Car hire in Palermo
1 office in Palermo · airport pick-up · Italy
Palermo distils centuries of rulers into its streets: the Arab-Norman mosaics of the Palatine Chapel, markets like Ballarò that sound like a souk, neoclassical theatres and street food with a character all of its own. It is the capital of western Sicily and the logical starting point for a tour of that half of the island — the less travelled and perhaps the most authentic.
Palermo's airport, at Punta Raisi, lies around 35 minutes from the centre, already facing the west coast. Collecting your car there makes complete sense: Sicily is big, the regional trains are slow, and the places that justify the trip — Greek temples, salt pans, nature reserves — unfold far from the railway lines.
Search cars in PalermoWhy hire a car in Palermo
- From Palermo airport you head straight out on the A29 towards the west of the island, without touching the capital's traffic.
- The great sites of Segesta and Selinunte and the Zingaro nature reserve have no reasonable public transport access.
- With a car you can base yourself in the city and make star-shaped day trips, or link up a full circuit of western Sicily.
Day trips near Palermo
- Cefalù — A medieval village beneath an imposing rock, with a Norman cathedral and a sandy town beach, around 1 hour away via the A20 to the east.
- Monreale — The cathedral and its golden mosaics overlooking the Palermo plain, one of the high points of Norman art, around 25 minutes from the centre.
- Segesta and Erice — A solitary Greek temple among the hills and, further on, a walled medieval village high on the mountain, around 45 minutes away via the A29.
- San Vito Lo Capo and Lo Zingaro — A pale sandy beach beneath a headland, plus the unspoilt coves of the Zingaro reserve, around 1 hour 20 minutes away.
Where to pick up your car
- Aeropuerto de Palermo
Final prices in euros · book without paying · free cancellation up to 72 h before.
Frequently asked questions
What's it like to drive in Palermo?
City-centre traffic is chaotic and there are ZTL zones: the sensible approach is to park in a supervised car park and get around on foot. Once you're out on the A29 or A20 motorways, driving in Sicily is easy and relaxed.
How many days do I need for western Sicily?
With four or five days you can cover Palermo, Monreale, Cefalù, Segesta, Erice and the Trapani salt pans without rushing. If you add Agrigento and its Valley of the Temples, ~2 h away, allow a week.
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