Sicily Car Hire

It would be a crime not to rent a car on the island most famous for its Mafia heritage. Renting a car in Sicily allows you to explore myriad attractions that would otherwise remain the best-kept secrets of locals. The following is a guide to some of the must-see sights and attractions on the beautiful sun-drenched island of Sicily.

Taormina Airport Mini Guide:

Taormina Airport is located 50km from Taormina. The airport is the main tourist gateway to Sicily and provides tourists with a good selection of facilities and services.

Things To See/Do in Sicily:

Taormina, Sicily's most famous resort is an excellent place to start your adventure on the island. There are plenty of attractions to be found here including the beautiful ancient amphitheatre. Taormina is a great place to shop too. There are thousands of boutiques selling fashion, jewellery, crafts and local handiwork. Sicily may lie just a stone's throw away from the Italian mainland, but it is a million miles away in terms of atmosphere and culture. The island is enjoying a major tourist boom these days and visitors to the island today find a gracious and welcoming people. The pleasant climate and sunny disposition of the locals as people retuning back year after year. Renting a car in Sicily means your options for adventure are endless. The cities of Palermo and Catania offer some of the most stunning architecture in the world, where the leftovers of some of the world's greatest civilisations can be seen first-hand. Expansive Romanesque cathedrals, Greek temples and Baroque palaces all await our discovery.

Eating Out in Sicily:

As an island you'll find fish is definitely the dish of the day in Taormina and all of the other villages that you'll discover on your travels all over Sicily.

Traditional specialities include grilled swordfish, cuttlefish and fennel with sardines. If fish doesn't float your boat you won't starve! Tasty options include chicken alla marsala and pizza and pasta dishes. If you're trying to stick to a budget, you really can't go wrong with pizza.

Day Trips/Events in Sicily:

Taormina makes for a great base from which to explore the island. Mount Etna is a must-see. The craters of the volcano can be viewed at the town of Piano Provenzana at the base of the mountain. The town also serves as a wonderful ski resort and a pretty base fro campers and hikers in spring and summer.

Ortygia makes for another enjoyable day trip from Taormina. The Ponte Nuova (New Bridge) connects the mainland city of Syracuse to the island of Ortygia. Here you'll find plenty of fine attractions. It's well worth taking your camera along to see the Temple of Apollo, which is renowned for being the oldest Greek Temple in Sicily.

Sicily plays host to a number of fun and exciting events throughout the year including Taormina Arts Festival, June's Taormina Film Festival and September's Madonna della Rocca procession.

Parco Archeologico della Neapolis shouldn't be missed either. The archaeological park is located on the western edge of the city of Syracuse and contains a beautiful Greek amphitheatre, carved from rock.