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Old 05-13-2018, 06:29 AM   #21
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Thanks ...

I’ve heard some bad things about some of the car rental companies in Sicily - which companies did you use and did you have any issues?
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Old 05-13-2018, 08:21 AM   #22
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User Hertz, Avis, the big international brand names.

Though in many cases, they're owned by the same local company which owns the local brands like Maggiore, Sicily by Car and others.

But just make sure you find any body damage before you drive off. Both the damage they point out to you and any damage which they may not disclose.

Take pictures or a video in clear daylight.

Ask them where the nearest gas station is to where you will be returning the car. If not you might find it in Google Maps.

One thing I found near Palermo airport a number of dealers were not taking credit cards unless you paid for full service where they pump the fuel for you. They charged 1/3 more for it versus "self-service."

There are a number of unattended stations where you will need a chip card with PIN priority. Also many stations close in mid day, like from 13:00 to 16:00 or something like that. In that case you will need a PIN priority card.
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Old 05-13-2018, 10:01 AM   #23
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We have used autoeurope countless times in Europe. They are a broker so your order may be filled by any one of the majors. We have been very pleased with their service, with their prices, and with the agencies that we have dealt with. Insurance is often offered as an option.

We prefer a standard and we typically prefer a small car as we only travel with carry on bags. Cannot comment on sourcing a larger vehicle or automatic transmission.

We seldom rent from an airport location and we typically arrange our travel so that the rental is not sitting idle in a major city. Not so much concerned about the rental cost as we are about potential vandalism or theft. We dropped our car in Cefelu and trained to Palermo.

As an aside, we found that most of the unmanned gas stations in Italy will accept cash (bills) as well as credit cards. We were nervous the first time. A few young locals were kind enough to show us how it was done. No certain about getting change. We inserted a 20E bill and took 20E worth of fuel.
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Old 05-13-2018, 10:12 AM   #24
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I always go for automatic.

Your choices are better at major airports.

For instance, I flew from Malta to Palermo and drove to Trapani where I stayed 2 nights.

There are flights between Malta and Trapani but they're not direct. Would have flown to Rome and then back dow to Trapani, at least 4 hour trip vs. 40 minute direct flight.

There weren't as many car rental choices out of Trapani either. So the drive from PMO airport to Trapani is about an hour, through some beautiful countryside.
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Old 06-16-2018, 02:59 PM   #25
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Hi All,

Working airlines reservations - going with United as have some priority and can use points with them.

JIC anyone has done the various routes, we need to leave out of Atlanta and can get to Rome via Chicago, Washington Dulles or Frankfurt. The Frankfurt version is Luftansa.

Is there an advantage one way or the other? They are all about same total time, and same points with add on money.

I usually like to have backup flights following the one I am scheduled on JIC - ATL to Chicago has three all in a row so that works well, but the leg from Chicago to Rome a single shot chance. The ATL to Frankfurt has one backup and two backups from Frankfurt to Rome.

Thoughts?
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Old 06-16-2018, 03:02 PM   #26
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BTW - looks like Grimaldi runs overnight ferry from Salerno (can't find a ferry from Citivecchia to Catania) ... ferry leaves 9:30 pm and gets into Catania before noon - rooms were 100-150E ... so, would get up on a Monday morning and train to Salerno and get to the ferry terminal somehow ... anyone done this?

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Old 06-16-2018, 03:53 PM   #27
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You can fly into Catania or Palermo. The transfer then can be several points in Europe - not just Rome. We've transfered, in the past, in Brussels on one trip, and Rome on another.

There's a ferry that runs from Naples to Catania - it's an overnight ferry - but the cabins have showers and nice beds. Nothing like waking up to see the sunrise over the straits of Messina casting an orange glow on Mt. Etna.
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Old 06-16-2018, 04:13 PM   #28
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Rodi,

The only ferries to Catania showing on the major sites are now from Salerno - the Grimaldi line looks to be the only one serving Catania. Departs only from Salerno.

Perhaps this has changed since you were last there?

We are definitely gonna try and make the ferry work.

