Our electric Mokka Opel car glinted under the Palermitan sun as we walked over to the ‘Sicily by Car’ hire section of Falcone Borsellino airport. Green as a Noccelara olive, its matte exterior catches your eye. “All good to go?” we asked the representative. “Yes, have a beautiful stay in Sicily!” they replied, and we were on our way. I thew the keys over to my husband (he’s Italian) and we started our mini adventure.

Before I delve into details, let me tell you a little about our itinerary. Donna Sicilia is a brand-new initiative launched by Sicily by Car where tourists can hire an electric car and choose from a circuit of 19 historic residences which all have charging stations on-site. The goal is to promote the beauty of the island without damaging it because the electric cars emit zero CO2 emissions.