Sicily -best time to go

I went in late May (into early June) last year and found the weather perfect. It may have hit 80 degrees some days, but not much over and I never felt hot. The sea was very cold but we were able to swim - and sitting on the beach was pleasant. If you want it cooler and aren't interested in the beach then maybe go earlier in May. Any year could have an early heat wave or cold snap, but the averages for May look pleasant.

As for Italy on steroids - yes, in some ways. It has a little more of the Italian chaos or messiness, definitely more than Milan or Venice. But not as much as we were prepared for - we found it "easier" than expected. Palermo is a bit run down in parts but very welcoming and interesting, not the gritty mess we had been warned about. Siracusa was simply lovely. The traffic and driving was heavy/chaotic in the towns and cities but not too bad (except the Palermo ring route which was terrible). Probably not worse than Rome, but I've never driven in Rome so can't say for sure. Expressways were like anywhere else - very easy. Overall I think it takes a bit more research than the popular parts of mainland Italy - tourist info isn't quite as easily found - but really it's not all that different.

Rick Steves publishes averages under his tour info: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/italy/sicily
Also, you can see http://www.bestofsicily.com/weather.htm
if you're really thorough, then look at actual historical data (it exists for several years) for select cities at https://www.timeanddate.com

April and May should be fine. I went in early September and it was blazing hot.

I wouldn't call Sicily "like Italy on steroids" (is that one of Rick's marketing quotes?). Every region in Italy is different so it's hard to make such a generalization. If anything, I found Sicily to be mellow and frozen in time/ in the past (large cities like Palermo are the exception). Sicily is very comparable to Southern Italy in terms of infrastructure, economy, development, etc. It's quite poor in comparison to more affluent regions, especially in the north.

my RS tour was in November and the weather was perfect.

We traveled back to back Southern Italy/Sicily in the month of September 2014. We felt comfortable with the temperature hovering around eighty. May would be be a great option with possible lower temps.

Never understood the quote that "Sicily is Italy on steroids." Have to say Sicily is at the top of our list for favorite places in Italy. Very fond memories in Taormina, Ortigia and day trips to Noto, Ragusa and Modica. Of all the places in Italy, Sicily is calling us back!

Even December was fine, at least in 2014. Wore cashmere & fleece etc, but I'd go back during the winter with no hesitation, & I'm a freezy-cat. Husband will be in shorts, me in four layers... LOVED Sicily.

My RS Sicily tour was at the end of November. The weather was cool in places, but warm enough during the day that it was comfortable without a jacket as long as you weren't near a windy stretch of coastline.

Maybe late April through mid May or the last half of September into early October. You avoid both the hottest and coldest months.

Go late Sep/early Oct if you want to swim.

I was there in April-May 2014, and had wonderful weather - warm but not hot.

"I've heard Sicily is like Italy on steroids. Is that a good description???"

Not to me. That's the stereotype, but I found it quite a bit more mellow. Specifically I was concerned about Palermo; it was described as being like Naples on crack, but I found it to be a slightly scruffier Rome, and not NEARLY as intense as Naples. Outside of Palermo, small towns were not at all more intense than small towns on mainland Italy. I also agree with above comments that Italy is very regional, that each region feels different, and that Sicily is just one more region; it still felt like Italy, not at all like a different country as some report.

If you want full details of my trip and enjoy a long read, here's my trip report: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/sicily-palermo-caltanisetta-siracusa-taormina

I have been to Sicily 3 times: mid March, early April, and early June. The March trip required a jacket at all times. The April trip was almost perfect - no jacket on some days and a light jacket on others (based on Palermo weather). We went to the mountains on one of the days and it was cold at the higher elevation. The June trip was actually too warm. All days were in the 80s and it felt hot. Prior to the June trip I remember watching the weather forecast every day for the week before the trip. The forecast called for temps in the low-mid 70s each day. When we got there, it turned out to be 10 degrees warmer than the forecast. Based on my experience, I would suggest sometime in April or May for the best weather.

Took the Rick steves Sicily tour in mid to late April in 2016. We had temps from 65-75 every day with no rain, was wonderful. I did bring along a light jacket. But even living near San francisco wouldn't be able to tell a visitor what it might be like for sure in April or May.

My trip was last week of April, first week of May. The weather was good, never too hot, but some rain and high winds (meant I had to drive up to Erice, the cable car was shut down). But realize that all the reports here are anecdotal. The best way for me to get an idea of what to expect is to use a website (like this one) that has actual daily weather data for the last several years.

The water will be too cold for bathing. If you want beach time, better to go in the fall. Not sure what you mean by "italy on steroids" - weather? I thought Sicily was more laid back than many of the places I've visited on the mainland.