Sicily Travel Planning

When is the best time to visit? What is there to experience? Month by month.

The best time for a holiday in Sicily depends on what you want from it. Fall and winter suit cities and museums, spring suits hiking, and June through September is for the beach; the sea stays above 23 °C (73 °F) into October. The sections below show which season fits which trip and when the big festivals are.

When to go: which season suits you

Spring: March–May · Summer: June–August · Fall: September–November · Winter: December–February

City lovers: fall and winter

From October to February, daytime highs run from 23 °C (73 °F) down to 14 °C (57 °F). That is walking weather for Palermo, Catania and Syracuse, without the midsummer heat.

Nature and hiking: spring

In April and May, highs reach 19 to 23 °C (66 to 73 °F). Those are good months for the coastal trails of the Zingaro reserve and the mountain paths of the Madonie and Nebrodi.

Beach: summer, quieter in June and September

In August the sea reaches 27.8 °C (82 °F). In June and September it is a little cooler at 24 to 26 °C (75 to 79 °F), and the air is less hot.

Festivals: Holy Week and summer

During Holy Week, processions fill Trapani, Enna and Caltanissetta; in Trapani the Good Friday procession lasts about 24 hours. Summer brings the city festivals: Santa Rosalia in Palermo on July 14 and 15, the Vara in Messina on August 15.

Food and wine: fall

September and October are grape-harvest months, and the villages hold their sagre, local food fairs. In Zafferana Etnea the Ottobrata fills the Sundays of October with grapes, honey, apples, mushrooms and chestnuts.

Island hopping: June to September

The seven Aeolian Islands are usually reached from Milazzo; the hydrofoil to Lipari takes about an hour. Schedules change with the season. The Egadi Islands lie off Trapani.

Families with children: shallow sandy beaches, June and September

Sandy beaches that shelve gently into the sea: San Vito lo Capo, Fontane Bianche and Marina di Ragusa. In June and early September the sea is 24 to 26 °C (75 to 79 °F), and highs on land stay around 27 °C (81 °F) instead of the roughly 30 °C (86 °F) of July and August.

Mild days and snow on Etna: January and February

On the coast, highs are around 14 °C (57 °F). On Etna, two ski areas, near Linguaglossa and near Nicolosi, usually operate from December to March.

Festivals through the year

February: Sant'Agata in Catania (February 3–5) and the Acireale carnival through Mardi Gras. Holy Week: the Misteri in Trapani, about 24 hours from Good Friday. Mid-May: the Infiorata flower carpet in Noto. July: the Festino di Santa Rosalia in Palermo (July 14–15). August: the Vara in Messina (August 15). October: the Ottobrata in Zafferana Etnea on Sundays. December to early January: the nativity scenes of Caltagirone.

Sicily by Month

Choose your travel month.

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Weather & climate

Sicily has hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters: on the north coast, July averages 2 rainy days and December 12. The climate table with air and sea temperatures for every month is on the weather page, and each month has its own page.

Sights

Greek temples at Agrigento, Segesta and Selinunte, the ancient theater of Tindari, museums and viewpoints. For excavation sites with little shade, spring and fall are more comfortable than August, when highs reach about 30 °C (86 °F).

Beaches

Swimming season runs from June to October, while the sea stays above 23 °C (73 °F). From Mondello near Palermo to the Scala dei Turchi near Agrigento: sand, rock and lagoons, plus beach bars with loungers.

Food

Granita for breakfast, arancini, the catch of the day: Sicilian cooking has its own page, plus restaurants from the coast to the hills. Fall adds the grape harvest and village food fairs.

Destinations & regions

Sicily covers 25,426 km² (about 9,800 sq mi); the drive from Palermo to Syracuse takes about three hours. The town and region pages help you choose: Taormina and Cefalù by the sea, the baroque towns of the Val di Noto, the islands to the north and west.

Travel tips: getting there, car rental, highways, ferries

Flights land in Palermo, Catania, Trapani or Comiso. To explore the island you will usually need a rental car; the A18, A19, A20 and A29 highways link the main cities. Ferries and hydrofoils serve the small islands and the mainland.

Planning your trip: common questions

When is the best time to visit Sicily?

The best time to visit is June–August, with warm, dry weather and a sea above 22 °C (72 °F). For sun and swimming, June–October is ideal. For sightseeing and hiking, the milder spring and late fall are best.

When is Sicily least crowded?

For holiday homes, demand is lowest from November to April and highest in July and August, with May, June, September and October in between. For warm water with a little more calm than in high summer, choose June or September, when the sea is 24 to 26 °C (75 to 79 °F).

When is the cheapest time for a holiday in Sicily?

For holiday homes, rates are lowest from November to March and highest in July and August; April to June and September to October sit in the middle. If you want to swim, the sea is still 23.6 °C (74 °F) in October, against 19.5 °C (67 °F) in May.

When are Sicily's big festivals?

In February (Sant'Agata in Catania, February 3–5, and the Acireale carnival), during Holy Week (March 21–28 in 2027, with processions in Trapani, Enna and Caltanissetta), in July (Santa Rosalia in Palermo, July 14–15) and in August (the Vara in Messina on August 15).

Do I need a rental car in Sicily?

Outside the cities, usually yes. A train runs from Palermo airport into the city, and buses link the Catania and Palermo airports with the city centers. Car rental prices vary with the season and the location, and the deposit is usually held on a credit card.

Is Sicily dangerous?

The German Federal Foreign Office issues no travel warning for Italy. It notes pickpocketing in tourist centers and on beaches and frequent car break-ins, so valuables do not belong in a parked car. There are also natural hazards: Mount Etna is Europe's most active volcano and its eruptions occasionally disrupt flights; summer brings heat waves of up to 40 °C (104 °F) and wildfires that can close roads.