Sicily in an RV: 6 things to know before you leave
If you have decided to leave for Sicily in an RV, the next step you need to take is to make the best arrangements for your own trip! Therefore, we thought of making a comprehensive guide where we list The 6 things to know before setting off for Sicily on our four-wheeled vehicle.
Six things to know about setting off in an RV in Sicily
When traveling to a new destination, it becomes essential to document in advance and manage the logistical aspects in detail, planning stops, roads, places to visit and places to avoid. Especially when traveling in an RV.
1- How to get to Sicily by motorhome
Getting to Sicily by RV is very easy. Simply identify, among the various Italian regions, the ports of departure/arrival and Choose those most convenient to reach.
The main ones are located in Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples, Cagliari, Reggio Calabria and Villa San Giovanni. Those where you disembark instead are Trapani, Palermo, Marsala, Milazzo, Messina, Taormina Tremestieri, Termini Imerese, Catania, and Augusta.
Navigation times clearly vary according to the distance between each other. The shipping companies that operate connections to Sicily are Grimaldi Lines, Tirrenia, Siremar, Corsica Ferries, Caronte, Snav, and Gnv (Grandi Navi Veloci).
The easiest way to check availability and rates is to browse the comparison sites. They all tend to require you to fill out the reservation form indicating: type of route (whether round trip or just one) number of passengers, age (if there are children) port of departure, port of arrival, and, if traveling in an RV, also type of model and size of vehicle.
Ship or ferry from Villa San Giovanni
One of the best sites where to book ship or ferry from Villa San Giovanni is Bluferries (Italian State Railways). Not everyone is familiar with it and knows that in the market it represents one of the more competitive solutions. Those who book through the Bluferries will not only find great prices but also very few lines at boarding, which especially in summer is not bad at all!
Last but not least is that, traveling with Bluferries, you will be able to disembark not only at the port of Messina, but also at the port of Tremestieri (near Taormina); this will give a way to save gasoline, miles and time.
2 – Ideal season to visit Sicily
There is no more suitable season to visit Sicily. Obviously, being a land of the sea, it is more common to reach it in the warm months. But also as destination for wintering is not bad at all: less chaotic, you can get around better, and as for cold weather, the climate is obviously not so harsh but enjoys relatively mild temperatures from December to February. Precipitation is not too excessive and severe cold is sporadic.
Then there are autumn and spring, two warm and sunny seasons, perfect for making a super trip. During these two periods tourism is usually present but not intrusive, and one can engage in excursions that might be too limiting in summer.
In addition to strolling by the sea and relaxing to the sound of the waves, you can visit villages, nature parks, museums and art cities. Some pearls overlook the sea, others are located inland.
Summertime Of course, beaches will be the absolute stars along with bays, coves and islands. The warm season lends itself well to boat trips, catamaran tours, exploring the beautiful crystal clear waters of the coast. If these are the pros of a summer vacation in an RV, the cons might be the difficulties of free parking and sometimes very hot days that perhaps require shade and air conditioning.
3 – Useful apps for those traveling in Sicily.
In another article, also on the Magna Sicilia blog, we have already talked about the useful apps For traveling in an RV. Of course, there are also useful ones about Sicily-for example, to find parking lots and rest areas plus, order lunches or dinners to go, download historical and artistic guides.
Socialfood.com
Socialfood is a free app, available on the App store and Google Play, that allows people to order a gourmet lunch or dinner at home, choosing from the best Sicilian restaurants. The service operates in major cities.
To choose and order with Socialfood is simple. You geolocate yourself, choose the venue, consult the menu and save your credit card. Once the purchase is made you can track the order by following the progress of the delivery rider in real time.
Minube
Minube is a compatible application for Ios and Android. It was created to give inspiration to travelers thanks mainly to recommendations and experiences of other people. Downloading Minube it is possible to relive the emotions of a trip, rearrange photos, videos, dates and locations visited, and trace old routes traveled. In the planning phase, however, it allows you to locate the best restaurants to eat at, the most beautiful places to visit-all via map.
Archaeological Sicily
Archaeological Sicily
is an application that allows you to view all the archaeological sites in this region, understand how to visit and how to purchase tickets.
4 – Parking areas in Sicily
Is exploring Sicily in an RV easy? Find free or equipped rest areas instead?
