The Reality about Visiting Sicily in Winter (Good And Dangerous)

Visiting Sicily in winter appears to be like like a win at a simple look. Why not head to one of many warmest locations in Europe, the place snow solely falls on the very best of volcanoes, escape your chilly hometown, and revel in all of the scrumptious meals and wine?

I’ve traveled to Sicily a number of instances and just lately took an prolonged journey to Palermo and western Sicily. And whereas I had a good time, the climate was far worse than I had anticipated.

Each information I’ve examine visiting Sicily in winter solely tells you all concerning the good issues, whereas conveniently telling you not one of the dangerous issues.

I see that as malpractice — an abdication of duty.

In my 13+ years {of professional} journey writing, I’ve made it a mission to inform my readers the reality concerning the locations they go to — each the great and the dangerous.

So buckle up — right here is the reality, the total fact, and the whole fact about visiting Sicily in winter.

Is Sicily in Winter Value It?

I’ve visited Sicily a number of instances, at completely different instances of 12 months. Sicily, the most important island in Italy, is house to a captivating cultural combine, a lot gorgeous pure magnificence, and at instances it looks like a totally completely different nation to Italy.

Summer time is excessive season in Sicily, with busy crowds and excessive costs. However winter generally is a breath of contemporary air in a lot of methods.

Sicily is likely one of the warmest locations in Europe within the winter, and folks come to Sicily in winter to get pleasure from a little bit of sunshine when the remainder of the continent is frozen. Winter additionally occurs to be off-season, with the bottom costs of the 12 months and the fewest crowds.

However simply because it’s hotter than your hometown right now of 12 months, that doesn’t imply that you just’ll really feel hotter right now of 12 months.

Issues to Know About Visiting Sicily in Winter

The climate is likely to be pretty — or horrible.

Sicily has delicate winters, proper? How delicate are we speaking, although? Whilst you can have a look at the common temperatures and rainfall in Sicily, that are listed additional down on this piece, know that they don’t let you know the total story.

More often than not, you’ll be able to get pleasure from a lot of sunshine within the winter and fairly heat temperatures in the course of the day.

However that’s should you’re fortunate.

On my newest journey to Sicily in February, I had a day and a half of sunshine in Palermo earlier than temperatures dropped considerably and it become rainstorms. 5 days of rainstorms! Winter climate temperatures hovered round 43 F (6 C) and colder at night time.

Now, should you’re in Sicily for a month, 5 days of chilly and rain received’t do a lot to you. However should you’re solely right here for every week, it may possibly make a big impact in your go to.

I ended up shopping for a winter coat in Palermo as a result of my midweight coats have been neither waterproof nor heat sufficient. Even when the daytime temperature hadn’t dropped, night time temperatures are tremendous chilly in Sicily.

And truthfully, as soon as I obtained again house to Prague, it was a lot colder, however I didn’t really feel almost as chilly as I had felt in Sicily!

Tips on how to cope with this: Be optimistic concerning the sunshine — however carry an umbrella and a superb winter jacket, scarf, and gloves, simply in case.

Sicilian buildings are poorly insulated.

This isn’t distinctive to Sicily, however one thing you see all through Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Buildings in Sicily are constructed to remain cool all through the recent summers, not preserve the warmth in.

Because of this, you is likely to be shocked simply how chilly it will get inside.

Throughout our most up-to-date go to to Sicily within the winter, Charlie and I had deliberate on working from house for a couple of days. We labored from the eating room desk sporting layers of shirts and sweaters and lined in blankets.

Whereas our house did have a radiator, we had it up all the best way it might go — which was nonetheless a temperature that left us shivering. Even at night time, my face was chilly, my physique buried beneath a number of blankets.

And that’s the case for eating places, too. Usually we might be seated subsequent to a window, which had chilly air flowing within the joint between the window and the wall. Once more — poor insulation.

Past that, loads of bars, eating places, and pasticcerie stored the doorways open all day, preserving the within as chilly as the skin.

By the point we rented a automotive for our previous couple of days, I almost wept in reduction — as soon as we turned on the warmth, this was the warmest I had been in days.

Tips on how to cope with this: Carry heavier garments than you assume you want, particularly layering choices like base layers and sweaters. Plan on sporting your winter coat in eating places. See in case your lodging can present additional blankets and/or an area heater.

Winter brings distinctive occasions in Sicily.

However there are loads of nice issues about winter in Sicily, too. One of the crucial uncommon issues to do in Sicily within the winter? Ski Mount Etna! Sure, Sicily’s most well-known lively volcano has ski resorts within the winter!

Is it the best snowboarding you’ll ever do in Italy? No. This isn’t the Dolomites; this isn’t even the Apennines. Individuals are inclined to ski Etna simply to say they’ve completed it.

