Are there visa requirements for visitors to Italy?
There aren't any particular requirements for citizens of European Union nations. Citizens of Japan and most English-speaking nations (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States) in possession of valid passports can stay in Italy for up to 90 days without a visa. Contact your nearest Italian consulate if you have questions or would like to stay longer, or to find out if your country is currently in the visa-waiver programme.
What about driving license requirements?
Though foreign licenses are usually honored at car rental agencies and by the government, you should obtain an international permit (a supplementary document obtainable from automobile clubs) if your license is not issued by an EU nation. Nobody under 18 years of age may drive a car in Italy, even if he or she holds a valid license in another country.
What are driving conditions like in Sicily?
In certain cities, such as Palermo and Catania, they can be challenging for those unaccustomed to chaos. Many motorists are careless, and often downright disrespectful of the rights of those with whom they share the streets. Some roads, especially those in and around Palermo, are not suitable to the large volume of traffic they must accommodate during the busiest hours. In Palermo, the worst times are from 8 to 9 weekday mornings, and from 1 to 2 in the afternoons. Saturday evenings between 7 and 9 also have heavy traffic. Catania, Messina and other cities may also be choked by traffic during these hours, though the situation at Palermo is far worse.
Is it easy to use the Palermo and Catania airports?
While you probably won't get lost at either one, it's good to keep a few things in mind. Your baggage will have to be checked at customs if it hasn't yet been inspected and you're arriving from a non-EC country. A simple matter, but first you have to find your luggage, which will arrive in the international baggage claim area, not the baggage carousel assigned to your domestic connecting flight from Rome or Milan. So if your baggage was "checked through" directly from New York, Toronto or Sydney, and you haven't seen it since then, you will have to claim it in the international area, which is clearly indicated. Catania's Filippo Eredia (Fontanarossa) airport is a new facility, expanded in 2007.
In the event that your bags aren't found in either claims area, it is possible that they'll arrive with the next flight if you flew with Alitalia from Rome or Milan. If the next scheduled flight arrives only an hour after yours, it's probably worth waiting to see if your bags arrive with it before going on to Palermo or Catania.
Owing largely to their small size, Sicily's airports are quite efficient. In addition to those at Palermo and Catania, there is a smaller airport at Trapani which is becoming more and more popular with the introduction of Ryan Air flights flights from the U.K, with flights to Palermo , Lampedusa and Pantelleria. The airport of Reggio di Calabria (on the other side of the Strait of Messina) has flights for Rome and Milan.
What's the best way to travel within Sicily?
That depends on where you're going, what you plan on doing, and how much time you have. You may wish to make use of trains or buses for some trips and a rental car for others.
For local (city) buses, you'll have to purchase a fare ticket which must be stamped in a machine when you board. Newsagents, tobacco vendors, and even some bars, sell these tickets for around €1.00 each, and they're valid for 60-90 minutes from the time they're stamped. Boarding a local bus without a ticket could earn you an immediate €50.00 fine, and some ticket inspectors, especially in Palermo, are not distinguished for their tact or diplomacy. (They get a bonus commission for each fine collected.)
Another important note on local practices: You must be at a bus stop to get the bus, of course, but then you must waive to indicate to the bus driver to stop to allow you to board. Otherwise, the bus will pass you by.
How's the taxi service in town?
It's not bad, though it's never cheap and costs even more after 8 in the evening. The problem for foreigners is that many Sicilian taxi drivers, though congenial, might not be characterized as scrupulously sincere. They may overcharge you if they realize that you don't understand Italian well. As we said earlier, it's always best to establish the price before getting in the taxi. Incidentally, the same principle applies to Palermo's horse carriage drivers.
Unlike their counterparts in London or New York, the taxi drivers here will not stop for you along the street unless you are at a 'taxi stand' (at the airports, train stations or in principal squares or larger hotels).
What are prices like?
For a three to four star hotel expect to pay in the region of €80.00 per night for a single room. Meals don't usually cost much in Sicily compared to other regions of Italy; it's possible to order a good seafood meal for €25.00 and a delicious pizza for €9.00. There are some ironies, however. For example, there are pizzerias where beer (either bottled or on tap) costs almost as much as the pizza. Resort areas like Taormina are understandably more expensive than other places. The advantage of larger cities like Palermo and Catania is that they offer a wider range of prices. Gas (petrol) is expensive but public transportation is inexpensive compared to Germany, the US and the UK, although it must be said that Italian train service is not as efficient as what you'll find in those countries.
Is it easy to get ripped off in restaurants and other establishments?
Fortunately, this doesn't happen as often as visitors seem to expect. In restaurants, however, it's sometimes best to order from a written menu, where prices are indicated, instead of ordering from a "verbal" menu that a waiter has described. This isn't always practical because some restaurants (especially better ones) change menus daily and don't bother writing them out --though by law they're required to. Remember that a nominal "cover" charge (coperto) is usually added to the price. In stores that don't clearly indicate prices of merchandise on display, don't be shy about asking how much an item costs. Simply point to it and ask "Quanto costa?"
