Palermo (gro) The Sicilian climate is typically subtropical. This means that there are long dry summers and mild winters, although we northerners are more likely to find the cool months to be reasonably sunny autumn or spring months. The climate table for the island’s capital Palermo records an average annual temperature of just under 18 degrees Celsius. That means it’s about twice as warm there as it is in Central Europe. And while with us in January the long-term average temperature is -0.5 degrees, it is more than 10 degrees Celsius in the Conca d’Oro around Palermo. Whereby it should be noted that the thermometer both around Christmas and in the last week of January often climbs to over 20 degrees during the day, which is due not only to the sun, but also to the occasional Scirocco (pronounced Schirócko). Finally, it should also be remembered that the climate tables give monthly averages.
The Scirocco comes with hot air and fine sand.
The Scirocco, which drives up temperatures in the Sicilian winter, can also blow in early summer and autumn. It is a strong, sometimes stormy wind that is formed by hot air currents over the Sahara and therefore occasionally carries fine sand with it. The rainfall in Sicily is about 400 millimeters per year, about half as much as in Switzerland or Germany. In addition, it rains on the Mediterranean island – according to the motto “if already, then already” – usually much heavier than with us. This in turn means that the rainy seasons are much shorter overall. That it rains in Sicily times more than three days continuously, is possible, but occurs only every few years, so quite rare.
When it blooms and smells in spring.
For many Sicily connoisseurs, it is most beautiful on the island from mid-April, in May and to mid-June. This is the time when it turns green and blossoms. Especially the interior of the island is then a colorful, spicy-scented land, which in places develops almost paradisiacal qualities. And the offshore, small islands, the Liparen and Ustica before the north coast or the Egadischen islands in the west before Trapani are to be recommended then for a particularly restful stay. No wonder that Swiss, Austrians and Germans increasingly use not only the Easter period, but also the Whitsun holidays and the school-free days of this period for vacations in Sicily.
On a coast it’s always sunny.
Sicily is about as big as Bavaria. But it is much more diverse than the German Free State between Zugspitze and Main, and on a coast (or in the interior of Sicily) the sun always shines. For example, Messina is the city where it rains the most, while Catania (in the lee of Mount Etna), also on the east coast but about 80 kilometers further south has the least rainfall of any major Sicilian city. Thus it comes that many Sicilians and also tourist friends of the island praise the month of November as the most beautiful month of the year – provided one experiences it in Catania. Nowhere else in Sicily does November have only five rainy days, but at least five hours of sunshine every day. Where, by the way, even a two-hour uninterrupted rainfall is enough to make a day a rainy day.
Hoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzentines, Arabs and Normans.
The first great travelers to Sicily, mostly aristocrats or wealthy industrialists who, a good 150 years ago, stayed mainly in Taormina and on the east coast and found their Arcadia there, populated the sunny island in the extreme south of Europe mainly in the winter months. In fact, Sicily is worth a trip at any time of the year. This is primarily due to the fact that the island has an unheard of cultural heritage to offer. Nowhere else in the world is the evidence of over 3000 years of cultural history as varied and as well preserved as on this island at the intersection of Phoenician, Christian and Arab manifestations and currents. The cultural splendor ranges from Carthaginian fortifications to Greek temples, Roman open-air theaters, Arab hunting lodges, Norman palaces, Byzantine cathedrals and Sicilian Baroque, which in the Val di Noto has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition, there are spectacular projects realized by artists of the 20th century in western Sicily, on the sites of abandoned small towns destroyed by earthquakes in the 60s of the last century.
It is worthwhile to take a look at the daily newspaper.
Sometimes, for example before possible excursions into the interior of Sicily, to offshore or more distant islands, one should know the weather development. In these cases, the most reliable information can be obtained from the daily newspapers (“Giornale di Sicilia”, “La Repubblica” and “La Sicilia”). In these papers you can also find the departure and arrival times of passenger ships and car ferries (to Tunis, Naples, Calgari, Pantelleria, Lipari, Ustica, Favignana/Levenzo/Marettimo, Civitavecchia and Genoa, among others), as well as information on trains, on intercity bus connections and on flights.
Bathing until early December
Even if it is very warm, in June/July, August and September, it is very pleasant to live in Sicily. You just have to look to use as close as possible to the sea a vacation apartment or a vacation villa, where even on the hottest August days a cool breeze blows, while the water temperatures rise to 26 degrees. Bathing water temperatures stay at 20 degrees until the end of October/beginning of November, and halfway hardy swimmers still go into the water in Sicily on Christmas to paddle a round. In January, February and March, however, the sea is definitely too cool for swimming. Unless you make a detour to the Pelagic Islands, such as Lampedusa, where on a sunny day even in February you should not miss taking a refreshing dip in the African sea in front of the Isola dei Conigli, the beautiful beach on the south side of Lampedusa.
Only 70 kilometers to Tunisia’s east coast.
The island of Lampedusa, which is worth a trip at any time despite all the bad news about the refugee misery on Europe’s southern border, administratively belongs to the province (county) of Agrigento, but is located about 120 kilometers further south than Tunis. To the Tunisian east coast, for example to Mahdia or Sfax, however, it is only 69, respectively 79 kilometers across the sea. This makes the island so attractive for human smuggling from Africa.
See also: Lampedusa