Sicily: travelling around the island
Jul 21st, 2013, 04:33 PM
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Sicily: travelling around the island
Hi I am travelling to Sicily in October for a week and will be staying in Cefalu. We plan on hiring a car for at least some of the days as I have read that the transport links other than to Palermo are not all that great. Just wondering if it is awkward to do trips other than Palermo from Cefalu and also is the driving as bad as some people say it is or will it be slightly better driving considering October is not the full tourist season Also, any recommended trips from Cefalu are welcome either by public transport or car. Scenic places and towns and we dont mind driving distances either. 
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Jul 22nd, 2013, 03:36 AM
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Jul 22nd, 2013, 04:58 AM
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Thank you very much for your reply but my question was based o n the fact that I will be staying in Cefalu for the week and not sure of transport links from here so was wondering would a car be better for a couple of days if only for the further trips around the Island.
Jul 22nd, 2013, 05:39 AM
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Rent a car. We spent 2 weeks in Sicily 2 years ago and had a car the entire time. We picked it up as we were leaving Palermo (we loved Palermo!) and drove around the entire island with no problem.
Not everyone agrees with us but when you have a car, you can come and go on your schedule. We also rarely have hotel rooms booked in advance - again, not for everyone.
Not everyone agrees with us but when you have a car, you can come and go on your schedule. We also rarely have hotel rooms booked in advance - again, not for everyone.
Jul 22nd, 2013, 05:48 AM
#6
If you want to use some public transport, these two threads might help.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...sportation.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...hern-route.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...sportation.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...hern-route.cfm
Jul 22nd, 2013, 06:52 AM
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I think it is a very good idea to rent a car part of the time.
The problem with driving in Sicily is not crowds or traffic jams, but that Sicilians tend to do exactly the opposite of "defensive" driving. They tend to drive with the idea that seizing available free space is the way to go, and they expect you to do the same. So if you drive "carefully" (since you don't know where you are going), you can expect Sicilians to zoom around you, cut in front of you, pressure you by tailgating until you speed up.
Also, on country roads, most Sicilians will not tolerate being stuck behind a truck or bus, so they will pass and overtake frequently, often in risky situations. So when you are driving on 2-lane highways, you have to stay very alert to oncoming cars swerving out into into your lane to pass another car. Also, if you don't drive as fast as those behind you like, they will cut around your car with very narrow margins to pass.
Personally, I wouldn't go to Sicily without renting a car. But I would also plan my driving so that I wasn't doing long trips without breaks. After 2 hours behind the wheel in Sicily, I'm ready to get out of the car and not get back in any time soon.
This of course varies, and I have taken drives and roads in Sicily where I might as well have been in Tuscany, it was easy and pastoral. But other times, it was tiring. So my advice is rent the car but don't overdo the driving and distances.
The problem with driving in Sicily is not crowds or traffic jams, but that Sicilians tend to do exactly the opposite of "defensive" driving. They tend to drive with the idea that seizing available free space is the way to go, and they expect you to do the same. So if you drive "carefully" (since you don't know where you are going), you can expect Sicilians to zoom around you, cut in front of you, pressure you by tailgating until you speed up.
Also, on country roads, most Sicilians will not tolerate being stuck behind a truck or bus, so they will pass and overtake frequently, often in risky situations. So when you are driving on 2-lane highways, you have to stay very alert to oncoming cars swerving out into into your lane to pass another car. Also, if you don't drive as fast as those behind you like, they will cut around your car with very narrow margins to pass.
Personally, I wouldn't go to Sicily without renting a car. But I would also plan my driving so that I wasn't doing long trips without breaks. After 2 hours behind the wheel in Sicily, I'm ready to get out of the car and not get back in any time soon.
This of course varies, and I have taken drives and roads in Sicily where I might as well have been in Tuscany, it was easy and pastoral. But other times, it was tiring. So my advice is rent the car but don't overdo the driving and distances.
Jul 22nd, 2013, 06:58 AM
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Yeah, it's not the tourists driving in Sicily that are the problem, it's the Sicilians. They'll still be there in October.
But car is definitely the way to get around in Sicily; there's much you'd miss if you rely on buses and trains. The roads are good, and not very busy outside cities and towns.
Is there a particular reason you're staying in Cefalu?
But car is definitely the way to get around in Sicily; there's much you'd miss if you rely on buses and trains. The roads are good, and not very busy outside cities and towns.
Is there a particular reason you're staying in Cefalu?
Jul 22nd, 2013, 07:14 AM
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Hi thanks everyone for the replies. So helpful in helping me make my choice. I have done a lot of research about all the towns etc also looking at accommodation and for some reason I just fell in love with Cefalu. Some people recommended it as a base depending where I want to visit, others not. I don,t mind driving distances a couple of days during the trip to visit places which would be maybe a couple of hours drive. Also, the train is a handy distance for Palermo and maybe the bus for eastward journeys? then the car to travel further a field once or twice (or maybe even for the whole week).
Thanks again everyone
Thanks again everyone
