We use Avis when we travel in Europe and ALWAYS get the insurance to cover vehicle damage - which…read morehas paid off big time in the past. Driving in Italy can be a terrifying experience for the uninitiated. They all seem to know what each other are thinking and somehow manage to avoid running over pedestrians and bashing into each other. Most of the time.
For the tourist however, who is an unknown quantity, the seemingly unorthodox driving methods can take one by surprise. Not to mention the parking! Even among my Italian friends, some from the island itself, Sicily drivers are considered a bit wild.
If you have ever visited Italy, you may notice many vehicles with broken mirrors, dented quarter panels and other miscellaneous car damage. I would NEVER, rent a car without the insurance when traveling in Italy. It will not save money in the long run, and with it, there is no need to worry about what other drivers may do to the vehicle. You pick it up, you drop it off and no nasty surprises.
In regards to this particular location, it is a bit of a walk from the airport to the AVIS office and a short bit of the walk is along a street with no pedestrian walkway. Just drag your bag into the street and follow the large billboard pointing the way. Use the 'street view' on maps to check this our in advance, and take a look while walking for the 'return' entrance. You'll need this info on your way back so you aren't driving in a circle because you missed the correct entrance.
We have an 'Avis Preferred' account which normally means we skip the line, and the paperwork and car are waiting for us, ready to go. Not here. Although several people were at the desk when we arrived, no one seemed to care that we were waiting. When we finally got someone to assist us, the gentleman took an inordinate amount of time to get the paperwork ready. I could not begin to imagine what exactly was taking so very, very long. Once we managed to get through that process, we were sent out to the car park, only to find our car was not where we were told it would be. The paperwork gave us the make, model and license plate of the vehicle, so we wandered around the lot looking for the car. We did eventually find it, parked next to a small building, covered in dust as if it had been there a very long time and was not expected to be rented. The car itself worked fine mechanically however, it did already have need of some body work. The fact that the vehicle already had body damage leads me wonder: was the car chosen for us upon arrival, because we had the insurance?
As other folks have mentioned, this particular AVIS does not seem to be organized with customer service in mind. At the very least, you are now prepared for the 'more relaxed' attitude of this Sicilian location, and know the insurance is invaluable. Happy travels!
