Car rental in Catania airport - CTA

Our car rental offices are located inside the Vincenzo Bellini international airport of Catania which, with estimated traffic of around 10 million passengers per year, is the most important airport in Southern Italy. It is located in the Fontanarossa district (whose name derives from the reddish effusions of the Etnean lava flows) located southeast of Catania.

How to reach our office

Our office is next to the arrivals terminal. Exiting the main doors, just a few steps on foot to reach the car rental area well highlighted by the signs and easily identifiable just outside the doors of the terminal. To return the vehicle, follow the directions to reach us from where you are, you will arrive without problems.

Available vehicles

Our fleet offers numerous solutions for the most diverse needs: from economical and versatile city cars for city traffic to comfortable station wagons for those travelling with the family; from cheeky convertibles to trendy SUVs and top-of-the-range flagships. There are also vehicles with automatic transmission, 9-seater minibuses and freight vans for your removals or the transport of goods related to your business. Electric cars deserve a special mention, essential for free access to the Italian limited traffic zones (ZTL). After carefully evaluating your needs in terms of space and comfort, we are sure that you will find what is right for you.

If you wish to hire a vehicle, you will need a credit card in the main driver's name. Sicily by Car still offers you the possibility to rent even without a credit card! Read the specific conditions dedicated to this rental formula and collect your car in Catania Fontanarossa.

Return after hours

We know that many flights depart in the middle of the night. For this reason, you can return the vehicle to us even during office closing hours. After having parked it in one of our free stalls, you can leave the keys and a copy of the rental agreement in a specific safe-deposit box.

Monthly car rental

If your needs are more related to the rental's duration rather than the mileage, our monthly rental formula with limited kilometres could be the ideal solution. For rentals exceeding 26 days and up to 90 days, you can choose our rates at 1,500, 2,500 or 4,000 kilometres per month.

Make a request for a quote on our website today!

Extra covers

Enjoy a rental experience without worrying about anything other than exploring Sicily and breathing its millennial history. Our optional covers will protect you from every eventuality not foreseen by the standard protection included in every rental agreement.

If we had to define Catania we could identify it as the black pearl of Sicily, a gem of singular beauty, set between sea and mountain, between sky and earth, which tells an ancient story made up of fishermen and labourers - narrated by Verga in "I Malavoglia" and in "Rosso Malpelo" - and of rich feudal aristocracy such as the Princes of Biscari, owners of the sumptuous palace of the same name.

The residential centre

Those who land in Catania, if they want to visit the city and its enchanting surroundings, need to rent a car to be able to reach and discover its many wonders.

The city, largely built in black lava stone, a typical building characteristic due to the numerous lava flows of Idda, Etna, known among the Catanesi as "a muntagna", winds along the main axis of Via Vittorio Emanuele II which culminates in Piazza Duomo, home to the splendid cathedral and the Town Hall building. Here every year, in the centre of the square dominated by the statue of the Elephant, called "u'Liotru", the sumptuous celebrations of the patron saint of the city, Sant'Agata, venerated by all the people of Catania over the centuries, take place.

The historic centre of the city is full of numerous period buildings, it is worth mentioning Palazzo Platamone, a former convent and seat of important art exhibitions and Palazzo Manganelli, one of the most evocative in the city. Here the nobility of the ancient and rich Catania families mixes with the noisy chatter of the popular alleys: do not miss the fish market, adjacent to Piazza Duomo, the colourful and lively fish centre of the city, and then get lost in the numerous alleys, full of inns, bars, taverns and wineries that animate the nightlife.

From here, it is easy to reach Castello Ursino, an imposing Gothic building commissioned by Frederick II of Swabia, now home to the Civic Museum and the Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Stesicoro, dating back to Hadrian and one of the largest in Italy. The city's theatre for opera, a real institution that citizens are very proud of, could only be named after the famous musician Vincenzo Bellini, who was born in Catania, the theatre was defined by the tenor Beniamino Gigli as the room with the best acoustics to the world. Catania, an industrious and entrepreneurial city, also boasts a centre full of luxurious and elegant shops. Anyone wishing to go shopping will necessarily have to visit Via Etnea to indulge themselves with the latest fashion purchases.

Outside the city

And outside the city walls? You will be spoiled for choice! However, we suggest some unmissable places. Let's start with the Etna hinterland, that is those small and delightful villages on the slopes of Mount Etna, a place that in itself is worth a dedicated visit, in the company of expert volcanologists, up to its highest peaks or for an unmissable descent on skis starting from the Sapienza chalet while looking at the sea! San Giovanni la Punta, Zafferana Etnea, Linguaglossa, Trecastagni, Nicolosi and the magnificent Acireale to name just a few places. Going down towards the sea you will find Aci Castello and Aci Trezza, where the Casa del Nespolo Museum is still located today, in memory of the writer Giovanni Verga, in front of the famous stacks.

The coastal stretch will be an exciting discovery of beaches, long tongues of uncontaminated sand that, starting from Playa, the seaside resort of Catania, winds along a path that will take you to the Riviera dei Ciclopi, a wonderful rocky coast with legendary origins, to the Praiola of Giarre beach, typical for its black and shiny pebbles, up to the apex of the beautiful beach of Giardini Naxos with the enchanting Isola Bella and its mysterious and fascinating villa, to be reached on foot.

Then you can take a detour inland and visit the Alcantara Gorges, a geological formation of rare beauty where the mountain breaks into deep fractures crossed by clear and crystalline waters for swimming in the summer.

Taormina, a destination for world tourism, deserves a chapter in itself: here nature and history meet the glamour of timeless luxury and the Greek theatre, with its incomparable views, will leave you with an indelible memory over time. One last stretch by car and you will be in the small village of Castelmola, overlooking Taormina and still intact in every corner. There, you should really experience the local cuisine: then refresh yourself with the exquisite granitas to be accompanied by the typical brioche “col tuppo”, a particular milk bun that is a real delight! You cannot leave without tasting the arancino, the king of Catania gastronomy, but be careful not to confuse it with the Palermo arancina ... the people of Catania are touchy and ... woe to make mistakes!

In Catania, there is a ZTL zone (Limited Traffic Zone) which totally prevents vehicular traffic in some parts of the city with specific reference to the historic centre. In this area, only pedestrian access is allowed. You can always get updated information by visiting the website of the Municipality of Catania. We also advise you to check the times of the paid parking lots on the blue lines which vary according to the area.