Today we are heading to Sicily. The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is a perfect destination, whatever the time of year and will offer you a guaranteed change of scenery. The road trip in Sicily has been part of fashionable travel for a few years. Indeed Sicily is located very close to France but especially in Europe, which facilitates many things such as payments (with the euro) but also, more recently, with compatible mobile plans throughout Europe.
Sicily is an island populated by nearly 5 million inhabitants, distributed in particular in a few large cities such as Palermo, Catania or Messina. Sicily is home to places known all over the world, thanks to their unique history such as Syracuse for example, but also thanks to their nature such as the famous Aeolian Islands, located north of Sicily. You will discover, in this article, all the essentials of Sicily but also advice and circuits for a successful road trip in Sicily.
Getting to Sicily: In which airport in Sicily should I arrive?
Let’s start this article with what will certainly be the first step of your road trip preparation in Sicily: choosing the point of arrival. Indeed Sicily is relatively large and has several airports located in different places on the island. There are 4 international airports in Sicily: Palermo, Trapani, Comiso and Catania. When looking for flights, do not hesitate to compare the price to these different airports. For my part, I use the Skyscanner comparator which allows you to compare the price of plane tickets to different airports.
Palermo Airport
Palermo airport is the most important in Sicily. It is the main hub of communication with the other airports of the island but also of the country. It is located about 30 kilometers from the city of Palermo.
It is possible to reach the city center of Palermo, from the airport, by bus, count about 6€ for 40 minutes, by train, about 55 minutes or of course, by taking a taxi.
Trapani Airport
Trapani is a town located about 100 kilometers west of Palermo. The airport is not very important but saw its attendance explode when the airline Ryanair settled there a few years ago. From the airport, reach the city center by bus for less than 3 euros one way. 15 kilometers separate Trapani airport from the city center.
Catania Airport
Catania airport: Fontanarossa is located less than ten kilometers from the city center of Catania. Along with Palermo, Catania airport is one of the best served in Sicily. From Catania airport it is very easy to reach the city center, either by bus or by taxi. Buses run all day from 5 am to midnight. The price of the bus journey is around 1€. They pass every 20 minutes. By taxi, count between 15 and 30 minutes to reach the city center and around 15 to 20€ depending on the time of day.
Comiso Airport
Sicily’s last international airport, the brand new airport of Comiso. Located about 15 km from the city of Ragusa. The airport offers the most central position on the island but is located relatively far from the main places of interest on the island. It is particularly served by low-cost companies. Transport companies make the connection with the city of Comiso but also other more distant cities such as Catania.
Which airport to choose?
To conclude on the “airport” part, your choice will depend on several criteria, first of all on your itinerary but also of course on the prices. The airports of Palermo and Catania will often prove to be the most practical due to their position and their proximity to large cities, but the smaller airports such as Trapani and Comiso will have the particularity of offering, in general, more affordable prices. If you plan to rent a car when you arrive, then these “secondary” airports can still be a good choice. If you want to travel by bus, for example, or stay in one or two major cities in Sicily for day trips, then it will be wiser to choose the “big” airports on the island of Palermo and Catania.
Find a flight to Sicily at the best price
The main companies reaching Sicily and offering discounted tickets are Ryanair, Volotea, Transavia, Vueling or Easy Jet.These companies depart from the main cities of France such as Paris (Orly or Beauvais), Lyon, Nantes or Marseille.To find the best prices, do not hesitate to compare with Skyscanner.