Sicily – when is the best time to visitSicily? What weather can be expected in individual months? When is the most raining? From when and until when the seawater temperature allows for a pleasant bath? What seasonal fruits reign on stalls? When does spring start? What’s unusual in October? In this post, I’ll present to you a thorough analysis of the conditions prevailing in Sicily month after month, based on the experience of my seven visits to the island and the observation of a person who has lived there for nearly fourteen years. I’ll answer questions about the best time of departure and how to deal with hot weather when you can only leave in the middle of summer.
In Sicily, I’ve spent around six months so far over the years 2001 – 2018, on different dates, from May 12 (in 2016) to September 20 (in 2014) and in December (in 2017). I think it isn’t surprising that July and August in Sicily are hot, and the water in the sea is warm. But what about the other months? I often get mails and comments from you what time to choose and what weather to expect, especially in spring and autumn. Based on my own experience, I could write a lot, but recently I had the opportunity to ask my friend, Ola living in Syracuse about Sicilian weather, so I gathered our observations together and that’s how this article was made. Get Ready!
And if you’re looking for reliable information about what to see on the island, check out my guide.
The most beautiful towns, cities, and attractions of Sicily. Subjective guidebook
Sicily in January
January is the coldest and most rainy month. On the coast temperature typically ranges from 8-14°C during the day, 5°C at night, below 0°C don’t decrease. The situation is different in the interior of the Island, in mountainous areas. There happen slight frost, it is not surprising a few centimeters of snow. Yeah, a few. As I write this text Italy is experiencing the winter of the century, and the south of Italy, including Sicily, is covered by snow which in some places have a thickness of 1 m! The last time snow in Sicily was seen two years earlier, also in January, then for a few hours covered Modica, city in the south – eastern part of the Island, causing a sensation. Snow is normal at Mount Etna, which every year in the winter turns into a good prosper ski resort. White fluff is lying at the top of volcano until mid-May. In January Sicilian stalls are dominated by citrus, particularly oranges variety Sanguinello, which is red inside.
Extreme snowfall in January 2017 in the mountains of Madonie and Nebrodi © InMeteo.net
Sicily in February
In February Sicilian spring begins, whose most characteristic element is the blossoming almond trees that cover the beautiful, fragrant flowers of bright pink color. In the first decade of the month in the province of Agrigento is held Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore, a festival of blossoming almonds. Daytime temperature ranges from 15 ° C up to 20 ° C, obviously at noon and with clear sky. Rains still occur, but they are much less intensive than in January. Sicily in February is a good idea for people who want to escape from the Polish winter in warmer areas, but don’t expect hot weather. At stalls is full season for citrus. For clarity, let me add that the citrus fruit hanging on the trees all winter, from autumn until spring.
Blossoming almond tree © Stretto Web
Sicily in March
March in Sicily is full time spring season, fully rash of greenery and flowers, blooming meadows, trees and overlay the buds and young leaves. Again, more rain, and temperatures in the range 15 – 20 ° C are becoming norm, in clear sunny days in the afternoon and early afternoon can indicate temperature up to 23 – 24 ° C. Season for citrus is still there.
Sicily in April
Green and flowery meadows covers even the high-lying areas in the interior of the Island. Rains are rare and temperatures normally formed in the range of 20°C, in nice weather, temperature reach up to 25°C. The season for citrus begins end, and at the stalls are first strawberries and remain on them until mid-June. The beaches are still empty, but in a very nice day, you can see the first tourists and a few locals, who enjoy only sunbathing. Is it possible to bathe in the sea? The water temperature ranges from 18-20°C, for me, this is too low, but remember that our Baltic Sea has the same in August.
Sicily in May
I dreamed about May Sicily and finally, I had the opportunity to see it one year ago. I wosn’t disappointed, the island is really beautiful and the weather is very stable. Letme start form begining. I spent 10 days on the western edge of the island, in Trapani and on the Egadi, exactly between 12 and 22 May. Throughout my stay sun was beautiful shining, the sky was mostly clear, more or less in the middle of my stay there was a lot of rains, dropped a few drops of rain, and the temperature dropped during rainfall to approx. 21°C. In addition beyond this incident, the temperature fluctuated around 23-24 ° C in the first days, and in the last two it rose to around 26 ° C. In a word, the temperature was perfect for both exploring and trekking in nature and sunbathing. The wind turned out to be a problem. For several days, especially at the beginning, it was blowing quite strongly. In the compact construction building didn’t feel discomfort because of this, but when I lay down in shorts on beach in Trapani on May 13, blow me out. Cruise ships also didn’t run, because the sea was too rough when the wind was strong. Nature amazed me. A lot of green and colorful flowers, incredibly contrasting with the intensely turquoise sea and blue sky. Below I’ve posted links to two posts in which I show Trapani and the island of Levanzo in mid-May, be sure to look at the pictures. I’ll add that the eastern coast of Sicily with Etna in the background looks very beautiful in May because the top of the volcano is still covered with a snow cap. As for the fruit. In May, it’s in full season for strawberries, strawberries, cherries. You’ll also buy Cyrus, but their time is over. In May, the beach and bathing season also begins. I am a raincoat, but despite this, I swam in the sea on May 14 on the island of Levanzo. Okay, it took a while before I went deeper and plunged, and the water was far from the proverbial “bathtub”. I have already seen quite a few groups on the beaches, especially at the end of my stay.
