It’s a good idea to choose the airport nearest the area the property you booked with intoSicily is in. Generally it’s best to fly into Palermo or Trapani if you have booked a property in the provinces of Palermo, Trapani or Agrigento. For destinations in the remaining provinces, it’s best to fly to Catania. Following this plan, you should spend no more than two hours in the car from the airport to the property.

This link lists companies that fly to Catania.
This link lists companies that fly to Palermo.

Palermo and Trapani are Ryanair destinations. Ryanair has direct flights from London Stansted to Palermo and from Birmingham and Dublin to Trapani.

Follow these links for information on ferries to Palermo and Catania.

Many travellers choose the flexibility and autonomy of a car when exploring Sicily. For those who don’t wish to drive, there may be the possibility of a transfer. If this service is available, its cost will be indicated on the individual property page. Taxis are also available from the airport. If you wish to take public transport, it would be a good idea to find out from intoSicily beforehand how far the property is from the nearest train station or bus stop.

This link provides a list of car rental companies at Catania airport.
This link provides a list of car rental companies at Palermo airport.

We focus on Sicily, but on Holiday-Rentals.co.uk you will probably find nice Italian properties.

Spring and Autumn
The temperature is usually between 20 and 30 degrees. These two seasons are ideal for enjoying everything the island has to offer: sun, sea, nature and culture. Easter is a wonderful time to visit Sicily. Sicilians often take their first dip in the sea at Easter and it is also a sacred time in which traditional religious processions can be seen.

Summer
Temperatures are often above 30 degrees and sometimes reach 40 degrees. Even so, life is good in the areas close to the coast. The busiest time is, of course, August, which can be a little chaotic. July and September are more suited to the traveller who likes to holiday in a less crowded period. The summer often extends into October, a month famous for its ‘sagre’ (local festivals that celebrate local produce such as wine and cheese) and a month in which you can enjoy a swim in the sea, still warm from the summer’s heat!

Winter
The sun shines in Sicily even in winter and the sky is incredibly blue. Temperatures average between 10 and 20 degrees. Believe it or not, on some glorious days in winter, it’s even possible to ski the frozen slopes in the morning enjoying a wonderful panoramic view of the Mediterranean, and then go and sunbathe on the beaches below the same afternoon! It’s an extraordinary sensation!

Transports
There are four motorways: Palermo-Messina, Palermo-Mazara del Vallo, Palermo-Catania and Catania-Messina. The local roads are full of bends and tend to be poorly (if at all) lit. Many Italian drivers drive at high speed and like to hoot the horn a lot.

The most efficient means of public transport is the bus. Buses that are frequent, punctual and fast connect all of the cities. The railway system is best described as undeveloped – a train journey from Trapani to Catania can last up to 8 hours, while the same trip in a car lasts about 3 ½ hours!

Money
Prices are generally lower than those in central or north Italy. Restaurants and shops accept all major credit cards. ATM machines are found both in big cities and smaller urban centres, however, in smaller towns they are often out of service on Sundays. Banks are usually open Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 13.00 while Post Offices are open until 18.00.

Water
Usually tap water is suitable for drinking, nevertheless it is advisable to buy bottled water - in fact, the majority of Sicilians don’t drink tap water at all.
 
Electricity
220-230 W. 220-230 Watts. Electric sockets normally conform with the European standard, nevertheless, an adaptor is sometimes necessary.   
 
Local people
Sicilians are often described as hospitable and friendly. If you should happen to have a car breakdown or flat tyre a passer-by will probably stop to help and, if necessary, give you a lift to your destination. They would be highly offended at any offer on your part of monetary compensation!

Shopping
Shops are open from Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 13.00 and from 16.00 to 20.00. In the summer the afternoon opening hours change to 17.00 and consequently they close at 20.30.

Beaches
- Where are the nicest beaches?
Each province has it own beautiful beaches. There are different types of beach; many are sandy, others are pebbled and some are just sun platforms constructed above the rocks especially for sunbathing and swimming. From June to September many beaches offer services such as showers, dressing rooms, deck chairs, bars and restaurants. In the table below there is information about some of these beaches. Natural beaches don’t offer these services but are often more beautiful because they are unspoilt. They can sometimes difficult to find, but it’s a good idea to ask locally..

Province	Name of beach	Location	Distance from	Type of beach
Siracusa	Lido di Noto	Marina di Noto	Noto 10 km	Sand
	Fontane bianche	Cassibile	Syracuse 10 km	Sand
	Spiaggia Calamosche	Coast reserve Vendicari	Marzamemi 2 km	Sand
Catania	La Playa	Catania south	Catania 1 km	Sand
	I Ciclopi	Aci Trezza	Catania 10 km	Wooden platform / Rocks
	Santa Maria La Scala	Santa Maria La Scala	Acireale 2 km	Pebbled beach
	Pozzillo	Pozzillo	Acireale 5 km	Wooden platform / Rocks
	San Marco	Calatabiano	Taormina 10 km	Pebbled beach
Messina	Isola Bella	Taormina	Taormina 0 km	Pebbled beach
	Giardini Naxos	Giardini Naxos	Taormina 5 km	Sand
	Letoianni	Letoianni	Taormina 5 km	Pebbled beach
Palermo	Mondello	Mondello	Palermo 2 km	Sand
Trapani	Riserva dello Zingaro (natuurreservaat)	Scopello San Vito Lo Capo	Palermo 70 km Trapani 40 km	Pebbled beach
Agrigento	Eraclea Minoa	Cattolica Eraclea	Porto Empedocle 30 km	Sand
	Scala dei Turchi	Porto Empedocle	Porto Empedocle 1 km	Sand
Ragusa	Marina di Ragusa	Marina di Ragusa	Ragusa 26 km	Sand
	Sampieri	Sampieri	Modica 15 km	Sand