. Motorbikes disappear in a blink of an eye, especially in places like Corsica. I hope I was able to help. Cheers
You are totally right. In the video I mentioned that Brits need an IDP, but it's not correct. You can drive if you have a valid UK driving licence. I asked a few renters and I had mixed answers, however, checking the government websites (May 23) there is no problem. My suggestion is to bring a copy of the present rules to the Rental Agencies, you never know, especially the smaller local ones. -- I have added this note into the video description. Unfortunately I cannot edit the video, once loaded on UA-cam
One possibility is to stay in the area of Picanello (mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-catania/#Picanello). If you prefer to stay outside Catania then you should check Giardini Naxos (mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-catania/#Naxos). The train to Catania is only 30 minutes and you will be also 15minutes by bus to Taormina, besides having a lovely beach too. A real win win
Id just like to say that according to the UK Government website you DO NOT need an International Drivers Permit to hire a car in Italy. Absolute top video by the way very helpful especially the parking app tip. Thank you
That's correct. That's what I already mentioned in the video description a few months back. Unfortunately UA-cam does not allow to modify the videos. More info in my post too. Cheers and enjoy Sicily
Thank you for sharing. And thank you for letting us know that it could be more expensive to rent a car. The only thing you could’ve added to the video was to say what your cost was along the way. That would be super helpful! Thanks again!
Renting a car has its costs, the same as travelling by public transportation. Cost-wise, if planned in advance, I personally do not see any difference if travelling in 2 people. The car becomes more convenient if in a group of 3 or more. The sooner you rent a car the better prices you get, same with public transportation although if planned at the last minute you may not even find a seat on a train or bus (July and August are bad for public transportation). During peak season, finding local transportation becomes a real challenge and taxis make the most out of it (read possible scam, very annoying).
The cost along the way, besides the rental cost, is petrol (budget 2Euro/l, on average you need 1 litre every 12-17Km based on the type of road), highways, where available, are mostly free except on the north coast near Messina (neglectable cost). Parking when visiting the location, is between 2 and 10 Euro based on the place, some are free. Include the full insurance to avoid any damage cost. That's pretty much it. Enjoy your drive
Excellent video. Will be driving in Sicily this September. Very helpful information.
Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻 Enjoy your trip 😁
Excellent Video!
Very informative and putting anxiety at ease
no worries, enjoy your trip
Great review Stefano, thankyou. I'm thinking of picking up a car in Salerno then driving down the coast. I'll probably stay in Naxos then do day trips around the island. Naxos is a bit more expensive than I thought though. AUD$1000 for six nights! I'll see if i can get something cheaper in an AIR BNB.
Thanks Rob, nice trip! Last year I have done something similar but in reverse. If you have a car and you are flexible, have a look at Letojanni. It's usually cheaper, also close to Taormina and there is a train station in case you are planning a day trip to Catania without a car. Have a great trip
Stefano, we booked Giardini Naxos. Great as a base for us to explore. The rental car seems to be really expensive though. If we pick it up in Salerno, drive around for a couple of weeks then drop it off in Bari, it’s about $1000 more than dropping it off back in Salerno. Not sure why this is?
@@robcig unfortunately dropping back the car in a different place is always very expensive, doesn't matter the country. Enjoy your trip
@@StefanoFerro yes I’ve noticed. I’ll plan to take the car back to Salerno then after Bari and catch the train to Florence. I won’t get mugged in Salerno train station will I? I know there’s a big issue with the Marochini in the railway stations in southern Italy these days.
Thank you for all the informations, going to sicily next week and im glad ive found your video 👌❤️
Have fun! You will love it
I'll be there in 1 month for 2 weeks!!! cant wait!!
Enjoy!!
Hi Stefano, my friend and I are off to Sicily on Friday, so this was a very helpful video - thank you. But , as others have mentioned below a UK drivers licence IS valid in Italy and therefore all insurance will be too. Perhaps you could update your video to reflect this fact ? I researched this thoroughly whilst planning our trip, so your video completely freaked me ( as I am sure it did others) when you said that our licenses were not valid....x
Thanks Jo, you are 100% correct. I did realise the mistake too late, but unfortunately, UA-cam doesn't allow you to "modify" the video.. I wrote it in the video description in big letters, that usually helps.
I agree on insuring before the trip
Cheers
Rented a Fiat 500 last year everything went smooth.
Will be there next month again for another island road trip
Enjoy 👍
which car rental? thanks
@Snappie7 I usually rent from the link in the video description. There are a few companies rated by customers, a sort of Airbnb for car rentals. I go for rated 8/10 and above. 9 even better. Enjoy your trip
Very informative, thank you. I'm going to Sicily next month, so glad to find your video.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Stefano,
Thanks for all the hard work. Much appreciated 👍
Can you share which car rental (comparisons) you used?
I’ve been looking (also going in September) and the prices are VERY HIGH
Hi Leslie, this is the link to my suggested comparison website
bit.ly/StefCarSuggest
They usually have the best prices
Cheers
Thanks . The article I read earlier had me saying hell know on driving there . I’m calm now .
Same for me, I was freaking out, cause I’m a beginner, but I live in Buenos Aires, It can't be worse than here 😂
My Dads from pogioreale I'm hoping to travel there in September great Videos by the way
It's a pity they have now fenced off the town. You will love Sicily, amazing region of Italy
great video mate
Thanks 👍
I think I'll pass on driving, those zones I didn't realized where restricted got or unexpected tolls got me a $2000 bill when I went to UK. Not taking the chance in Sicily.
