By Car

By Car

This is the ideal way to explore Sicily. Modern highways circle and bisect the island, making all main cities easily reachable. A20 connects Messina and Palermo; Messina and Catania are linked by A18; running through the interior, from Catania to west of Cefalù, is A19; threading west from Palermo, A29 runs to Trapani and the airport, with a leg stretching down to Mazara del Vallo. The superstrada (highway) SS115 runs along the southern coast, and connecting superstrade lace the island.

You will likely hear stories about the dangers of driving in Sicily. Some are true, and others less so. In the big cities—especially Palermo, Catania, and Messina—streets are a honking mess, with lane markings and traffic lights taken as mere suggestions; you can avoid the chaos by leaving your car in a garage. However, once outside the urban areas and resort towns, the highways and regional state roads are a driving enthusiast's dream—they're winding, sparsely populated, and well maintained, and around most bends there's a striking new view.