You wish to visit the Sicile Without a car, here is the story and itinerary of my 15-day train journey, from west to east, between baroque cities, volcanoes and crystal-clear waters.

Indeed, last October, I travelled around the island solely by train and bus, from Palermo à Syracuse, passing through Cefalu and Taormina.

The result: A more contemplative, more economical trip, and above all, free from the stress of Sicilian driving or the hassle of parking. Moreover, it proved incredibly rich in landscapes, heritage, and local encounters!

If you're interested, here's my complete itinerary in Sicily without a car, optimized for train travel, with all journey times, must-see sights and above all my advice on choosing the right accommodations.

Is it possible to visit Sicily by train?

Yes, it is quite possible to visit Sicily without a car by using the Trenitalia network for the coast (+ boats for the islands) and Interbus buses for routes less well served by the rail network such as to go to Etna or Stromboli and Panarea.

Traveling in Sicily without a car: Practical tips

To successfully explore the most beautiful places in Sicily without a car, here are the transport options to use, along with their mobile applications for booking tickets in advance.

• Train for travelling throughout Sicily: Trenitalia (reliable and inexpensive).
• Long-Haul Bus: SAIS Bus Lines et Interbus / Etna Trasporti.
• Etna Bus: Sicilian Transport Company (AST).

The train route is ideal because the railway lines often run along the sea and easily connect major cities such as Palermo, Cefalù, Taormina or Syracuse.

Next, the key to a successful train journey is choosing the right location for your accommodation:

• city ​​centre or close to tourist sites for easy walking access
• near train station or public transport and definitely not in isolated areas.

Indeed, this helps to reduce transport costs, save time and avoid complications when reaching train stations.

Tourist route map of Sicily (train journey)

To give you an overall idea, here is a summary of my train journey in Sicily:

• Day 1 Arrival in Palermo, transfer and check-in at the center
• Day 2 : Discover Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria and street food
• Day 3 Cultural visits: Norman Palace, Palatine Chapel, cathedral
• Day 4 Excursion to Monreale + Mondello beach
• Day 5 Train to Cefalù, check-in and first visit
• Day 6 Ascent of La Rocca de Cefalù + beach
• Day 7 Excursion in the Madonie mountains to Castelbuono
• Day 8 Train via Messina to Taormina + visit
• Day 9 Ancient Theatre of Taormina and Isola Bella
• Day 10 Excursion to Mount Etna
• Day 11 Train to Syracuse, exploring Ortigia
• Day 12 Excursion to Noto by train
• Day 13 A day in nature at the Vendicari Nature Reserve (Calamosche beach)
• Day 14 Long journey to Cinisi near the airport for an overnight stay.
• Day 15 Airport transfer for early morning return flight (6:15 am)

To view this tourist route on a map, here is the itinerary on Google Maps:

15-day itinerary for visiting Sicily without a car

Days 1 to 4 — Palermo (4 nights)

The journey begins with a flight from Toulouse to Palermo with Volotea (€99).

• Transfer : Upon our arrival at 20:20 pm, we opted for serenity with a transfer organized by the owner of the apartment we are renting (40 min, €50).
• Accommodation : Apartment Casa Bellini (€341 for 4 nights). Why it's an excellent choice without a car:
  • Ideal central location for exploring Palermo → everything is within walking distance.
  • close to major tourist attractions,
  • lively area for going out in the evening without needing to travel.

The day-to-day schedule:

• Day 1 Arrival and check-in
• 2 Day: Walk to Quattro Canti, the Piazza Pretoria and immediate immersion in the street food of the markets Head ou Ballarò.
• 3 Day: Day of cultural visits. Visit to the Palace of the Normans and Palatine Chapel Morning. Afternoon at the Cathedral and in the historic center. Also not to be missed: the Martorana Church and the Abatellis Palace. Elegant evening in front of the Massimo Opera House.
• 4 Day: Trip to Monreale to admire its cathedral and cloister. A relaxing end to the day with drinks on the beach with your feet in the sand. Mondello. 👉 Advantage without a car: both of these places are easily accessible by bus from Palermo.

Days 5 to 7 — Cefalù (3 nights)

We leave the capital for the north coast.

• The journey (06/10):
  • Train: Regionale 12878 (Palermo Centrale → Cefalù).
  • Hours: 09:36 – 10:23 (47 min).
  • Distance: 67 km.
• Accommodation : Ni Ni Apartments (€229,50 for 3 nights). Apartment close to the train station, the historic center, and the beach. No car needed, no local transport required—perfect for slowing down!

The day-to-day schedule:

• Day 5 Arrival in Cefalu, check-in and city tour
• Day 6 : Very early morning departure for the ascent of La Rocca (08:30-11:30 am). The view over the city rooftops is breathtaking. The rest of the time, relaxing on Cefalù beach.
• Day 7 : Bus excursion to one of the Madonie villages such as Castelbuono.
  • Company: SAIS Autolinee (Departure: Cefalù – Arrival: Castelbuono) Travel time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Once there, everything is done on foot: Visit to the Ventimiglia Castle, medieval historic center, panettone tasting at Fiasconaro (very famous in Sicily), hiking in the Madonie Park.

Days 8 to 10 — Taormina (3 nights)

The train journey is a little longer with a change in Messina, but the scenery along the way is superb.

• The journey (09/10):
  • Stop 1: Cefalù → Messina Centrale (Regionale Veloce 5354 | 09:10 – 11:12).
  • Stop 2: Messina Centrale → Taormina-Giardini (Regionale 12969 | 11:53 – 13:09).
  • From the train station (at sea level), take a bus up to the village.
• Accommodation : Apartment Il Girasole (€319 for 3 nights).