Great video, very informative but too heavy colour saturation and correction.
Thanks for both the content and technical feedback. Enjoy Sicily 😀👍
Pro tips for driving in Sicily.
1. Never put your phone down. And remember, texting while driving is a skill that needs to be practiced.
2. Drive as fast and reckless as possible. When you see pedestrians or bicyclists on the road, don't slow down. Try to see how dangerously close you can get without hitting them. Especially at crosswalks.
The same rule applies to driving near motorcyclists on the autostrada.
3. When entering a roadway or intersection, never look in the direction of the oncoming traffic. Only look in the direction that you want to drive. If there's traffic, block the oncoming cars and wait until there is an opening in the lane you need. And of course, never use your indicators.
4. Ignore all speed limits and stop signs. When at a traffic light, honk your horn as soon as the light turns green. Don't be shy, horns are made for honking.
5. Parking. Make sure that when double parking you block as much traffic as possible.
6. If the car or motorcyclist in front of you is not going as fast as you want, be sure to tailgate at least a half meter from their bumper. Don't forget to dangerously pass whenever possible, even on blind corners.
Sad truths unfortunately. But you missed so much. Like gigantic potholes, like a highways being a joke, with 110 speed limit, tolls you can only pay with cash, and one of lanes closed for maintenance every 10km, etc. Seriously I've never enjoyed driving around so little as in Sicily...
@@fiucik1 Yes, there’s so much more! 😂 The potholes are especially bad for me as I drive a motorcycle.
Amazing bro
Which specific provider did you take?
Did you also pay a security fee? ..if yes, how much?
A great video. We will be there in May for a month. Can you advise me of the rental cost for a small car? 🙏
Thanks :) the price in May for a small car is probably around €25/day. That is on average and it depends on the days you want it. I highly suggest taking a full insurance (usually around €6-7/day) for peace of mind. I usually get the best deals through this aggregator mel365.com/MySuggestedCarRentalWebsite
Enjoy your trip
Cheers
Top class,
Many thanks!
great work
Hey Stefano
Is that how the weather was in January?
I'm considering going in October/November, as long as the weather is decent.
On my last trip I was in Sicily till the end of September and we weather was excellent, with usual sunny days and 17-28 degrees during the day. October is usually similar although cooler. Water is also not cold. November is a bit of hit and miss. It could be as warm as October or quite cold with possible snow on the Etna peak. I hope I was able to help. Cheers
@@StefanoFerro It was, thank you very much. Right now I'm shooting for late Oct/early Nov. Either way it will be warmer/nicer compared to where I live in Scandinavia 😅
Gracias!
@@guidobottini2013 de nada 😁
Too much appreciate for a such informative tips and great video making ❤❤❤
0:17 is it safe to go to sicilie on a motorcycle, wold like to go nex year ,
Hi Nico, safe as driving on the road, yes, I would personally do it. I actually did most of Italy, till Calabria. The only exception by motorbike was Sicily, but just for lack of time than anything else. Driving the motorcycle inside the island is a dream come true, as well as the road to the Etna cable car.
In saying that, you have to pay extreme attention to where you leave your motorbike, lock it twice, if not three times. But honestly I did that everywhere I was in Italy, France and Spain. Motorbikes disappear in a blink of an eye, especially in places like Corsica. I hope I was able to help. Cheers
that is not correct:
you are visiting Italy, you can drive on a full, valid UK driving licence, insurance and vehicle documents.
You are totally right. In the video I mentioned that Brits need an IDP, but it's not correct. You can drive if you have a valid UK driving licence. I asked a few renters and I had mixed answers, however, checking the government websites (May 23) there is no problem. My suggestion is to bring a copy of the present rules to the Rental Agencies, you never know, especially the smaller local ones.
--
I have added this note into the video description. Unfortunately I cannot edit the video, once loaded on UA-cam
That’s correct I just checked myself on the Government website, panic over
This guy seems smart to me.
I rented a car on SicilyByCar, in Firenze, and I never received my refund, 300 euros.
Thanks for that. My experience with them was actually good, besides a hiccup at the pickup due to credit cards
If u wanna stay close to catania do u have any recommendations where to stay if u are planning on renting a car?
as in like like are there any cities where u can take the train easily to catania
One possibility is to stay in the area of Picanello (mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-catania/#Picanello). If you prefer to stay outside Catania then you should check Giardini Naxos (mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-catania/#Naxos). The train to Catania is only 30 minutes and you will be also 15minutes by bus to Taormina, besides having a lovely beach too. A real win win
does anyone know if there are big cliffs and hills? I have a fear of driving on them
There are definitely hills, but there are no cliffs as far as i remember
Great broo
Hi, Stefano Which are the good provider in italy? I see sur price is cheapest. Possible to give advicw
mel365.com/MySuggestedCarRentalWebsite
It's a comparative website (similar to Airbnb) providing the best deals around, you will not be disappointed!
Sicily car rental guide link is not working!
Thanks. I fix it and let you know. Cheers
@@StefanoFerro Thank you and I see I failed to say that I appreciated the subject of your video
Ahhhh Sicilia!! Warning...if you go it'll get in your blood and never get out!!