One other well-liked winter occasion in Sicily is Christmas markets. Sicily’s Christmas markets usually run within the month of December. You’ll find Christmas markets within the cities of Palermo, Catania,

Residing Nativity scenes are discovered all through Sicily as properly, some full of as many as 200 individuals. Essentially the most well-known Residing Nativity performances are in Giarratana in Ragusa province, Custonaci in Trapani province, and Gangi in Palermo province, although there are lots extra. (There’s even one in my household’s ancestral hometown, Castanea delle Furie in Messina province!)

And, after all, there are many spiritual festivals in Sicily within the winter. The Festa di Sant’Agata takes place February 3-5 and is Catania’s largest pageant (although you’ll see celebratory pastries as far west as Palermo!).

One other well-liked pageant is the Almond Blossom Pageant in Agrigento, happening over the course of every week in early March.

And don’t neglect Martedi Grosso — Fats Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, or Carnival — celebrating one final spherical of hedonism earlier than Lent begins. Martedi Grosso often takes place in February.

Tips on how to cope with this: Take a fast look to see in case your keep will coincide with a pageant, as a result of that would make a giant distinction when it comes to locations being open, lodging being dearer, or events on the street till late.

Sicilian villages are empty in winter.

One of many pleasures of visiting Sicily is exploring a lot of little villages all through the island. Public transportation isn’t in depth in Sicily, so renting a automotive is one of the best ways to discover a lot of completely different cities.

Nonetheless, we quickly realized that small cities are particularly quiet in the course of the winter months. It wasn’t uncommon to go to one of many bigger cities within the area — like Marsala, inhabitants 83,000 — and discover all the pieces closed within the metropolis heart besides the bar in entrance of the Duomo.

In contrast to many different international locations, Sicilians don’t mark their companies as seasonally closed on Google Maps. So that you could be driving round, in search of a restaurant, trying to find eating places which are “open now” — and they’re going to truly be closed.

Let me offer you an instance: San Vito Lo Capo, a seaside village with spectacular cliffs about an hour’s drive from Palermo. We visited on a Saturday in February, the primary sunny day after 5 days of rain.

Based on Google, there have been greater than 40 eating places at the moment open within the metropolis heart that day. In actuality, there have been precisely zero eating places open, with solely two bars serving meals: a giant bar on a piazza, which drew a crowd, and a tiny bar across the nook.

Tips on how to repair this: Keep in a metropolis throughout your go to to maximise your eating and sightseeing choices. I like to recommend Palermo, Catania, or the Ortigia space of Siracusa, which every have sufficient happening in winter to make it a worthwhile keep. We had a terrific week in Palermo and ate at so many cool eating places!

Many excursions and actions in Sicily are unavailable in winter.

I get it — you perceive that you just received’t have the ability to go on a snorkeling tour in winter. That is smart.

However you is likely to be shocked that you just wrestle to discover a at the moment working meals tour, historic strolling tour, or day journey to close by ruins in the course of the winter months. Many corporations don’t run their excursions within the winter months as a result of it doesn’t make monetary sense.

Need to take the cable automotive from Trapani to Erice? Sorry, it’s closed from early January by late March. You’ll be able to nonetheless go to; you’ll simply should do the switchbacky drive up the mountain your self. And when you’re in Erice, don’t plan on discovering anyplace to eat.

Typically you’ll be able to attain out to the tour firm for a personal tour should you’d like, however this would possibly find yourself being greater than you wish to spend.

Tips on how to repair this: Analysis your actions upfront, see what’s out there in the course of the time of your winter go to, and determine what’s a dealbreaker for you.

Archaeological websites are nice to go to in winter.

Are you a fan of classical historical past who can’t get sufficient of historic ruins? You’ll love visiting Sicily. This island is wealthy in ruins, most of them Greek ruins, with a couple of Roman-era treasures thrown in.

And it’s a lot better visiting ruins in Sicily within the winter. Ruins seldom have a lot shade and are sometimes crowded, however within the winter you’ll crave that sunshine and there might be no crowds.

Anybody who’s visited Agrigento in August has felt like they have been coming into the gates of hell! Agrigento in January? A fabulous place to go to, even with low temperatures.

So which internet sites are value visiting? Positively don’t miss the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento; Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica; and Villa Romana del Casale; every of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Website.

Past UNESCO, The Segesta ruins near Palermo have been a spotlight for me, particularly the spectacular view from the amphitheater. Selinunte Archaeological Park in Trapani Province is one other web site value visiting.

Sicilian islands and seashores usually are not a smart selection in winter.

