Sicily Road Trip: Solo, One Month, No Map (And I Survived)

Welcome to the very first episode of Truly Expat Travel! Paula kicks things off with a solo month in Sicily — house hunting, road tripping and eating her weight in arancini. From the Sunday markets of Palermo to the medieval streets of Salemi, this is a love letter to slow travel done the Sicilian way.In this episodeWhy Paula drove herself solo across the entire island — and cried twice (only twice!)The Sunday street food markets in Palermo that turned into a spontaneous dance partyWhy she fell hard for the medieval town of Salemi and started dreaming about buying property thereThe driving reality check: GPS lies, big cars don't fit, and Sicilians drive like they're auditioning for Fast & FuriousWhere to eat: arancini, cannoli made from a nun's original recipe, Hugo Spritz and the best gelato of her lifeBest time to visit, which towns to base yourself in, and what to skip Must-try food & drinkArancini — Paula's near-daily habit and non-negotiableCannoli from the Palermo convent bakery using the original nun's recipeHugo Spritz — elderflower and Prosecco, her go-to across all of ItalyPistachio gelato & the local pasta — don't skip eitherPaula's top tipsGo in May or September — warm, less crowded, beaches still swimmableGet a small car. Seriously. A small car.Don't trust GPS in the old towns — it will take you somewhere you cannot escapeBook accommodation with a car park confirmed in writing, not just 'parking nearbyStand at the bar for your morning espresso. It's cheaper and it's the local wayNo cappuccino after 11am — the Italians will judge you (lovingly, but still)Watch The Leopard on Netflix before you go — filmed in Palermo, sets the scene perfectly Read more on the blog📖 Sicily Road Trip: The Ultimate 19-Day Adventure📖 Palermo: Sicily's Siren City — The Insider's Guide📖 10 Unmissable Treasures of Palermo📖 Driving in Sicily: A Tourist's Road Guide📖 Where to Stay in Palermo📖 Discovering Noto: Sicily's Baroque JewelAlso mentioned🎙 Ep 13: Salemi with Amanda Dunbar — the town Paula fell for🎙 Ep 10: Malta — Paula caught the ferry from Sicily and fell in love📺 Watch The Leopard on Netflix before you go — filmed on location in PalermoEnjoyed this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ❤️ Send us Fan MailHelp Truly Expat Travel by leaving a review or making a donation Here is the link - https://buymeacoffee.com/trulyexpatTravel with peace of mind: SafetyWingsGet covered in 180+ countries with flexible monthly subscriptions starting at just $45.08. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Find me on:Website: Truly Expat Travel Facebook: Truly ExpatInstagram: Truly Expat Travel TikTok: Truly Expat Travel Running this podcast takes a lot of coffee (and countless hours exploring every destination!). If you found this helpful and want to support more honest, detailed travel guides and itineraries, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure though – I'm just happy you're here and hope you have an incredible adventure! 🙂