The answer is yes: experiencing Sicily in an RV is feasible. There are so many equipped rest areas in this region: agri-camping, seaside campsites but also free areas where you can stop and sleep for one or more nights.
Here are the 5 best RV parks in Sicily
Camping Alessandra
L’‘Agricamping Alessandra is located in Capo d’Orlando, in the province of Messina, only 5 kilometers from the city center. This rest area is located near the beach in a well-ventilated area. It offers 23 pitches of 100sqm with ample room to maneuver. Each plot has a 16A electrical connection. In addition, you will find toilets next to each pitch. Prices range from 10 to 20 euros depending on the season.
Bright Camping
The Bright Campground is an excellent starting point to visit Ragusa and its surroundings. It is located in the beautiful location of Punta Braccetto, just a few meters from the beach. It offers 50 plots of 65 square meters each built with glulam beams. These sizes provide sufficient space for campers of all sizes. Prices are around 20 euros per night depending on the season. In addition, this campsite offers many promotions for your stay, along with dedicated promotions for holders of ACSI Camping Card. We recommend this campground in particular for its shady pitches, proximity to the beach, and especially because some traders bring fresh produce daily.
Mons Gibel Camping Park
At the foot ofEtna, rises this Camping which is precisely named after the volcano. It is located only 3 kilometers from the town of Belpasso. For a price ranging from 7 to 9 euros depending on the season, you can stay with your RV for an unlimited time. This campground can accommodate up to a maximum of 30 campers of unlimited length.
Green Park RV Area
Thisrest area is particularly useful if you want to visit the center of Palermo, since it is located only one mile from the center. The price is 20 euros per day for campers with a maximum length of 7 meters. If your vehicle exceeds these measurements, you can agree with the staff at the facility on the daily price. A shuttle bus costing 1.50 euros will take you to the center of Palermo.
Camping village El Bahira
The last rest area that we propose is located on the western coast of Sicily, in the locality of San Vito Lo Capo. An excellent rest area for venturing into the land of cous cous but also for visiting Trapani, Marsala or the closer Castellammare del Golfo. This campground can accommodate up to 20 RVs with a maximum length of 10 meters.
5 – How to dispose of waste
Finding bins and baskets in Sicily, especially in the off-season, is very difficult for those who decide to travel through it in an RV. How then to dispose of the waste?
The solutions we suggest are these:
- When you go loading and unloading at campgrounds and/or rest areas in case you are doing “free”
- Going to commercial establishments by asking permission from the owners
- by Googling the nearest ecological island to the place where you stop (e.g., “Trapani ecological island,” “Noto ecological island,” and so on).
In any case, whichever solution you choose you should always remember to do the separate waste collection (glass and cans, paper and cardboard, plastic, wet, dry, etc.).
6 – How to get around Sicily
Sicily by bus
Once you park your RV at a campground or rest area, you can decide to move around Sicily by public transportation. Getting around the city or to other provinces is feasible thanks to local public urban and suburban lines.
There are nine Sicilian provinces in all, here follows an easy collection of public urban and suburban transportation sites related to each province:
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Catania
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Enna
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Messina
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Palermo
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Ragusa
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Syracuse
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Trapani
Sicily by train
Another link for getting around Sicily is the train. All provinces are interconnected and some have faster lines (e.g. Messina, Palermo and Catania) others are still not very regular.
In addition to provincial trains, there are also tourist trains. Among them:
- The Baroque Train: Operates the Syracuse – Ragusa, Syracuse – Modica, Syracuse – Comiso routes in the summer period.
- The Circumetnea Railways (FCE): a railway line covering the Catania-Giarre route, with several stops in between. It runs almost entirely along the perimeter of Etna Volcano Park.
- The Temples Train: is a line that runs from Agrigento – Porto Empedocle. This train is normally taken to reach the Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park, the Kolymbethra Garden and the Scala dei Turchi.
- The Train of Myth: is a train that runs the Catania – Taormina route and allows you to visit the Ancient Theater of Taormina.
Sicily is definitely a camper friendly with equipped and free parking possibilities almost everywhere.
In future articles we will have a chance to venture on many different itineraries through our island, so that you will have many ideas and insights for your own travels.
Paola Crippa