Sicily in April 2026 – is it worth going on vacation? Weather in Palermo and Taormina, air and water temperature, is it possible to swim, prices in hotels and excursions. What to do and see in Sicily in April – says Eurotraveler.
The island of Sicily to this day is not one of the immensely popular tourist destinations in Italy. Only aesthetes still come here, for whom walks in the labyrinths of medieval streets are nicer than visiting advertised attractions.
And, of course, beach tourists. During the season, which lasts approximately from June to October, the island’s beaches are crowded with people wishing to sunbathe and swim.
Well, in the remaining months of the year, not excluding April, Sicily lives a quiet and calm life. Predictable and leisurely.
Of undoubted interest both to native Sicilians and to those travelers who are very tired of the tourist crowds that are always flowing somewhere.
Are you ready to take a step that is not too standard, to become a little more of an individualist than the modern unwritten rules of behavior in society dictate? Then you should “taste” Sicily in April!
Moreover, planning such a trip will not take much time. In any case, we managed it in a couple of days – including developing a rich travel plan around the island.
Weather in Sicily in April
It is good because it promises to have minimal negative impact on tourism plans. Or it won’t provide it at all!
It will almost certainly be warm, but not too hot. Plus, it’s relatively dry!
So you can spend whole days exploring the sights of Palermo, walking around Catania, Trapani or Syracuse. Or, without fear of getting caught in heavy rain, you can try to climb Etna on your own.
The air temperature in Sicily already in early April rises to +20-22 degrees Celsius. And by May, thermometers during the day can record up to +26-28 °C.
At night, however, it is much colder; for most of the month, the local atmosphere cools down to +5-10 °C after sunset.
It doesn’t come to frost. But for evening walks in highlands or on the coast, you need to wear fairly warm jackets.
In some years, April in Sicily can be a little different from usual. But only at the very beginning – the air begins to steadily warm up to +20 °C not in the first days, but in the second ten days of the month.
But at the end of April, the weather in Palermo and on the western or eastern coast of Sicily is clearly heading for summer. And the sun begins to regularly heat up the air – as mentioned above – to +28 °C.
Nature blooms and smells, and the sky turns gently blue, as if rejoicing that it sees such an optimistic picture below. Few tourists walk around happy because they made an exceptionally right choice by arriving at this time.
And they sit contentedly in city taverns, devouring original Sicilian pizza, Alla Norma pasta and eating it all with delicious gelato.
Truly incredible – you can only try this in Siena. Well, perhaps in some other cities in Italy that are unpopular among tourists – certainly not in Florence or Venice!
Water temperature
Daredevil souls can go swimming in the middle of the day – although the sea off the coast of Sicily at the end of April is not suitable for taking water baths. Because even on the eastern, warmest coast, near Taormina, the water never warms up above +17-18 °C.
Precipitation
It rains infrequently in mid-spring in Sicily – usually 2-3 times per month. But the sky closes with clouds quite willingly.
Cloudy days compete noticeably with sunny ones, if not outnumber them at all. There is often a foggy haze hanging in the air.
Slightly darkening the festive mood, but overall not interfering with the pleasure of traveling around Sicily.
Fortunately, the local nature takes full advantage of the off-season in April to blossom and bloom. And you will not find such a riot of colors as in April in Trapani, Catania and Taormina at any other time of the year.
Because already in June it is hot in Sicily. So much so that even the greenery begins to fade and shrink.
And in the middle of autumn there is no time for flowering – rainy November is on the doorstep, followed by winter…
How to dress
In most cases, you will not need to dress too warmly – Sicily is so warmed by the sun that it does not cool down much during the whole winter. But in some cases, in the mountains or in the evening on the coast, a jacket or pullover will not hurt.
You should definitely take relatively warm clothes if you go to Sicily in April with children. It’s not a fact that it will be useful (reviews on this matter are not very indicative: it all depends on the specific year and planned activities) – but it’s better than freezing later?!
Naturally, it is important not to overdo it. And leave room in your luggage for a lot of souvenirs and original things that you will probably buy in Italy.
How could it be otherwise – you need to please and surprise your friends and relatives with something?
It is better to leave raincoats and rubber boots at home. But it’s better to take comfortable hiking shoes with you.
Because every first tourist planning to visit Sicily intends to climb Mount Etna. Well, if not to the very top, then at least admire one of the easily accessible craters located near the lower cable car station.
Prices 2026
The lack of pronounced tourist interest in Sicily, both at the beginning and end of April, has the most beneficial effect on hotel and other price lists. As a result, for an amount of 80-90 € (per night), and sometimes less, a couple of travelers will be able to book a room or rent an entire apartment almost in the center of Palermo.
And first of all, we point our finger at the B&b Carpe Diem guest house, located at an acceptable distance from the city center – 10-15 minutes on foot. Very clean accommodation with a wonderful bathroom and independent contactless check-in system. Breakfast is served for only 5 € per person!
An excellent option for those who are ready to immerse themselves in the local reality is Residence Il Capo. Small but equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay in the very center of the city.
There is a market and a supermarket nearby. Piazza Ruggiero Settimo, where airport shuttles depart, can be reached on foot in 10 minutes.
I especially recommend the small (only 25 m2) and inexpensive, very comfortable Il Rosmarino Apartment. Located in a quiet location, but not too far from the center.
For example, you can walk to the cathedral in Taormina in 10 minutes
As for excursions, here too you can save a lot of money compared to the summer months. The same ascent to Etna as part of an organized group from Catania will cost 60-100 € per person.
And you will be able to feel the magic of Palermo if you do not regret paying a modest 40-50 € for the work of an (excellent!) guide.
Things to do
In short, many. All or most of the available options are outlined in our detailed but compact guide to what to visit in Sicily.
And we will recommend the capitals to start. To then unwind the spiral of your journey around the island strictly counterclockwise!
The number of interesting places in Palermo, for example, allows you to stay in the city for a couple of days (minimum). How long will it take you to see the city cathedral and the Palatine Chapel from the inside, and visit a couple of outstanding churches?
Of course, and go to Montreal!
Some tourists manage to get to Cefalu. But we once spent a whole week in this town, and therefore we are sure that it is better to (start) relaxing at sea there no earlier than May.
The city on the rock of Erice and the village of Corleone, covered in mafia glory, can be linked into one excursion route. If you dare to rent a car in Sicily and don’t get lost in the intricacies of provincial roads.
The right step
will be a visit to Segesta, which sees only a few tourists in April. And also a visit to the Selinunte Archaeological Park, which ranks first in the world in terms of the number of ruined ancient temples.
Next on the list of “must” places we would include the Staircase of the Turks and the “Valley of the Temples” in Agrigento – two incredibly “Instagrammable” and atmospheric places. And – if possible – the towns of Modica and Ragusa.
Usually no tourist voyage to Sicily is complete without a visit to Syracuse. But you can relax in Taormina even later – during the beach season!
The “cherry” on the cake – we emphasize once again – can be a climb to Etna. Although many of our friends deliberately refused this – they simply could not understand what the most active volcano in Europe could offer travelers so special.
And so we simply rewarded ourselves with the views that open from the lower funicular station!
- Where to go to Sicily in May
- What tourists need to be wary of in Italy
- Foods and wine worth buying in Italy
© Eurotraveler
