Arrival by PLANE

...to Palermo

The nearest airport is in Palermo. Once there, immediately after exiting baggage claim, take the stairs down to the underground "Palermo Aeroporto" train station on the left. You can buy your ticket at one of the three red Trenitalia ticket counters (as of March 2026, it costs €9.50) – and this is where we got a little frustrated the first few times because we couldn't find our destination station. The Santa Flavia station is located under "S. Flavia" or "Solunto," the name of the archaeological site – but not under the full name "Santa Flavia." Once you know that, the rest is straightforward!

The train journey to Palermo takes approximately half an hour to an hour, depending on the route (coastal or via the fastest route). From there, it's a 21-minute train ride to Santa Flavia after one transfer. In Santa Flavia, it's then a short 20-minute walk towards the sea and Casa America! Taxis are not common, but for those with a lot of luggage, we can arrange an affordable private transfer for up to two people with luggage.

Trains run even more regularly to the neighboring town of Bagheria, where you can also arrange to be picked up. There are also four direct connections a day to the airport from Bagheria.

When changing trains in Palermo, it's worth taking at least a quick look outside – the side exit has a magnificent ceiling painting, and at the main exit towards Via Roma, statues and buildings immediately convey a telling image of the island's important capital. There are several connections to Bagheria every hour.

Of course, you can also rent a car at Palermo airport. Depending on the season and the car's features, these cost from only about 10 euros per day!

Those who want to extend their layover in Palermo into a condensed city tour can see quite a few sights from the train station in just two or three hours, all within walking distance of each other. (Luggage can be left at the Centrale train station or more cheaply at "Bounce Luggage Storage", a 6-minute walk away).

Palermo is currently served from Germany (as of 2026) by Ryanair (from Berlin, Cologne/Bonn, Nuremberg, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Frankfurt-Hahn), Eurowings (from Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart), and Lufthansa (from Frankfurt and Munich). There are other options from cities not far from the German border (e.g., Basel, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Rotterdam, Brussels), and of course many more if open-jaw flights are considered.

...to Trapani

Several bus companies offer direct service from Trapani Airport to Palermo's main train station. The journey takes approximately two hours and, in our experience, has been comfortable, with four-seater benches, tables, and air conditioning. However, if you have the time, we recommend spending one or more nights in and around Trapani!

Trapani is currently (as of 2026) served directly from Germany by Ryanair (from Weeze/Niederrhein and Saarbrücken), and from nearby locations in neighboring countries Ryanair also offers flights from Eindhoven, Brussels and Luxembourg.

...to Catania

The city of Santa Flavia, located on the east coast of the largest island in the Mediterranean, is also accessible by air from several destinations, including Germany. It's rare, but when Europe's most active volcano is experiencing a major eruption, the airport may be closed for a few hours due to ash clouds. There are several daily train connections from Catania to Santa Flavia, with journey times between three and five hours.

Of course, the same applies here: if you are already here, it would be a shame not to spend a few days visiting Catania, Mount Etna, or the baroque cities of Syracuse and Noto before spending time in Porticello.

Direct flights to Catania are currently available with Eurowings (from Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart, Hamburg), Ryanair (Berlin), EasyJet (Berlin), Lufthansa (Frankfurt am Main and Munich), Wizz Air (Memmingen), and Neos Air (Hamburg).

From the "S. Flavia" train station, it's about a 20-minute walk to Casa America. The view back from the air immediately awakens a longing for the next trip to Sicily!