What should I wear?
Despite what you may have heard, it does occasionally rain and snow in Sicily, and it's cool on Mount Etna even during the Summer months. Apart from this, keep in mind that it's a good idea to wear comfortable shoes because it's inevitable that you'll be doing a lot of walking. There are a few other points to keep in mind. Italian adults don't usually wear white running or exercise shoes (sneakers) outside the gym; American visitors to Italy are often identifiable by the large white sneakers they wear. Women should not wear shorts, or even sleeveless blouses, when they enter Italian churches. (In Italy, men rarely wear short pants.) You may notice that, in general, Italians dress slightly more formally than Americans and North Europeans, though they have some peculiarities of their own which are common enough to represent conformity. (Examples are the unchanging style of young men wearing blue blazers with jeans, young women wearing black miniskirts with black stockings, and older widows wearing black.) Topless bathing is permitted on Italian beaches, but very few Italian girls go topless on beaches near their homes, reserving this habit for their trips abroad; most of the topless sunbathers in Sicily are foreigners from northern Europe.
Will communication be difficult?
If you don't speak Italian, but plan on traveling by yourself or with a small group that won't include an Italian speaker, we suggest learning at least a few Italian words and phrases before you arrive. This will come in handy in more remote parts of Sicily. Even in Palermo and Catania, there aren't many people who speak English, but enough of the folks in airports, hotels and restaurants understand it well enough to make basic transactions go smoothly. Even if you do speak Italian, you might not understand everything the Sicilians are saying to each other, since they may be speaking the local dialect (actually a distinct language), but they all speak Italian.
What are restaurant, store and museum hours like?
Hours vary greatly from place to place. The most annoying aspect about Sicilian hours, compared to those in Milan and a few other northern cities, is the three-hour afternoon break from 1 till 4, when almost everything is closed except for a few restaurants. Early evening closings are another fact of life here; don't expect to find a supermarket open after 8 PM. Most pharmacies are also closed at night, though a few in each quarter have night schedules to accommodate emergencies. In August, many stores are closed in the afternoons, and some are closed altogether for at least two weeks in the middle August (Ferragosto).
In general, principal archaeological sites are open from 9-12 AM and 4-7 PM Monday through Friday, and 9-12 AM Saturday; summer hours may be longer. Museums are open from 9-1 Tuesday through Saturday, and some weekday afternoons. Some are closed Mondays. Many (but not all) churches are open in the morning from 8 till 12, and some are open after 4 PM. Most shops are closed Monday morning and all day Sunday but open 9-1 and again 4-7:30 on other days, including Saturdays. Museums and archeological sites may charge as much as €12.00 for admission. Certain parts of sites belonging to the Catholic Church may also charge an admission, not to enter the church itself but for entry to a museum or cloister.
Restaurants such as pizzerias are open evenings from around 8 Tuesday through Saturday; many are closed Sunday and Monday. Some restaurants are open for lunch, too, usually from around 12:30 or 1:00. Don't expect to find pizza served at lunchtime, and don't expect to find too many all-night restaurants in Sicily.
Where's the best shopping?
In general, we recommend that you purchase souvenirs and craft items, such as ceramics, at shops that specialise in the manufacture of these objects. A souvenir shop or stand that sells everything from porcelain to ceramics to medieval-style marionettes is not likely to have the selection and quality of items available from specialty shops that make the wares they sell. That said, there are some shops at Taormina and Monreale which retail the products of various manufacturers and offer a good choice of items.
The specialty guideline also applies to fashion items. A leather shop, even if it is not large, will offer a better choice and quality of merchandise than a department store that sells various items, though department stores in Italy are not very large. So it's best to buy things like silks (neckties, scarves) and leathers (belts, purses) at specialty shops. In fact, specialty shops are the norm in Italy, whatever you're looking for, and the prices are usually fair.
How much time should I plan to spend in Sicily?
That obviously depends on what you want to see or do while you're here, but here are some general guidelines. Let's say that you're interested in a general "tour" of some major sights and cities (Palermo, Cefalù, Etna, Siracusa, Agrigento, etc.). If you're driving, eight days would be sufficient; if you're traveling by train (and occasionally bus), you might want to add a few more days. Palermo is the only city whose sights usually require more than a day to see (we recommend at least two). On the other hand, if you want to spend some time at the beaches, or just take more time to visit places at a more leisurely pace, two weeks would be good. Of course, there are those who prefer to spend an entire "season" in Sicily by renting a seaside villa for three or four weeks. A great idea, but remember that Sicily is usually quite hot during July and August, and that some beaches are particularly crowded in August, when most Italians go on holiday en masse.
