The Truth about Visiting Sicily in Winter (Good And Bad)

Visiting Sicily in winter looks like a win at an easy glance. Why not head to one of the warmest places in Europe, where snow only falls on the highest of volcanoes, escape your chilly hometown, and enjoy all the delicious food and wine?

I’ve traveled to Sicily several times and recently took an extended trip to Palermo and western Sicily. And while I had a great time, the weather was far worse than I had expected.

Every guide I’ve read about visiting Sicily in winter only tells you all about the good things, while conveniently telling you none of the bad things.

I see that as malpractice — an abdication of responsibility.

In my 13+ years of professional travel writing, I’ve made it a mission to tell my readers the truth about the places they visit — both the good and the bad.

So buckle up — here is the truth, the full truth, and the complete truth about visiting Sicily in winter.

Is Sicily in Winter Worth It?

I’ve visited Sicily several times, at different times of year. Sicily, the largest island in Italy, is home to a fascinating cultural mix, so much stunning natural beauty, and at times it feels like a completely different nation to Italy.

Summer is high season in Sicily, with busy crowds and high prices. But winter can be a breath of fresh air in lots of ways.

Sicily is one of the warmest places in Europe in the winter, and people come to Sicily in winter to enjoy a bit of sunshine when the rest of the continent is frozen. Winter also happens to be low season, with the lowest prices of the year and the fewest crowds.

But just because it’s warmer than your hometown at this time of year, that doesn’t mean that you’ll feel warmer at this time of year.

Things to Know About Visiting Sicily in Winter

The weather might be lovely — or terrible.

Sicily has mild winters, right? How mild are we talking, though? While you can look at the average temperatures and rainfall in Sicily, which are listed further down in this piece, know that they don’t tell you the full story.

Most of the time, you can enjoy lots of sunshine in the winter and reasonably warm temperatures during the day.

But that’s if you’re lucky.

On my latest trip to Sicily in February, I had a day and a half of sunshine in Palermo before temperatures dropped significantly and it turned into rainstorms. Five days of…