Car hire in Catania

Catania is the Sicily in your pocket and one of the most inviting places you have ever seen. It is Sicily’s second largest city and UNESCO-listed wonder. A home town of composers Vincenzo Bellini and Giovanni Pacini. It’s main square Piazza del Duomo and its symbol-the elephant fountain-is just one of the things you must see when you visit. Beginnings of this lava-built city date back to ancient times, so you’ll have a great opportunity to explore this part of human and nature’s history. On that note, don’t miss Anfiteatro Romano. Most definitely you’ll be fascinated by it.

Catania is located at the foot of the highest functioning volcano in Europe - Mount Etna. You can take a guided tour and explore old lava fields and enter the lava caves to see inside the volcano. If you are more of a wine lover, you can visit one of many wine cellars on the hills surrounding Mount Etna. And last but not least, explore the coastline of Catania. With more than 15 kilometers of golden sandy beach, La Playa is preferred by the locals and tourists. Definitely a must see.

Hire a car at the Catania Fontarossa Airport and drive to all the places you wanted to discover around the island.

With a car hire in Catania, you won’t have any problems. Roads are well maintained, but Italian drivers can be very aggressive. Bear in mind that while driving max BAC level is 0,05%.

• Age limits: 18
• International Driving Permit: yes
• Additional papers: valid ID, valid driving licence
• Additional requirements: warning triangle and a reflective jacket are required.
• Children in the car: In Italy it is illegal for Children under 3 years to sit in the front or rear sits without a proper child seat. Children between 4 and 12 must use a suitable safety restraint seat or an adaptor for a seat belt. There can be exceptions; if there is no available seat, they can use the adult seat belt in the rear if accompanied by another passenger aged over 16.
• Driving side of the road: right
• Lights: You have to have dipped headlights on at all times when driving on the Autostrada.
• General speed limits: Autostrada 130 km/h, highways 110 km/h, open roads 90 km/h, in town 50 km/h
• Parking suggestions: Piazza Duca di Genova,Piazza Manganelli, Largo dell Odeon, Via Paterno Parking, Largo san Vito

Some other places you may want to see when in Catania:

Siracusa: On the south eastern coast lies another interesting old town Siracusa. With a car hire in Catania, it will take you only one hour to get there and see and experience this charming place. Whether or not you love ancient history, Ancient Greek ruins, catacombs and the oldest latomia are breathtaking. There is also a lot for nature lovers to immerse. Sparkling blue sea and lush vegetation of island Ortygia will indulge all of your senses. If you want to see history or travel in time visit ancient world of Siracuse, it will be an unique experience.

Taormina:If you are up for a day trip, you can drive your hired car to Taormina. It’s a very charming town – a bit expensive, but it has something to offer for everybody. Taormina is located 50 km from Catania, and it’s  only a hop away you have Mount Etna. If you’re not up for exploring the volcano, you can visit the Ancient Theater of Taormina or enjoy some natural shade under the trees in Villa Comunale.

Alcantara River Park:For those more adventurous, we recommend visiting Alcantara River Park – one of the most spectacular natural sights in Sicily. With a car hire in Catania, you’ll need about 20 to get there. If you combine this with some Mount Etna’s slopes exploring, you’ll have a wonderful trip. Especially in hot weather, this is the trip to take.

Vendicari Nature Reserve: If you had enough of ancient history and tourists crowds, there is always some fresh air for you at the natural reserve Wildlife Oasis Vendicari. Take your backpacks and go hiking, snorkelling or just enjoying the clear sea. Wilderness of this place is amazing, is it’s a migration point for flamingos which you can see when you’ll beach hop in pursuit of finding the best one. Regarding the astonishing beauty of these beaches, you’ll have some troubles to pick your favourite. You can choose from rocky coastlines, lagoons or simple yet romantic sandy beaches. A car hire in Catania will take you on an hour and 15-minutes drive via E45 Autostrada. After that, take the main Noto-Pachino road and eventually park somewhere and proceed on foot. Take your bathing suits and backpacks and start exploring. You won’t regret it!