However, in 2018 I spent the second half of May in Sicily (May 19 – June 2). Surprisingly, the weather in terms of sun and precipitation turned out a little worse than two years early, but I don’t recall the strong wind. Most days were very sunny and warm, and the nature in some places still delighted, and in some – especially at the end of the month – flowers and grass were already overblown and yellowed.
Sicily in June
June I mention as a month of intense and rapidly progressive transformation of the Island. In 2012, I stayed in Sicily between 6 and 21 June. The arrival was wonderful. Nice and warm, but not “boiling hot”, the beaches aren’t as filled by tourists as in July or August, but the water – then I swam in Scopello on the north coast – already very nice, but not very warm. Suddenly, after June 10 began heat, every day more and more, until the last day media announced for it temperature up to 38°C, furthermore with high humidity. Sicilians assessed that June as an anomaly, however, my beloved Island gave me a hard time during that stay. Over the two and a half week wasn’t drop eaven light rain. When, after June 10th we transfer to southern part of the Island, I said surprised that the water is much warmer and basically not much different from that August water I rememeber. It’s probably a phenomenon characteristic of the southern coast, because there are sandy beaches, shoals go far, and the distance from the coast of Africa makes an effect. Vegetation in June is still alive, although I don’t recall the lush greenery characteristic for the period of May. It’s fair to say that June is already in Sicily midsummer. In the middle of the month end strawberries, huge and extremely sweet cherries watermelons, melons, peaches, nectarines laughing at stands till the end of the month. True debauchery for fruit eaters.
Cavagrande del Cassibile, June 2012
Sicily in July
July is t scorching heat from early morning to dark, the temperatures hardly drop below 30°C. Evenings are very warm and pleasant, even when I visited Sicily in July and August, the evenings was my favorite time of the day. I wore a dress, sandals and went out for long walks through the towns, because actually after dark I could breathe freely. The water in the sea is so warm, that it sometimes doesn’t cool you, especially on sandy beaches with long shallows. Abundance of fruits, green grass you can meet only on the city squares and in the gardens, where it’s artificially irrigated. Rain in July is not raining, it can happen intense storm and strong, but short rain. Tourists are everywhere, more especially in the second half of the month, however among them aren’t Italians, not counting the locals spend their free time at the seaside. Fruits are the same as in June, with the exception of cherries.
Stromboli Island, July 2010
Sicily in August
Sicily in August is a nightmare for me and I do not recommend it to anyone who has a choice, and can go to the Island at another time. I wasn’t born with that wisdom, I have experienced it painfully myself, first as student / student, who only has July and August free, and later as a wife whose husband before the first trip to Sicily did not understand the translation, that in August the brain is cooking and steams goes through your ears, as result of which in the ferragosto (August 15th – the feast, and usually the warmest day of the year) was walking in a pedestrian traffic jam on the Corso Umberto in Taormina. Yes, it’s another cons of August. Poles go on holidays usually in July and August, the Italians only in August, which makes all attractive places incredibly crowded, and prices go up crazy. Seasonal fruits in August, are the same as in July, but also at stalls you will find fico d’india fruits and Sicilian almonds, recognized as the best in the world. Almonds are what I always bring from Sicily. They aren’t cheap, kilo at the market costs approx. 15 euros, but their taste can not be compared with any I’ve ever eaten. In August, air temperatures often reach – or even exceed – 40°C, often also there are storms and violent cloud bursts. The water in the sea is very warm or may I say hot, has a temperature above 30°C, but finding a free space on sand/gravel, for example, on the famous beach of Isola Bella in Taormina is a real achievement. Better in terms of tourists crowd is the situation in the south of the Island, which is not too popular among foreign tourists, but there air temperature annoys most, due to a sirocco, hot and dry wind blow from the Sahara. For clarity, let me add that when the sirocco blows, feel it all over the island, but the southern part feel it most.
Taormina, August 2008
Sicily in September
September is a very nice month for Sicilian journey. The August heat fade into oblivion, but it’s still very warm, approx. 28 – 30°C, and the water in the sea iswarm for a long time. Beaches are abandoned by the August tourists crowds tempted to sit on them, even in Taormina. In 2014, I spent three weeks in Sicily from September. 1st to 20th. When I arrived the first day was clear and warm, but in the evening blew strong, cool wind, the next day, waseven briefly rain. Later, up to the end of my stay no longer seen a single drop of rain, although sometimes freakish September just in terms of rainfall, that occur watering the ground like sticking plaster on a bleeding wound. A wound is bleeding, sometimes even very much. The thing that saddened me very much and definitely didn’t like in September in Sicily, was burned or still burning hills, meadows, pastures, usually not extinguished, left to burn out. My friend still remembers how in 2011 it rained in Syracuse without a break for a week between September 10th and 17th. September is full season for fico d’india, at stalls, you can find also grapes.
