ByMichelle Italy

Sicily on a Budget: How to Explore this Mediterranean Gem Without Breaking the Bank

Italy is a moderately priced destination that can get pricey, depending on your itinerary. Reid and I knew we wanted to spend ~ two weeks and didn’t want to spend too much. We were debating between Sicily and Sardinia for our beach vacation and landed on Sicily because we felt there was more variety with the hikes, road trips, etc.

Transportation Tips:

Flights

We flew to Italy with our Alaska Airlines miles, redeemed on Icelandair. We each spent roughly 62,500 miles and $166.09 on flights. I fly often for work and try to fly on Alaska Airlines or take Oneworld flights when possible to help accumulate miles on Alaska Airlines. Alaska’s hub is in Seattle, WA, and it was the obvious airline choice when we lived in Seattle. Since moving to Washington DC, I have continued my loyalty to Alaska Airlines, although sometimes I wonder if I should switch over to United Airlines.

  • IAD to NAP: 35,000 miles + $20.90
  • PMO to FCO: $68.89
  • FCO to IAD: 27,500 miles + $76.30

We wanted to fly around peak summer and knew that flights would cost us quite a bit of money. This is where Alaska Airlines miles redemption is a great option for us. Before their 2025 changes, MVP Gold members would earn 100% bonus miles, making it easier to accumulate Alaska Airlines miles. However, in 2025, the bonus miles earned for MVP Gold will decrease to 50%.

Note: We wanted to call out that this is how we spend our air miles, and this is by no means the best way to use your miles. It’s a personal choice at the end of the day. Some folks would rather fly business class and save their miles for that.

Car Rentals

Thinking about renting a car? We have a whole blog post on our trips for driving in Sicily, including tips on car rentals and collision damage waiver (CDW). There’s a lot of information online with varying experience. We hope our in depth guide can help navigate the excess noise around car rentals in Sicily.

Ferry Transportation

We saved one night at an Airbnb rental by taking an overnight ferry from Naples to Palermo. This is a great way to move at night when you’re sleeping and avoiding the airport. As convenient flying can be, the hassle of having to get there early to go through security checks can be stressful. Ferries are a great option as you typically only need to arrive ~30 min before departure! Save yourself the stress of the airport.

Accommodation Tips

An important aspect of any trip is accommodations. If possible, we recommend finding a spot with laundry for a long trip. This allows you to pack a little less since you’re able to do laundry. Reid and I think about our requirements for every trip, and that helps narrow down our search. If there’s public transit available, that allows us to stay a little further outside of city center and save some more money. There are times when we splurge for a better location, especially if we have less time in a city.

Activities

Another great way to explore and save money is finding activities that don’t break the bank, like free walking tours, visiting local markets, and hiking in places like Zingaro Nature Reserve. There are some things worth the money such as guided tours at Pompeii. It comes down to personal preference between you and your partner. Reid loves spending time at the beach as much as possible, while I prefer a mix of that and some historical sightseeing, which can cost a bit with all the guided tours. Stack rank what’s interesting for both of you and find middle ground somewhere. Although sometimes, you do know best, and your partner will need to take a leap of faith.

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