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Sicily

Italy · Europe · northern hemisphere

SwimmingLakes & CoastlineCity & CultureHikingWine/Vineyards

Sicily is at its best for hiking in April to May and October to November. Good but not prime in March, June and September. Crowds peak in June and bottom out in December.

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Swimming
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Lakes & Coastline
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City & Culture
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Hiking
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Wine/Vineyards
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Crowds

Swipe the table sideways for the rest of the year.

primegoodpossibleoff-seasoncrowds, on this place’s own scale

The short version

Big enough that the season depends where you are — the coast swims into October, while Etna above 2,000m has snow on it until May and the Greek temples are best visited before the June heat

What the walking is like

Coastal day walks, plus volcano ascents that need a guide above the high stations.

When not to come

The inland archaeological sites in July and August. Agrigento and Selinunte have no shade at all and midday temperatures sit in the low thirties.

Busiest

August, heavily Italian; Taormina through the summer

With children

Long drives between the things worth seeing, and summer heat that is punishing away from the water. Etna and the boats to the Aeolians carry older children easily.

Where to stay

Taormina is beautiful and priced accordingly. Catania is forty minutes away, has the best market and street food on the island, and costs a third. Ortigia in Syracuse is the other good base.

What can go wrong

Extreme heat

The inland archaeological sites — Agrigento, Selinunte — have no shade at all and midday clears 38°C.Jul · Aug · Sep

Kept out of the score on purpose. Averaging a rare catastrophe into a monthly number would tell you something false; the warning is the honest form.

Dates that matter

  • Sant’Agata, Catania (3–5 Feb) — one of the largest Catholic festivals in the world
  • Infiorata, Noto (May) — the streets carpeted in flower petals
  • Etna and Nerello Mascalese harvest (Sep–Oct) — the reds run into late October, among Italy’s latest

Walks

  • Etna summit craters — cable car to about 2,500m, 4x4 higher; above the ordinance limit a guide is compulsory
  • Riserva dello Zingaro — a coastal path between coves near Scopello, flat and about seven kilometres
  • Stromboli at dusk — a guided walk to 400m and the Sciara del Fuoco viewpoint; the summit itself is shut

Etna’s guide limit is set by municipal ordinance — about 2,500m on the south side, lower on the north in winter — and it changes, so check before you go. On Stromboli the summit is shut: unguided to 290m, with a guide to 400m.

Crowds, month by month

142329628310095907756130

0 is this destination’s own quietest month and 100 its busiest. The scale never compares one destination to another. Source: Wikipedia — Taormina

See everything else at its best in May

Organised trips

Multi-day trips to Sicily

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