General & Geographical Location
According to abbreviationfinder, Sicily is the largest and one of the most densely populated islands in the Mediterranean. Together with the islands of Egadi, Lipari, Pelagie and Panteleria, Sicily forms an autonomous region of Italy. It is located about 160 km northeast of Tunisia (North Africa).
The Sicilian land is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina. The capital is Palermo. The landscape is mostly mountainous and the volcanic activity is very intense.
Europe’s highest active volcano is Mount Etna (3,220 meters). The only wide valley is the fertile plain of Catania in the east. Despite its location at the crossroads of many Mediterranean civilizations, Sicily has many characteristics of more rural regions.
The island’s economy has remained relatively underdeveloped, but the activities of the oil refining and chemical industries have expanded significantly in the last decades of the 20th century. The region is mainly agricultural. Wheat, barley, corn, olives, citrus fruits, almonds, grapes and some cotton are produced, and cattle, mules, donkeys and sheep are raised.
Climate in Sicily
Sicily is right in the center of the Mediterranean climate zone, which covers only two percent of the earth’s surface and is also classified as a dry, subtropical summer climate. The Mediterranean climate is characterized by moderate temperatures, wet winters and dry summers. In the United States, Southern California is the only area with a similar Mediterranean climate zone.
The air temperatures are tempered by the warm Mediterranean Sea and the proximity to the equator. The sea temperatures range from around 14 degrees in winter to 25 degrees in summer. The winters in Sicily are quite mild (daily values around 15 degrees), but humid with at least 10 rainy days per month. From May it will be increasingly warmer and drier, the hottest months are the high summer months of July and August.
When is the best time to travel to Sicily?
Sicily is a typical summer destination, with the tourist season starting shortly before Easter and extending until the end of October. We recommend the period from mid-May to mid-October as the best travel time for Sicily, with July and August being the absolute high season and especially the beaches being very crowded.
In addition, due to the European summer holidays, the overnight prices are highest until the beginning of September. Then the very pleasant late summer begins on the Italian holiday island. If you are not dependent on the school holidays, the edge months of June and September are the absolute best time to travel.
From November, many holiday hotels have closed until late spring.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Messina (Sicily)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 15 ° C | 15 ° C | 16 ° C | 18 ° C | 22 ° C | 26 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 27 ° C | 23 ° C | 19 ° C | 16 ° C |
| Night temperature | 10 ° C | 10 ° C | 11 ° C | 13 ° C | 16 ° C | 20 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 21 ° C | 17 ° C | 14 ° C | 11 ° C |
| Water temperature | 14 ° C | 13 ° C | 14 ° C | 15 ° C | 17 ° C | 21 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 22 ° C | 19 ° C | 16 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 113 | 98 | 84 | 60 | 32 | 14 | 19 | 24 | 55 | 109 | 107 | 117 |
| Rainy days | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 12 |
| Hours of sunshine | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Sunrise | 7:10 | 6:50 | 6:10 | 6:25 | 5:45 | 5:35 | 5:45 | 6:10 | 6:40 | 7:05 | 6:40 | 7:05 |
| Sunset | 17:00 | 17:35 | 18:05 | 19:35 | 20:00 | 20:20 | 20:20 | 19:55 | 19:05 | 18:20 | 16:45 | 16:40 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Messina is 18.2 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (26.2 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 11.8 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Messina is 25 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. The months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of June, July, August, September and October have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 832 mm on 87 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. You cannot expect snow in any month in Messina.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10.7 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year the sun shines for 6.8 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Reggio Calabria.
Sights & attractions
The Greek era still lives on in Sicily, with imposing archaeological sites. Large temples were built in the Greek cities of Naxos, Taormina, Siracusa and many other settlements. Taormina’s Greek Theater sits on a hill and offers panoramic views of the beautiful blue Ionian Sea, while majestic Greek temples in Agrigento, Selinunte and Segesta are housed even better preserved than those in Greece itself.
The historic center of Palermo has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site via the largest cities: the center represents the perfect symbol of the city’s multicultural soul. The majestic cathedral was built in the 12th century and then destroyed several times. It became a mosque under the rule of the Moors and then returned to a Christian temple with the Normas, rebuilt with a mixture of medieval and baroque decorations.
In addition, many Sicilian cities radiate in the typical baroque style: the most beautiful are Noto with its impressive cathedral and Ortigia, a city rich in charming buildings with golden sandstone facades. It is possible to visit both of them in one day trip from Catania to Syracuse, Ortigia and Noto. A special mention for the Duomo of Monreale, a few kilometers from Palermo: it is one of the finest examples of Norman-Arabic architecture on the island and is home to large and beautiful mosaics.
Sicily weather in March, April and May
Average daily temperatures between 16 ° C and 22 ° C can be expected over the next three months. In Messina it gets warmest in May, while March is noticeably cooler.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 14-17 ° C.
You can expect around 9 days of rainfall in March, about 8 days in April and about 4 days in May.
In the period from March to May , the sun shines an average of 6 to 8 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in May in Messina, with less sun you will have to get by in March.