Going to Rome first - six nights and then to Catania, Ragusa, Taormina.
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Old 06-16-2018, 04:38 PM   #29
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I sit corrected - it's no longer offered. That's a bummer. It was a very nice ferry.
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:58 PM   #30
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Taormina was very lovely.
We were on a cruise, so taxi'd to it from Messina and only spent 3 hours there.
In that time we saw the Greek/Roman theater, and the Gardens, plus walked along the edge of town overlooking the Mediterranean.

I could easily go back and spend 2 days there.
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Old 06-17-2018, 05:10 AM   #31
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We have been flying Norwegian Air Shuttle in the last three years non-stop out of Orlando to Gatwick. They have a connecting flight into Cantania. Easyjet also flies Gatwick to Cantania cheap.
What's strange is so many airlines only fly seasonally into Sicily. For Atlanta to be the world's largest airport, they are not the best airport for us to fly out of due to a lack of budget international airlines--too expensive.
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Old 06-17-2018, 07:38 AM   #32
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We used autoeurope in Sicily. They arranged a car through Eueropcar. We did a one way rental. Everything was perfect.

We have used autoeurope in Italy at least three other times. Always for one way rentals. Never an issue. We once had a problem with our UK rental-autoeurope's customer service folks resolved the problem immediately. They also operate (both from Maine) under the Kemwel banner.

We flew into Catania from Malta. We took the airport bus to Taormina, stayed there for a few days and then picked up the car.

We were thinking of going by land to mainland Italy. We snagged a last minute cruise from Rome so that was our destination. It was much easier to simply fly from Palermo to Rome and much less expensive. The Vueling flight was $45 each.

We both enjoyed Sicily very much. We were there in October. Consider visiting some of the islands off the coast of Sicily.

We did have some rain towards the end of October but only for a day or so. No surprise.
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Old 07-20-2018, 02:09 PM   #33
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OK - got resv into and out of FCO, hotels in Marina di Ragusa and Taormina (End of Oct through first week Nov) ... no crowds.

Driving the itinerary at this point is my desire to take an overnight ferry through Straits of Messina to Catania - only departure point is Salerno and only time is 2130. Works OK as can depart Rome via train to Salerno in plenty of time. The issue is that there are NO departures on 28 Oct (Sunday) ... so, have to shorten trip to Rome by a day to leave on either 27 Oct (Saturday), and be in Catania a day earlier than our friends - OR, depart from Salerno on 29 Oct (Monday) and arrive in Catania a day late. Any thoughts?

Next option relates to returning from Sicily to Rome ... we depart from FCO on 8 Nov, so I have made reservations for 7-8 Nov at the Hilton Airport hotel (thanks to some advice on E-R) which connects to FCO - way easier with our 0955 flight to Newark. BUT, we have two options on returning to Rome - train or plane. Both couples really like seeing the countryside and love training. The train from Catania/Taormina is an intercity so it is quite a bit slower and we'll be stopping a lot - there is an option to take IC 722 to Naples and hop a Frecciarossa (faster) but it is only for the last bit - most of the time is still Sicily to Naples. So ... question: just stay on the slower train - way easier not to jump in Naples and have to learn how to get to the fast train in 15 minutes? And, then ... is it worth it to go 1st on the IC?

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Old 07-20-2018, 04:52 PM   #34
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Our experience it that the trains in Italy are very good. Not so in Sicily.

We picked up a rental in Taornina, toured for two weeks, dropped it in Cefelu. Took the train to Miazzo, then the ferry to the Lipari Island for a few days. Back to Miazzo, then the train to Palermo (we bypassed Palermo on our renal trip on purpose).

Trains in Sicily all seem to run very late. DO NOT count on the schedule being the schedule. We were one hour late going, two plus hours late coming back. Strictly a milk run. Not that much to see on either trip. The rental car was by a wide margin the best for sightseeing. We used the train only as a point to point convenience.

