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Sicily in March/April

Hello! Our family of four is visiting Italy starting early March 2025 first to Rome, and then heading south to Pompeii and Amalfi (Minori). Then Sicily for 3-4 weeks. Beyond excited.

Questions/Advice for March/April.
1) Getting to Sicily. Do you suggest flying from Rome to Palermo/Catania? Or Train from Amalfi to Salerno and Ferry over to Sicily?
2) Recommend a car rental company for Sicily?
3) Weather last year? We are Canadians so 17-20C to us is quite lovely :). Is a beach day every so often possible?
4) We hope to see Palermo, Agrigento, Noto, Syracuse. Any other must see places you would recommend that are off the beaten path?

Thank you!

Posted by
129 posts

We used auto Europe in Sicily, and it was very easy
https://www.autoeurope.com/contact/

Regarding flying. We flew into Rome and then instead of rushing to fly to Catania, stayed at the Rome airport Hilton and got so much needed sleep so we could start our vacation rested, then took an early flight to Catania.
NOTE: the earlier you book the Rome airport Hilton, the less expensive it is.

We didn’t go to Palermo, but the rest of the sites you mentioned are great.

If you have time, I would add Villa Romana, it’s in Rick Steves book, i.e., the bikini girls athletes mosaics. Pretty amazing.

Posted by
6 posts

Just here to say that I was in Sicily in May a few years ago and it was shockingly chilly. I had packed dresses/ light clothing and needed to buy a sweatshirt while I was there. That ocean breeze REALLY made things cool so I recommend packing at least a few warmer layers.

Posted by
253 posts

It's think it's better to fly into Sicily. When I went in April a few years ago, I flew into Palermo and out of Catania. I think March would be too cold for the beach for me but maybe not for you. The average high in March in Palermo is 17C. Places I recommend that you didn't mentioned include Cefalu, Monreale, Ragusa and Taormina.

Posted by
484 posts

I have been in Sicily twice, at the beginning of November and also in March. As a resident of Minnesota, I imagined that Sicily would provide a warm, Mediterranean respite from cold weather. NOT! Regardless of online weather predictions, I found that while some days were mild and only required a light sweater, evenings were always chilly and some days were downright cold - especially on windy days along the coast and up on Mt. Etna. I needed and used all my layers - long-sleeves, fleece jacket, and even a light-weight quilted jacket! My warm cashmere scarf was appreciated, along with gloves. Maybe you will be luckier than I was in terms of weather, but bring layers in case.

Posted by
27138 posts

You can explore actual, historical, day-by-day weather data for lots of places on the website timeanddate.com. I like to look at the most recent five years since weather does vary a lot.

Palermo weather -- March 2023

Use the pull-down box at the right, just above the graph, to change the month and year displayed.

Use the Search box at the upper right to change the location.

If the weather's at all chilly, locations near the water may call for layers because of the breeze.

Posted by
883 posts

I’m glad to see in the comments that I’m not the only one who was surprised by Sicily’s chilly May weather! Even if you get a warm day for the beach the water will be very cold. Fair warning.

With 3-4 weeks you ought to be able to experience Sicily pretty thoroughly. The hill towns in the southeast (including Noto) would make for a nice few days. I would also give yourself about 4 nights each in Ortigia and Palermo. Both were absolutely brilliant. With the cool weather being a factor, I would not devote much time to places like Taormina or Cefalu. Not mentioned was Villa Romana del Casale, which I would basically consider a cardinal sin to miss. It’s also a logical stopping point between the southeast and the western half of Sicily. If you’re into ruins, I also enjoyed Morgantina nearby.

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you for all these great ideas and feedback! Much appreciated.