Sicily is house to a few of the most lovely seashores in Italy (which is why it looks like half of mainland Italy decamps to Sicily in August!). From the Aeolian Islands (my private favourite spot) to the Egadi Islands to cities like Cefalù, Avola, and San Vito Lo Capo, this islands are at their finest in summer season, which is excessive season in Sicily.

Late spring and early fall might be a lot quieter and most Italians will think about it very a lot not seashore climate, however it may possibly nonetheless be a superb time to swim within the Mediterranean Sea (and the ocean temperature is hotter in October than Could).

However within the winter, these cities are completely useless. The overwhelming majority of companies in seashore cities shutter solely in the course of the chilly winter months. Even well-liked spots like Cefalù are ghost cities.

Moreover, public transport is restricted to those locations in winter, particularly ferries to the smaller islands. For those who actually wish to go to the Aeolian Islands in winter, a minimum of keep in Lipari, which has the most important metropolis heart of the islands and some locations keep open within the winter.

Learn Extra: Full Information to the Aeolian Islands, Sicily

Palermo is loads of enjoyable in winter.

As I stated earlier than, cities are the perfect locations to go to in Sicily in winter as a result of individuals stay there year-round. You’ll find loads of eating places to select from, and tons of enjoyable issues to do.

Palermo was an particularly enjoyable place to have as a base in the course of the winter months. Whereas we didn’t luck out with the climate and it was chilly each inside and outdoors, Palermo shortly muscled its method into my record of favourite Italian cities due to the individuals, meals, and total vibe.

Palermo is vibrant, pleasant, and really reasonably priced. The meals is unbelievable and the road meals scene is superb, even within the winter months. It’s the perfect place to really feel such as you’re splurging for a low value. And Palermo occurs to be a little bit bit sunnier and hotter than Catania and Jap Sicily.

I might completely return to Palermo for one more lengthy winter go to.

Learn Extra: 23 Enjoyable Issues to Do in Palermo, Sicily

Sicily Climate in Winter

Sicily enjoys a Mediterranean local weather with sunny summers and chilly winters. Right here is info on temperature and rainfall, month by month, in Catania within the east and Palermo within the west:

Sicily in December

In December, the climate in Palermo, Sicily, is usually delicate with a mean excessive temperature of 61°F (16°C) and a mean low temperature of fifty°F (10°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 3.7 inches (94 mm).

In Catania, Sicily, the climate in December can also be delicate, with a mean excessive temperature of 62°F (17°C) and a mean low temperature of 44°F (7°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 3.1 inches (79 mm).

Sicily in January

In January, the climate in Palermo is barely cooler with a mean excessive temperature of 58°F (14°C) and a mean low temperature of 46°F (8°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 3.2 inches (82 mm).

In Catania, the climate in January is comparable with a mean excessive temperature of 60°F (16°C) and a mean low temperature of 41°F (5°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 3.3 inches (85 mm).

Sicily in February

In February, the climate in Palermo begins to heat up once more with a mean excessive temperature of 60°F (16°C) and a mean low temperature of 46°F (8°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 2.6 inches (66 mm).

In Catania, the climate in February can also be milder with a mean excessive temperature of 60°F (16°C) and a mean low temperature of 41°F (5°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 2.8 inches (72 mm).

Sicily in March

In March, the climate in Palermo continues to heat up with a mean excessive temperature of 63°F (17°C) and a mean low temperature of 48°F (9°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 2.5 inches (63 mm).

In Catania, the climate in March is comparable with a mean excessive temperature of 62°F (17°C) and a mean low temperature of 44°F (7°C). The common rainfall for this month is round 2.5 inches (64 mm).

Finest Time to Go to Sicily

So when is the perfect time to go to Sicily, for actual? For those who’re in search of a trade-off of good climate, sunshine, heat temperatures, and manageable ranges of crowds, goal for Could, September, or October.

These months are completely pretty (and September remains to be very a lot summer season), but it surely’s not “summer season” to Italians, who’re in autumn mode as quickly as September hits. Plus, children are again at school, which implies the crowds are fewer crowds.

For those who’re not a fan of heat climate and would moderately go to within the shoulder season, think about late March, April, or November. Early spring and late fall carry cooler climate that makes the right circumstances for plenty of outside sightseeing.

And at last, visiting Sicily in winter could be completely fantastic should you’re fortunate with the climate. And should you keep for longer, chances are high you’ll have the ability to expertise loads of sunny days.

By now, if you wish to plan a winter vacation to Sicily, that’s nice! I’ve completed my job, which is telling you what to anticipate — for actual.

Extra on Sicily:

Cool Locations in Southern Italy:

Planning a Journey to Italy:

Have you ever been to Sicily in winter? What are your ideas?