A few days before leaving Sicily we picked up a deal on a last minute cruise from Rome to Barcelona. We decided against the ferry/train to the mainland. Cost, and time. It was much easier for us to grab an inexpensive flight from Palermo to Rome FCO.

Sicily is wonderful. Enjoy!
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Old 07-20-2018, 05:05 PM   #35
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Thanks, Brett ...

We were planning on renting a car once we all got to Catania.

On leaving we were gonna drop the car in Catania or Taormina and grab the train to Rome ... as long as we make it by 0900 the next morning we are OK - we know it is long, but wanted some local connection.
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Old 07-20-2018, 05:40 PM   #36
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I've done the train to other parts of Italy several times... Twice as overnight.... If you're a good sleeper it's a neat thing. One time the AC was broken in our couchette 4plex (us and the kids)... so we had to leave the window open... and it was LOUD.... so that was a pretty awful experience. Despite that we did it again a few years later and had a really nice trip from Riposto/Giarre to Milan. AC worked and we got good sleep. I did wake up briefly at sunrise... somewhere on the Tuscan coast.

The trains are local - but it was the same train the entire way to Milan. Same with the previous trip - one train, all the way to Florence from Messina.

It's pretty cool how they load the train onto the ferry... But that adds time to the overall journey... a lot of time (2 hours?)...

There are some flights in/out of Marsala/Trapani... I think Ryan Air and Air Meridian fly out of that small airport... Otherwise you need to look at Catania or Palermo airports.

Hopefully you'll explore Ragusa, Siracusa and Modica when you are staying down south at Marina di Ragusa. Marina di Ragusa is a fun little beach resort town... but Ragusa, Modica, and Siracusa all have amazing baroque buildings... and the greek ruins outside Ortygia in Siracusa are amazing. Taormina is a magical place. Our first trip to Sicily we rented an apartment about 2 blocks off of Corso Umberto... a great spot to do the evening passeggiata.

Can you tell - I love Sicily. Have a great time!
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Old 07-20-2018, 05:43 PM   #37
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On leaving we were gonna drop the car in Catania or Taormina and grab the train to Rome ... as long as we make it by 0900 the next morning we are OK - we know it is long, but wanted some local connection.
Just noticed this. Taormina doesn't have a train station... Although there is one down the hill at Giardino di Naxos. You can taxi to Giardino di Naxos pretty cheaply. Or get a bus to Messina. Taormina is well served by buses... the bus depot is about a block north of the north end of Corso Umberto (which is pedestrian only). I wouldn't want to deal with driving a car *in* Taormina... streets are narrow, windy, and often pedestrian only. But depending on where your hotel is... it might be nice if you plan to do day trips from there.
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Old 07-20-2018, 05:50 PM   #38
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One more thing.... We were given the advice - and it was great advice... for a pleasant side trip. Take a taxi or bus up to Castelmola. It's a small little town just above and east of Taormina. Explore Castelmola then walk back to Taormina. There are lovely paths with beautiful plants/views. Heck of a climb up - but delightful coming down... hence the taxi or bus.

Castelmola: an excursion from Taormina | Italy Heaven
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Old 07-21-2018, 08:28 AM   #39
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Same for car rental. We took the bus down from Taormina to Giardino de Naxo (sp) to pick up the rental car.

We landed in Cantania (we had been there before) and bused directly from the airport to Taormina. We did not see any point in paying for a rental for three days while it was parked. Walked outside the terminal, saw the bus stop, and ten minutes later we were on our way. It is easy for us to do this since we only travel with carry on bags.
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Old 07-21-2018, 09:48 AM   #40
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Same for car rental. We took the bus down from Taormina to Giardino de Naxo (sp) to pick up the rental car.

We landed in Cantania (we had been there before) and bused directly from the airport to Taormina. We did not see any point in paying for a rental for three days while it was parked. Walked outside the terminal, saw the bus stop, and ten minutes later we were on our way. It is easy for us to do this since we only travel with carry on bags.
Except Catania airport may have more car choices and if you want to return the car anywhere other than where you rented it from, it may cost more or there may be more limitations renting from a smaller office than one at the airport.
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