In the following two posts I showed beaches of southern Sicily in September.
Here you can see Monte Cofano blackened after the fire.
Sycylia ekstremalnie, czyli jak wchodziliśmy na Monte Cofano z psem
Sicily in October
Surprise! After the September rains in October on the Island comes second spring! When in Poland tree gilding, Sicily is green again. Only the day is shorter, but the water in the sea is still warm, much warmer than in May. Daytime temperatures are generally pleasant, approx. 20-25°C, although sometimes jacket is useful, there are also hot days, in 2016 the temperature reached up to 30°C, beach season ends at the end of the month. In mid-October is ending season for fico d’india, and begins the season for chestnuts and mushrooms. Mashrooms you can collected in the forests in the interior of the Island, in the Madonie mountains and Nebrodi mountains and on the slopes of Mount Etna.
Sicily in November
November on Sicily this daily temperature usually in the range of 15 – 20°C, occasionally reaching at noon 25°C and and low precipitation. Locals no longer bathe in the sea, but the water is still pleasant, comparable with the beginning of May. Still continues the season for chestnuts and mushrooms, season starts again on citrus. The forests in the interior of the Island gilding.
November in the interior © pianobattaglia.it
Sicily in November – update January 2019
In November 2018, I spent almost three weeks in Sicily (coast). Most days the weather was wonderful. Lots of sunshine, temperatures that allow you to walk in a short sleeved and only a few rainy days and windy, with a cloudy sky. However, what most amazed me was nature. It’s true that in the autumn of Sicily comes the second spring and fully continues throughout almost November!
Take a look at the blog Instagram for more photos of Sicily, with each month and year in which it was made.
Sicily in December
The December air temperatures oscillate between 10 – 15°C, there are warmer days, up to 18°C at noon on a sunny day. Few tourists are seen in T- shirt , but the locals permanently take out the jackets. Rainfall is not too much more than a few days per month. Season for citrus kicks off for good, depending on the weather appears at the end of the month red oranges variety Sanguinello.
When is the best time to visit Sicily?
In conclusion, the season in Sicily starts from May and ending in October, which doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t visit the Islands in the remaining months. So, all really depends on whatexpectations you have . If someone is focused on sightseeing and a short rest on the beach treats as a supplement, the May is highly recommended. If swimming in the warm sea is a must be on a trip, it’s a good solution to choose September. But what if you have only the period between the end and the beginning of the school year? Some time ago I answered similar question of my reader. She was going with her family to Sicily in the summer, worried about the heat and asked me what the exact term will be the best. I advised her to take a trip immediately after the end of the school year, or the end of June and beginning of July. This’s in my opinion the best solution. There’s no tourist crowd jet, prices are reasonable, and the heat, of course, can occur, but it should not be as bad as in late July or August. When the weather forecasts predict the heat, I advise to take a trip deep into the Island, eg. In the mountains Nebrodi or Madonie, or to visit Mount Etna. Often (but not always) cooler is also in the town of Erice. Such a situation I had in June 2012. At the sea level in Trapani, the sky was clear and wad really hot, but in Erice, just 700 meters higher was cold. In August 2008, a pleasant respite from the heat we found on Mount Etna. We sightseeing the volcano in long jeans and wearing sweatshirts.
Are you looking for accommodation in Italy? Here is a database of hotels I’ve checked by myself, each described and honestly evaluated.
https://italia-by-natalia.pl/en/proven-accommodation-in-italy-list-descriptions-photos/
If you have any questions, please, ask them in the comments on this post, I will try to answer each and advise. I’ll be happy to read your experiences, the weather in Sicily, go ahead and share the information, I’m sure it will help those just planning to go there 😉
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Hi,
We were wondering how would the weather be in the end of December after Christmas in Sicily?
Also what cities you would recommend to travel in the time. We are traveling with kids 9 & 12 years old. Thanks
Natalia
A very detailled and impressive story about Sicily.
I am Ozan from Istanbul – Turkey
I love seeing new places in the world with my wife and i love sicilly to be our next visit for 2020 summer
I think best time for us would be june 20 or early september but definitely not july or august due to hot water and crowd
How many days do you recommend us to stay in sicilly. 7-8 days is enough to see all remarkabla places?? Like taormina palermo syracuse??
Our plan is yo swim in the morning and to travel the villages in the afternoons
Started to follow u from instagram
Thank you Natalia
It was wonderful reading your blog. I do have a few question for you. A friend & myself want to visit, For first timers what do you think we should for sure see and do?? I know Im asking a lot but we don’t know where to start. Any help would be great. Also what airlines would you say are the best. We live in AZ. Also I saw that you were talking about the heat. Now you know it gets very hot here in AZ. do you still think we should travel in June, or would you recommend a different month. We love to walk & eat & sight see. We are in our early 60’s. Any info would be wonderful & so helpful. Thank you so much for your time on this. I look forward to hearing from you.