English
Italiano This will probably be the last post about Sicily, the island that unexpectedly surprised me with its many wonders and stole my heart.
And in it, I want to include some random “on the road” pictures, both by car and by coach, together with some advices on how to discover this island with either of the two means.
BY COACH
Discover Sicily by coach is possible, and cheap. Sometimes can be a bit knotty though, this is why we chose to rent a car for certain excursions, but overall, it’s absolutely possible.
We found connections from Trapani to San Vito lo Capo and from San Vito lo Capo to Palermo by coach.
Check the itineraries and time tables at AST (from and to Trapani) and Russo (from and to Palermo).
Why we liked it
As said it’s cheap. A ticket to San Vito lo Capo from Trapani airport was something like 15 EUR (you have to take two busses not one) and the one from San Vito to Palermo was about 9 EUR.
If you are not so much into driving, and like to be comfortably taken to places while sitting, relaxing and enjoying the view, then the coach is definitely for you.
Once at destination, you can join some other organized excursions, either by the tour operator’s means, by quad or by boat, so you don’t need a car to reach the places of interest.
Why we disliked it
Italy is really a pain in the *** when it comes to public transportations.
Coach connections are few, and not well organized.
To get to San Vito lo Capo from Trapani airport we waited for hours for a non-existent coach, just because the timetable wasn’t clear: we (together with the other tourists) then discovered we had to first catch the coach to Trapani centre and then from Trapani centre to San Vito.
The coach stops are very vague: we were told by the first coach driver to wait by a random point instead of by the designated stop because “usually the driver stops over here” so this translated in us splitting and waiting each by one point stopping all the coaches that were coming just in case it was ours.
Furthermore to get to some areas, as Zingaro Nature Reserve for example, there are no direct connections from Trapani or Palermo.
First you have to take the coach to Castellammare del Golfo, and then from there get another coach to the Nature Reserve.
Not a problem, but having a look at the few connections that there are during the day, it can be not so comfortable to sit all day around either in a coach or waiting for it.
Sicily by coach
BY CAR
I’m a road trip maniac so traveling by car is always a good idea if you’d ask me.
You feel the freedom in our hands, with your steering wheel, and you have it in front of you, the open road.
It’s an unbeatable feeling and it’s highly addictive.
Traveling by car unfortunately most of the times is more expensive, but honestly I like to pay for things that are worth.
How to rent a car in Italy
I would strongly advise to book the car in advance, especially if you are landing in some detached destination such as Trapani. The risk of finding no car is high. Actually it happened to us even in Palermo, so book your car!
As in any other country you have to have valid driving license (if you’re not from EU it’s highly probable that you need also the international driving license, check it with your local DMV) an ID or passport, and a valid credit card.
I also advise to buy the limitless insurance, I always do it, but I would advise to do it especially when renting a car in Southern Italy, where people are a bit dodgy.
I was driving a Mustang in USA, I had to drive a Fiat in Italy 😉
and as you can see appartently there are even some additional means of transportation
on which you may rely 
so long Sicily!
Sicilian tales have come to an end for now.
This island fascinated me so much that I’m seriously thinking of coming back next year, to visit the Etna volcano, and the many islands.
Which was your favorite part?
Have you ever been in Sicily?
Did you discover it by car or coach?
è sempre bello vedere che le persone apprezzano la mia Sicilia 😀 buona giornata Pam 😀
Grazie Debora!
la tua Sicilia è spettacolare non vedo l’ora di poterci tornare!!
Haven’t we seen this scene before????A warm, late aortenofn. Somewhere atop a Sicilian hillside .. (mumble, mumble) So, ( mumble ) Don Vito, you come-a ta me, bearing MY name and theesa poor young woman, she’s-a bearing you child? (mumble ) And-a just-a what am I supposed-a ta do, Don Vito? ( mumble ) I’m-a ask-a you eena all sincerity You theenk I am like-a da Beeshop? No, no! Don Vito. Mi scusi! Deesa Beeshop, heeza molto upsetta already. I tell him, Don Vito, I tell him: Non intendevo questo! ( I didn’t mean it! ) Heeza nice guy anna he tella me, Too late, padre. Too late. You gotta youself a bambino! And-a now, I gotta beega headache!’ He tella me ta come-a to see you! Godfather, what can I do? (mumble, mumble) Ah dunno, Don Vito, Ah dunno! Ah’m-a supposed ta come-a to you weeth-a my sins and you’s-a come-a to ME? You go home. (mumble, mumble) I theenk. Come-a back next Tuesday. We talk, then. Grazie mille, Don Corleone! Grazie mille. The darkened room lit up as Tom escorted the disgraced priest to the door and opened it for him. Outside, a number of local elders were awaiting their turn to pay their respects. As one, their faces turned away as the younger Don Vito exited his namesake’s office. Only glances were exchanged. The matter was beyond words. It would not be mentioned, again.Tom closed the mahogany door slowly, watching the man whose ordination he and the family attended not so very long ago shuffle away, head bowed, audibly sobbing. Before shutting it completely, the American lawyer peered over at Luigi, senior among the little throng. Hats in their hands, they sat scattered among the ornate armchairs in the bright, sky-lighted foyer. Tom raised his hand to indicate to the retired tile maker that it would be just a moment and that he would be next to be admitted.Then, the consigliere approached his employer. Thoughtful creases near his eyes lifting slightly as he did so, he pointed to the phone on the Don’s antique desk. I’ve taken the liberty, Godfather, of contacting our man in Rome. This priest will be taken care of. The woman and her child will be well provided for by a family outside Salerno. They have done these things for us before. The priest? Well, he will likely be taken to Stockholm and indoctrinated in English and the customs of the Americans. Then, probably in a year or so, he will be relocated to Washington and assume a highly sensitive position within the bishops’ conference there. Vito Corleone only stared at the leather blotter before him, placing both hands on it before returning Tom’s glance. Then his eyes returned to his desk top.A moment of utter stillness ensued while neither man moved. Then, slowly, the Don pushed himself back from the desk, swiveled his chair until the back of it faced his legal advisor. Another pause followed before he whispered, Bene. Tom moved to the door to call Luigi.