14 Reasons to visit Sicily Out of Season

As Summer comes to an end are you feeling "That Summertime Sadness"? Then why not book an out of season trip to sunny Sicily?

With temperature in mind the best time of year to visit Sicily is May, June, September, October and November. Every season is beautiful even winter when you can ski on Mount Etna. Summer is wonderful but it can get very hot in July and August and the beaches are very crowded.

Autumn is a magical time to visit Sicily. Here are my Top 14 Reasons to visit Sicily out of season;

1 The Weather
September, October and November is a very pleasant time to visit Sicily. The weather is still fantastic but the island is not as crowded as it is in the summer months. During your autumn stay you can expect plenty of clear blue skies with loads of sunshine and temperatures of up to 26°C making it possible to visit the beach and swim in the sea right into November.

2 Cheap Flights and Hotels
Flights are considerably cheaper out of season and hotels may offer reduced rates, most hotels are open until the end of November. Easyjet and British Airways fly into Catania and Palermo from UK, Ryanair fly into Comiso in the South East of the island.

3 Culture
The island is Italy’s largest region and also its most varied with offshore islands, endless coastline, rugged mountains, volcanos, UNESCO World Heritage sites, amazing history and architecture. It began as part of Ancient Greece, then the Roman Empire and thereafter was invaded by the Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish and Bourbons, each conquest left its mark creating the perfect place to indulge in culture. In autumn you can explore these fascinating places without the summer crowds and tour groups.

4 City Breaks
Both Palermo and Catania are the perfect destinations for a city break. Graceful old palaces and villas contrast with Arabic-Norman architecture in the capital Palermo which is a vibrant bustling city famous for its Street Food markets and wonderful cuisine. Catania is Sicily’s second largest city boasting monuments back to its Greek foundations, the city seen today was built after the massive 1693 earthquake and boasts beautiful Baroque architecture built using black lava stone and is home to one of the most colourful and lively fish markets in the world. Catania also sits under the watchful eye of Mount Etna making it easy to visit the volcano.

5 Taormina
Sicily's first true holiday resort has been drawing visitors to the island for centuries, all of whom fall in love with its sparkling and colourful beauty. Taormina makes a fabulous and glamorous autumn weekend break with glorious hotels, restaurants and shops as well as gorgeous beaches and beautiful gardens. It is a great base for exploring the rest of the island and boasts a micro-climate all year round. 

6 Food
Autumn means harvest time, in Sicily this means there are many food festivals honouring local delicacies like the famous Bronte pistachios, olives, and grapes for Sicilian wines. Other autumn delicacies in abundance are apples, prickly pears, peaches, figs and hazelnuts, amongst many others. Dishes such as caponata (vegetarian dish with aubergines, celery, olives and tomatoes) and peperonata (with peppers) are worth trying. Autumn is also a good time to book a street food and market tour, where you get to try traditional Sicilian street food and get a certificate to prove you ate everything.

7 Olive Picking
Sicily’s olive oil is like liquid gold. Olive picking in Sicily starts from the middle of September until the end of November. Nets are placed under the olive trees after which the farmers use a wooden fork to rake the olives from the trees. The farmers use wooden ladders to reach the highest branches. The olives are then collected from the nets and put into crates or buckets ready to be pressed to make olive oil. On autumn walks throughout Sicily you will see trees laden with this amazing fruit.

8 Cookery Courses
With all this wonderful Sicilian produce available autumn is a great time to join a cookery class or course. There are many cookery schools across the island or you can join a one day cookery class, learning to make traditional Sicilian dishes such as caponata, pasta alla norma and sweets like cannoli. 

9 Wine Harvest
To go with your Sicilian produce and dishes you will need a beautiful Sicilian wine. Autumn is the perfect time to go wine tasting on the island as most wineries will be harvesting their grapes and the colours of the vineyards are breath taking. On 11th November Sicily and the rest of Italy celebrate San Martino when everyone enjoys the new wine from the barrel. This time of year  is also called Estate di San Martino (the summer of San Martino)as the first few weeks of November usually boasts fine warm weather something that us English would call an Indian summer.

10 Mount Etna
Dominating the Eastern side of the island Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. From October to April you will see the snow on the summit and its slopes making it possible to ski. Autumn is the perfect time of year for visiting Mount Etna and joining hiking trips. In October in the town of Zafferana Etnea, a small town on the slopes of the volcano, there is the festival Oktoberfest every Sunday of the month which is a very local and enjoyable experience with stall holders selling their local produce made from the fertile earth on the volcano.

11 Walking and Hiking
You can find great hiking trails all over the island and a great way to do this is with a qualified guide, whether you are looking for a strenuous climb up Mount Etna, a walk through the national park ranges of the Nebrodi and Madonie mountains, exploring the Aeolian islands or discovering ancient sites. There are many guides who are passionate about their islands terrain and create wonderful walking tours.

12 Horse Riding
One of the most amazing and exciting ways to discover Sicily is on horseback. You can find stables that offer a unique experience, combining well-schooled horses, an expert team of professional instructors, who know Sicily well, and miles of idyllic horse riding terrain catering for first time riders through to experienced riders, there is something for everyone. An Etna horse trek is a great adventure.

13 Destination Weddings
This year has seen a dramatic increase in wedding tourism in Sicily and with balmy autumn temperatures this makes the island popular for destination weddings. Whether you are planning a romantic elopement wedding or a full on party, your wedding guests are sure to fall in love with your choice of destination. 

14 Learn the Language
If learning a new language has always been a dream why not learn Italian in Sicily? Sign up for an Italian course and meanwhile you have the chance to explore and experience our beautiful island.

Now all you need to do is book your flight and your hotel and enjoy Autumn in Sicily.

If you enjoyed this post search my Blog archive for Sicilian holiday inspiration.

Photo Gallery
(all photos are my own)
Isola Bella Taormina

Caponata

Catania's Fish Market 
Nebrodi Mountains 
Wine Harvest 
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento 
Prickly Pears 
Catania 

Giardini Naxos in September 
Syracuse 
Sicilian Olives 
Cookery Classes
Language Courses
Mount Etna 
Horse Riding

Destination Weddings

Mount Etna 
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