Sardinia and Sicily - March or July

I went to Malta and Sicily in September (2015) and it was unbearably hot, so I can't imagine going in July as it would slow me down too much and I like to have energy when I travel. Even if you go when it's hot, you're not guaranteed to escape rain because those afternoon thunderstorms come precisely when it's hot and humid. I experienced a huge deluge of rain in September, but it's not like it lasts more than a few hours (for a photography buff, the pre-thunder sky is a major plus in terms of contrast, and the next day is glorious once the rain sweeps the humidity out). I would definitely pick March (cooler, less crowds, flowers, etc) but, as you said, you're ok with heat - so you may prefer July.

I was in Sicily for the first two weeks of April 2019. We had wonderful weather almost the entire time - cool mornings, warmer afternoons, cooler again many evenings and only one day of partial rain. However, I understand from some folks who were there in late April 2019 that they had rain many days of their trip. I would much rather deal with rain, though, then the brutal heat that you would likely endure in Sicily in July. Everything that we wanted to see - museums, restaurants, shops, etc. - was very open. There were plenty of tourists throughout Sicily in early April, but probably not the packs of tour groups that you might well encounter in July.

I recommend going to timeanddate.com to check the actual, day-by-day, historical weather records there. Go back 3 to 5 years. Check out the climate-summary charts on Wikipedia for your chosen destinations; I like their monthly averages for rainfall and days of rain, though note that the reporting periods sometimes cut off at 2010 or even earlier. With that data you can compare the risk of deathly heat in July to depressing rain in March.

Without hesitation I would choose April over July. I went to Sicily in mid April a few years ago and the weather was beautiful. I don't remember any rain during the week we were there. Also lots of wildflowers in bloom. July sun and heat can be relentless and it certainly impacts sustained energy levels. I would imagine that Corsica and Sardinia are a little cooler than Sicily but Have very similar weather. Everything in the areas of Sicily that I visited in April was open. In 2021 Easter is April 4, and everything is open for the crowds of Easter tourists. I was in Sicily this past September and it was very, very hot.

We chose to go to Sicily in October due to cooler temperatures. It was still warm but nice. I would never go to Sicily nor southern Italy in July. March would be preferable.

Isabel,
I can only speak to visiting Sicily in September. We were there in 2016. We had moderate weather, no rain. We had plans to revisit this September for 28 days (now canceled.) Looking at RS “When To Go & Weather” it looks like mid March to mid April might be pleasant weather and fewer crowds.

To avoid the summer heat, hoards of tourists, and generally higher prices that seem to accompany the high volume of tourists, we avoid traveling in July. Of the months you stated, I’d choose March/April. When we visited Sicily it was late September/early October.

Thanks for all the replies.

I know lots of people hate the idea of southern Europe in July. I actually don't mind it at all. Up till now I've only been able to travel for a short (2 week or less) trip in March or in summer and I've been to Europe every summer for 20 years, most of them including Italy (or Spain or Greece).

But now that I can travel for longer at other times of year I'd like to do that. I'd much prefer to do this trip in March/April but was afraid, as I said, of rain and of places being closed up. A few years ago I went to the Amalfi Coast in mid March. A LOT was not yet open for the season, and they were painting and doing construction and getting 'ready' for the season. I had been there just the previous July so I could tell how many shops and restaurants were not yet open (might not have been so noticeable if the March trip was the only time I'd been there, but in comparison to July it was pretty obvious). Beaches still had winter debris washed up, etc.

So it's good to hear from those of you who've been there at that time that you didn't really feel a sense of things not being 'open'. I wonder if Sardinia will be different from Sicily in that respect.

How much of an impact does Easter make. Obviously that day everything will be closed, but is the whole week around it impacted?

I’ve been in the places you mentioned multiple times.

It really depends on what you want to do.

Sicily has a lot of historical sights given its history. Greek, Roman, Arab ruins and architecture. Visiting those in July will mean dealing with intense heat. Doable, but it depends on your tolerance for heat. Coastal areas are ok, thanks to the breeze, but in the interior is scorching hot.

Sardinia, Corsica and also the Aolian islands would be of no use for me in March. I wouldn’t bother. The places are more famous and enjoyable for their natural beauty (outstanding sea, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking) than for their historical sights. May, June, July, August, September, early October would be best for those activities (although mid July through August gets really expensive). March would be a waste of my time.

In conclusion:
Sicily’s historical sights are best when it’s cooler than July.
Sardinia, Corsica, Aeolian islands, and also Sicily’s beach locations are better when it is warmer than March or April.

End of May or June would be best for all.

However you may want to split your vacation into separate trips unless you plan to be there for at least a month.Sicily alone needs at least a couple of weeks, especially if you want to add the Aeolian islands.
Sardinia needs a week at the very least and so does Corsica. Sardinia and Corsica can be a nice two weeks vacation just for the two places (but not in March).

Roberto - thanks for replying even though what you said isn't what I wanted to hear. As I mentioned, I've already been to Sicily (and it was in July, which I did not find too hot) so the focus of this trip will be Sardinia and the Aeolian Islands - plus a bit of repeating some of the historical sites/villages in the rest of Sicily. You said you wouldn't bother with those areas in March because people visit those areas for "natural beauty (outstanding sea, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking)". I agree with you that scuba diving and snorkeling would not be good in March, but I wouldn't be doing them in summer either. I DO want to hike and see natural beauty.

When you have been there in March (April) I know you couldn't enjoy going into the water, but did you find sufficient restaurants, etc. open? Was there a sense that places were deserted? Or do you think a driving trip with hikes and visits to small villages, etc. would still work. To visit the islands obviously you need to take a boat. And I know they run year round cause people live there, but are they scaled back so much that it wouldn't be easy to visit them in March. I would go to Sardina first (March) so by the time I got to Sicily it would be April. Although I understand Easter is April 4 next year and not sure how that will effect anything.

In March and April most places in Sardinia are largely ghost towns, except for the larger towns, like Alghero, Cagliari, Olbia, and to some extent, towns like Palau, Arzachena, Santa Teresa.

The local residents who live in there need to eat too, so restaurants and grocery stores will be open, at least some and certainly those in larger towns like the ones mentioned above,

I would go later in the spring. July and August is great too but lots of people go then, therefore accommodations are expensive and in August even hard to find altogether. But I love getting into the water and anytime before the latter part of May would not be good for swimming.