Is Sicily worth visiting in winter?

I started 2024 on the island of Sicily, where I stayed for approximately six weeks – starting with a week in Palermo, then taking a bus to Siracusa where I rented an apartment for one month, finishing up with a week in Catania. My original plan had been to stay in Palermo for a month, then visit Siracusa for a few days. In retrospect, I wish I had gone with my gut and stayed in Palermo. But I let myself be influenced by some negative comments about Palermo online (and positive comments about Siracusa) which prompted me to change my itinerary. 

Palermo

Anyone who has spent time in Sicily is probably well aware of the ongoing issues with waste collection. It’s definitely not just a Palermo problem. But most of the criticism of Palermo seemed to be focused on how dirty the city is, and I was prepared for the very worst. While I did see some overflowing dumpsters with stacks of garbage bags around them, I really didn’t find the city terribly dirty as a whole. Right before coming to Sicily, I spent around 10 days in Naples, which was more of a shock – there I saw people dropping trash directly on the ground (despite having wastebins readily available on the street), and a sea of cigarette butts on the steps of beautiful cathedrals. After Naples, Palermo felt like Singapore to me.

Now, I was visiting Palermo in January, the off season. I would assume the garbage situation is far worse during the summer months due to the tourist crowds and the oppressive heat speeding up rot and producing more unpleasant odors. But I would have no qualms about visiting in the cooler months, and would love to come back someday.

Palermo is a great walking city full of gorgeous architecture and incredible food. Parks, palazzos, ancient churches, a lovely modern port area, and stunning beaches nearby – what’s not to like? Yes, once you get outside the center, there are some less attractive areas that are more rough around the edges. And the Centro Historico might be a little too lively and noisy for some. I stayed close to the Lolli station, which felt like a rather decent middle class area. I also spent some time wandering around the Politeama – Libertà district and thought it would make a nice base.

Siracusa and Ortigia

From Palermo I headed across the island to Siracusa, where I had booked a month-long stay on the island of Ortigia. This is where “expectations vs reality” really set in and let’s just say…it was a very long month.

Siracusa is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its archeological park is an absolute must see. Ortigia is ancient and gorgeous, and popular with travelers for good reason. But a week would have been more than enough to see it all. First of all, the island is tiny, and very tourist-oriented. Second of all, for some reason I had thought most of the island was completely free of traffic, but in fact there are several streets where cars are allowed, and a lot of scooters. Thirdly, being there in the off season meant that it wasn’t overly crowded – which is great – but it’s also the time of year when a lot of construction and renovations are going on to prepare for the peak season. (It’s fair to say this happens in most seasonal tourist destinations, of course, not just Ortigia or Sicily). Thus, the whole reason I chose to stay on Ortigia – for a peaceful break after moving around to too many different cities too quickly – didn’t really pan out. My own fault, 100%.

Grocery stores on Ortigia island are just a few, very small, basic, and expensive. There was a decent full service supermarket about 20 minutes away on foot in the center of Siracusa, and the lively Ortigia market for fresh produce, seafood, olives, nuts, etc. 

In terms of activities, the Neapolis Archaeological Park was the highlight for me with its impressive Greek theater, the cave of the Ear of Dionysus, and a Roman amphitheater. There is also an archeological museum nearby. On Ortigia, the beautiful baroque cathedral is worth visiting to see the ancient doric columns inside from a Greek temple which once stood on the site. And speaking of Greek temples, the ruins of the 6th century Temple of Apollo greet you as soon as you cross the bridge onto Ortigia. The island also has a couple tiny, rocky beaches and a swimming platform. Even though it was January, I saw a few adventurous folks tentatively wading in the crystal clear (but undoubtedly cold) water, and there were always  sunbathers out. Most days were sunny, typically around 15-16 degrees Celsius. 

From Siracusa there are a few day trip options, most notably to the Baroque towns of the Val did Noto: Modica, Ragusa, and Noto itself. Since I didn’t have a car and had to rely on the rather infrequent buses, I only visited Noto, which was the closest and easiest to reach. In retrospect, I think I would have enjoyed Ragusa or Modica more, maybe staying overnight. Noto just felt slightly underwhelming – there is one very attractive street with lovely Baroque architecture, but the other towns are considerably larger and look more impressive in photos. 

Catania

After Siracusa, I went to Catania for a week, including a day trip to Taormina. Catania is a mixed bag, and you will find a lot of polarizing opinions on this city, similar to Palermo. I liked the fact that it did feel like a proper city – I missed the hustle and bustle in Siracusa. Catania, for better or worse, feels alive. I don’t think it’s quite as beautiful as Palermo in terms of architecture – most of the buildings are dark gray thanks to the volcanic ash from nearby Mt. Etna, and there is a lot of visible decay mixed with some better preserved historical buildings. However, it’s all very interesting and atmospheric. I also felt that Palermo is more pleasant to walk around. Catania has a lot of very narrow sidewalks, crazy traffic, and gray dust/volcanic ash everywhere. What Catania does have is a proper subway – just one line, but better than Palermo’s so-called metro, which is really a very slow commuter rail.

Both Catania and Palermo have nice day trip options: from Palermo one can visit the beautiful seaside town of Cefalu, the mountain town of Monreale, or Agrigento, the valley of the temples. From Catania, it’s possible to visit Mt. Etna, Taormina, or Siracusa/Ortigia for a day. (These are just a few suggestions which can be done without a car – there’s plenty more to explore around the island, of course). A half day in Taormina was just enough for me. It’s obviously a stunning location, and wasn’t crowded since I went in the winter. 

Pros and Cons of Sicily in general

The biggest pro to visiting Sicily in winter is definitely the climate. Most days were extremely pleasant, sunny, and mild. It’s not beach weather though. That suited me fine, as it meant no overwhelming crowds (another big plus in my book). You can still soak in the atmosphere, enjoy Sicilian food, culture, and history. (However, if you don’t mind crowds and want to experience something totally unique and Sicilian, try to visit Catania for the Feast of Saint Agatha in the first week of February.)

Sicily is a place where time can feel like it stands still – for better and worse. The positive side of this can be found in the traditional cuisine, festivals, and those areas where history is well preserved (all of its UNESCO sites, the cathedrals, etc). In the “neutral” category, I would say that things like the siesta can be a bit frustrating outside of the large cities. This isn’t unique to Sicily, but it’s one reason why I would probably only choose Palermo if I would stay here for over a month again. Another thing which I personally miss in southern Italy, though it might be controversial, is the kind of specialty coffee shop common all over the world where you can order a latte in the afternoon without embarrassment and linger for an hour or two. Italians have their own coffee culture, and there’s nothing wrong with it. I just wish it wasn’t the only option. 

And then there is probably the most obvious con to life in Sicily, which is the issue of trash (non) collection and a general lack of civic pride by some of the population. I know this frustrates many locals, too. I wouldn’t say that it’s a deal breaker for me, but it can be a little depressing. I will say that touristy areas such as Ortigia and Taormina are kept pretty clean.