MFNYC

We will be in SIcily May '24. Plan on renting a car for a few days. We plan to pick it up in Palermo (in town, not airport) and return it in Siracusa. I currently have booked a car with Budget that I can cancel, but then read horror stories about the budget office in Palermo. Most of the complaints were either long waits at pickup, being charged much more than what was booked or being charged for damages. When I booked it, it seemed to have the best deal by about $100. I booked through Priceline, not direct as it was a better deal. The office opens at 9am. which is when we'd aim to get there so hopefully would beat the crowds. The stories on the Siracusa end weren't as brutal. I am willing to pay more for peace of mind.

Any car rental companies to recommend or avoid? We want an automatic, and figured on getting the insurance. Also our return is a Monday morning, but we'd prefer to be able to bring it back Sunday late afternoon. I know the offices are closed on Sundays, but hoping for a location where we can bring the car back and drop the key in the box kind of thing.

Previous Europe trips we've primarily rented from the typical American companies (Avis, Budget, Hertz, etc), and never had any issues. Most recently we used a highly recommended local company in Greece that worked out great, at a fraction of the price.

HappyTrvlr

We always book through AutoEurope as they will stand behind you. We have used them on trips abroad including Sicily for more than 20 years.