My family is trying to plan a trip to Sicily from Christmas to early January this year. We are wondering about ease of travel (limited schedules or not), weather, places to see at that time, and best markets, restaurants and towns for winter travel.
Posted by
Portland
3643 posts
We went at exactly that time. Of course, weather is unpredictable; but we had mostly clear, mild days. I don't remember any problems with holiday schedules. Palermo on New Year's Eve was a communal street party. Lots of fun, with singers, dancers, and other kinds of performers. If you're still there on Jan.6, that's a big holiday too. We were in Taormina and caught a free amateur choir concert at the cathedral. They sang Negro spirituals and such classics as "Bianco Natale" by Irving Berlin. We loved it! Many of the churches all over the island have wonderful creches, more folk art than religious displays. We kept to the coast to avoid colder weather in the inland areas, which are also at higher elevations. In addition to the above, we visited Cefalu, Agrigento, and Siracusa. Don't on any account miss the cathedral at Monreale (near Palermo).
Posted by
OP
La Canada, Ca, USA
3 posts
Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! One more question - did you fly directly to Sicily or use another airport as a touchdown point in Europe / Italy? I loved your advice about staying close to the coast for better weather in Dec / Jan. Gives me an idea of where to look to visit.