Day-to-day schedule:

• Day 8 Arrival in Taormina, check-in and tour of the town (Corso Umberto, Ancient theater et Beautiful island).
• Day 9 Departure very early in the morning for an excursion and the ascent of Mount Etna (2750 m altitude), one of the most legendary volcanoes in Europe. I chose an organized tour, which was the cheapest and easiest option when you don't have a car. See Etna excursion from Taormina
• Day 10 : Excursion to Stromboli and Panarea Departing from Taormina, this 12-hour excursion to the UNESCO-listed Aeolian Islands takes you via the port of Milazzo. You'll first enjoy a free stop in Panarea, a white jewel favored by the jet set, before exploring Stromboli (a volcanic island) and its famous black sand beaches. The day culminates in a spectacular viewing experience of lava erupting from the Sciara del Fuoco from the sea.

Days 11 to 13 — Syracuse / Ortigia (3 nights)

• The journey (12/10):
  • Train: Regionale Veloce 5383 (Taormina-Giardini → Syracuse).
  • Hours: 08:05 – 10:05 (2h00).
• Accommodation : Casa Sveva (€242 for 3 nights). Major advantage: located in Ortigia (everything within walking distance), local atmosphere + magnificent view and direct access to the sea!

Day-to-day schedule:

• Day 11 Syracuse is magical. I spent my first day exploring the island ofOrtigia until sunset:
  • Syracuse Cathedral
  • Arethusa Fountain
  • Archaeological Park of Neapolis
• Day 12 : Day trip to NotoFrom Ortigia, I chose the easiest way to reach Noto: the Trenitalia train. A 15-minute walk took me to Syracuse train station, where I boarded a regional train. The journey took barely 40 minutes and was very pleasant, with beautiful Sicilian scenery passing by. Upon arrival, Noto train station is about a 15-minute walk from the historic center, making it easy to begin exploring. It's an easy, economical excursion, perfectly suited to a car-free trip, ideal for a day discovering Sicilian Baroque.
• Day 13 : A day on the most beautiful beach in Sicily in the Vendicari Nature ReserveFrom Ortigia, I took the same train as the day before to Noto, a 30-minute journey. From there, a taxi took me in 20 minutes to the entrance of the reserve, on the "Calamosche" side. From there, it was just a 20-minute walk along an easy path to reach Calamosche BeachAccess is a bit of a challenge, but that's precisely what makes this cove so wild and unspoiled — a true little corner of paradise (sandy beach and turquoise water).

Days 14 to 15 — Cinisi (1 night)

To avoid stressing before the return flight, we head back towards the airport.

• The long journey (15/10):
  • Train Siracusa → Piraineto
  • Hours: 07:43 – 14:07
  • Upon arrival in Piraineto, the owner of our rental property came to pick us up. Excellent service!
• Accommodation : The Terrace On The Sea (€90 per night).
• The departure (16/10): Waking up at dawn. A 04:00, transfer to the airport provided by our host to catch your return flight 6:15.

Why is this route perfect without a car?

I'm often asked if I had a hard time getting around without a car. The answer: NO, quite the opposite! By avoiding Palermo's traffic jams and the indecipherable limited traffic zones (ZTLs), I discovered a Sicily that was both fluid and contemplative. Here's why this choice transformed my trip.

Very well-located accommodations

Each accommodation was selected like a piece of a strategic puzzle. I favored addresses like the Casa Bellini or Casa Sveva Because they adhered to a golden rule: they had to be affordable, centrally located for sightseeing, and within reasonable distance of train stations. The result? No more lugging suitcases for miles. My feet were my only means of transport once I'd dropped off my bags, saving me time on public transport and eliminating the need to worry about parking.

The train is the best solution for traveling without a car.

Forget the stress of GPS and winding roads. My train journeys have been optimized to reduce connections to an absolute minimum. When boarding the train at Cefalù ou SyracuseI transformed the transfer times into genuine moments of respite. The durations remained reasonable (often less than two hours) and, above all, the windows offered a constant spectacle: from lemon orchards to cliffs plunging into a turquoise sea that the highway never lets you glimpse.

Cultural diversity and mosaic of landscapes

What makes this car-free circuit so great is that it doesn't sacrifice any diversity. I was able to go from magnificent chaos and baroque palaces to Palermo et Syracuse to the gentle way of life in coastal villages like Cefalù or chic TaorminaEven the wilderness opened its doors to me: whether it be the raw power of theEtna or the silence of the reserve vendicariEverything was accessible thanks to local shuttles or organized excursions. This proves that in Sicily, the train isn't a backup plan; it's the best way to travel and admire the scenery!

What budget is needed for this 15-day trip to Sicily?

To conclude this journey, I did the math: Traveling in Sicily without a car is a choice that is both ecological and economical.

Indeed, by prioritizing local markets for cooking my own meals, while allowing myself a few nice meals in a few restaurants and the obligatory gelato, I kept my budget under control without depriving myself. Here is a breakdown of my expenses for this 15-day trip, based on two people:

• Flights (Toulouse – Palermo round trip): €198 (or €99 per person)
• Accommodation (14 nights in apartments): € 1
• Transport (Trenitalia Trains & Transfers): €225
• Food (Market shopping & Street food): €350
• Restaurants and ice cream parlors: €200
• Activities and visits (Etna, Museums, Theatres): €250
• TOTAL cost of this all-inclusive trip to Sicily: €2,444.50, or €1,222 per person