You have been planning your dream vacation in Sicily for long time and now when your trip gets closer, you discover that it might be raining some days? Looking at the weather forecast doesn’t make you happy and now you’re asking what should you do if it will be raining in Sicily.
Read also: 7 Big Ideas For The Best Vacation In Sicily
There are so many ways to keep dry and have fun.. or wait, should you really keep dry all the time when in Sicily?
Winter has now arrived also to Sicily, which means that even if many days can be sunny and warm, some days might come with rain. But don’t let the rain stop you having fun in Sicily, fortunately there are many great things to do and to see on a rainy day. Whether you are looking for fun activities, something relaxing or Sicily’s best bars, we’ve got it all covered.
Quick Sicily Travel Guide
Sicily Accommodation: San Domenico Palace and Grand Hotel Timeo for luxury accommodation in Taormina, and Casa Nostra Boutique Hotel or Palazzo Natoli Boutique Hotel for intimate vibes in Palermo. Dome or B&B Oriental Palace in Catania. Room Of Andrea Hotel or Gaura Apartments in Trapani. Le Tre Campane Ortigia or Palazzo Alfeo Aparthotel in Syracuse. Principe Di Salina Boutique Hotel or Il Gabbiano Relais in Stromboli on the Aeolian Islands.
Top Sicily Activities:
- Palermo street food walking tour
- Etna, wine and Alcantara tour from Taormina
- Boat tour to Favignana and Levanzo from Trapani
- Private tour of 3 Etna wineries with food and wine tasting
- Travel photoshoot in Palermo
- Quad excursion from Ribera
Does it rain a lot in Sicily?
At first you shouldn’t worry too much as in Sicily we don’t have that many rainy days. Obviously the weather varies in different seasons, in the summer it almost never rains, while winter can be the “rain season”. If you’re not sure about the temperatures in Sicily have a look at our When Should You Visit Sicily article, where you can see average temperatures of each month.
Before we tell you what to do with rain in Sicily, please note that in Sicily it never rains all day long, as it’s common in some other European destinations. Usually when it rains, it rains strong and for short time. Even if the weather forecast says that it will be raining all day long, fortunately it’s almost never true.
But now let’s have a look at some things that you can do when it rains in Sicily.
Best things to do in Sicily when it rains
1. Go for an afternoon hot chocolate and cake in Palermo
When it’s raining, there’s nothing quite like curling up with a good book or magazine and a warm drink in a cozy café. Most of the cafes in Sicily offer traditional sweets and desserts as cannoli, cassata, ice-cream, granite and much more. But if you would like to try something different in Palermo, go to Cioccolateria Lorenzo in Via del Quattro Aprile 7, just next to Piazza Marina in the historic centre.
Another option is CHA in Via Giuseppe Velasquez 28/30. Where you can even sit on the floor on big cushions and choose between hurdreds of different teas, hot chocolates or even cocktails.
2. Relax in a natural spa of Terme di Segesta
Hot springs offer a real natural spa, where the thermal spring is hot, with temperatures that can even reach 100°C and of deep origin, linked to past volcanic phenomena. You can pamper yourself in hot water, enjoying the pleasures of a natural sauna.
Terme di Segesta offer wild hot springs in the middle of the nature. It might be hard to find if you go there for the first time, but it will be worth it! Pamper yourself in the hot thermal waters or try the hot cave sauna and even forget about the cold or rainy weather.
Very Nice Travels has put together a great post inluding how to arrive to the free hot springs. They have also included all the directions with photos about how to arrive to the natural part of the Terme di Segesta (there’s also a pool version, where you can enter with a ticket and then stay in the natural hot waters).
3. Visit a museum or art gallery
Sicily has a rich cultural history and is home to several museums and art galleries that are perfect for a rainy day. Some popular options include the Regional Archaeological Museum Antonio Salinas and Palazzo Mirto in Palermo, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Catania, or the Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum in Syracuse.
4. Take a cooking class
Sicily is famous for its food, many local businesses or private chefs and food lovers offer cooking classes where you can learn how to make traditional dishes like pasta, arancine, and cannoli. This is a fun and interactive way to spend a rainy day.
Some wonderful hosts are A Day Cooking with the Duchess in Palermo or Fresh Pasta Making Class in Syracuse. Many hosts offer cooking classes for all skill levels.
5. Go shopping
Many cities in Sicily have covered markets or shopping centers where you can browse and shop for souvenirs, clothes, and other items.
Some of the best ones are Centro Commerciale Forum in Palermo (Via Filippo Pecoraino, 90124 Palermo), Etnapolis Shopping Center close to Catania (Contrada, Località Valcorrente, 23, 95032 Belpasso) or try buying high fashion brands at lower prices at Sicilia Outlet Village near Enna (A19, 94011 Agira EN)
6. Visit a winery
Sicily is known for its wine production, and many wineries offer tours and tastings. Spend a rainy day learning about the region’s wine-making traditions and sampling some of its best vintages.
Winedering offers hundreds of various wine tasting experiences all over Sicily. You can have a sparkling wine weekend for 3 days in Baglio di Pianetto (near Palermo) or just a simple aperitivo at sunset at La Cantina Donna Franca (in Marsala). There’s something for every taste and budget.
If you’re not afraid of rain in Sicily
There’s no need to be afraid of rain in Sicily as you can still do most of the things just with a help of an umbrella. Sicily is an open-air museum, where you can have a fantastic experience walking around and exploring the cities and towns.
Have a walk in Palermo, Catania, Taormina, Syracuse, Cefalù, Ragusa Ibla, Noto, Modica and in many other Sicilian towns and villages, exploring Sicily’s local food scene with many restaurants, cafes and bars and you will have a wonderful day wandering in these places even when it rains in Sicily.
Loved this information. Thank you. Planning a month in Sicily this coming June. We want to tour around and have booked some accommodation but need some local advice on booking apartment’s near the sea at Cefalu and Trapani. Any local companies you can recommend? So excited to visit Sicily at last
Airbnb offers many nice places if you don’t want to stay in a hotel. Otherwise Club Med Cefalù and Le Calette are really nice hotels.