Rent a car in Palermo and you'll discover a whole different side to the beautiful island of Sicily. Driving along windswept coastlines and villages allows you to experience the true essence of Sicily. The best thing about hiring a car in Sicily is that you can explore the island at a pace that suits you. The following is a guide to the island and how best to spend your time there.



Palermo Mini Guide:

Palermo Airport is situated 32km outside of the city of Palermo. The airport offers a range of facilities and services including banks, ATMs and a foreign exchange for those last minute euros. The airport serves a number of airlines including Alitalia, Air Malta and budget airline Ryanair.

Things To See/Do in Palermo:

Palermo is the capital of the Italian island of Sicily. The city centre is a good place to make a walking tour and offers a range of cultural and architectural attractions including Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Cassa di Risparmio and the church of La Martorana. The cathedral of Monreale, which dates back to 1185, is another historical gem, definitely worth a visit, as well as the fabulous Baroque architecture of the Quattro Canti.

The island of Sicily offers plenty of car hire touring opportunities. Five miles outside of the city centre is the medieval city of Monreale, which boasts a Norman cathedral and mosaics dating back to 1185. This historical gem is definitely worth a visit. Sicily is famous for its beautiful beaches, most of which are within a short drive of the city. A recommended Palermo car hire excursion is the coastal resort of Mondello Bay. Located just a seven-mile drive from the city, picturesque Mondello offers a beautiful sandy beach, perfect for sun holiday activities including swimming, sailing and sun worshipping.

Eating Out/Nightlife/Accommodation in Palermo:

Eating out in Sicily is relatively cheap, given the variety of local produce in the area. Local specialities include Pasta con le Sarde-pasta with sardines and wild fennel and pesce spada alla ghiotta-swordfish cooked in onion and tomato sauce.

Cheap local eats can be sampled at rustic restaurants including Trattoria Trapani, located at piazza Giulio Cesare, where diners are guaranteed to pay less for a typical Sicilian meal of squid, pasta and a carafe of local wine.

Those looking for lunch with a view should look no further than Piazza Marina, where good quality seafood restaurants are to be found dotted along the Marina.

Nightlife in Palermo ranges from discos, bars, nightclubs and caf's. However, much of the after dark action in the city takes place on the main town squares of Piazza Castelnuovo, and Piazzo Verdi.

Palermo offers a range of accommodation to suit any budget and needs. If its luxury you're after, check-in to The Centrala Palace Hotel, a hotel that offers high quality accommodation, with rates starting at ?160 to ?224. Plenty of cheap budget options are easy to find too-examples include: Orientale, which has a central location at via Maqueda and offers low cost room rates with pretty balconies.