Are you wondering about holidays in Palermo out of season? How about in winter? If you’re worried that it might be too unpleasantly cold, don’t fret, we’ll go over what weather you can expect in Palermo in winter today. We’ll also go over a few reasons why winter in Palermo in particular is a great idea.
Pizza, pasta and wine
Sicilian restaurants in Palermo
Let’s be frank, one of the first associations most of us have when we think of Italy is food. A few specific foods in particular, to be more exact. Palermo, as one of the main urban centres in Sicily, provides plenty of wonderful restaurants where, even in winter, we can taste local Sicilian specialties. And you best believe each course is coupled with wine produced in Italian vineyards next door.
Check out our list of the best foods you should try while in Sicily!
Shopping at the local markets
Meet the residents
Palermo, as befits a large city in Italy, is loud and raw. That’s honestly where much of its charm comes from, though. And you’ll find the best reflection of that atmosphere in the local markets. Given that it’ll be winter, which means that there are significantly less tourists, you’ll mostly encounter locals going about their daily business. As such, you can experience the city at its most regular and genuine that time of year.
Check out what you should buy in Sicily!
Churches, ruins and strange statues
The mysterious architecture of Palermo
The streets of Palermo are full of old and, often, not necessarily well-kept buildings. Don’t expect glorious glamour here – instead, you’ll find plenty of mysterious ruins, dark untamed streets, charming squares and old churches. It’s a place teeming with atmosphere.
See what’s worth visiting in Palermo.
Due Rocche Waterfall and the Zingaro Reserve
Natural spots around Palermo
Just an hour and a half worth of a drive from the centre of Palermo, in the Corleone area, you’ll find one of the most beautiful waterfalls in all of Europe, like straight out of a fairy tale. The San Leandro River, which is a tributary of the Belice River, forms the Due Rocche Waterfall here. It’s a must-see.
Equally wonderful is the Zingaro Reserve, perfect for hiking along the picturesque coastline.
Mondello beach
Winter relaxation on a Sicilian beach
Once we’ve completed the obligatory overload of pizza and pasta and we’ve had our share of attractions in the city, it’s time for a well-earned rest. Get in the car or take a taxi and head to the Mondello beach, about 30 minutes from the city. Take a blanket with you, a bottle of wine and just enjoy the fact that it’s January and you’re popping wine on a beach. If you get hungry, there are also some great restaurants in the area. The beach is, of course, free.
You can also check out our list of the best beaches in Palermo!
Weather in Palermo in December
What temperatures can you expect in winter?
The charms of winter in Palermo and Sicily as a whole are well renowned all over the world. The famous composer, Richard Wagner, used to gush about the winter aura in Palermo. What made him fall in love with it so much? Well, for starters, the lowest day temperatures you can expect in December are about 11°C, with 16°C being much more likely as an average and 20°C as a peak. As such, it’s a perfect time for hiking and general exploration. Warm days will also be just fine for spending time on a beach, unironically. Sadly, there’s one downside, and that is the amount of rain in winter – in December, you can expect 11 days of mild rain.
Weather in Palermo in January
Winter temperatures in Palermo
January is the coldest month of the year in Palermo, though this doesn’t mean as much when the coldest temperature you can expect is 10 degrees. You can also still find days with 20°C in January. The average is somewhere in the middle, about 15°C. There’s no shortage of sunshine, though there’s still quite a bit of rain – less than in December, but still about 10 days of very mild rainfall.
Weather in Palermo in February
Spring right around the corner
February is very comparable to January, though the days are already getting a bit longer and the rain even milder. The average remains around 15°C.
Summary
Should you go to Palermo in winter?
We hope we’ve shown you just how favourable the winter months are for trips to Sicily. You can do most of what you’d usually do in summer in winter with way fewer tourists and lower prices. Do be aware that some tourist facilities may close during winter if there’s not enough traffic. Do double-check that their schedules do include the winter months if you have something specific in mind.
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