Sicily · Month comparison
September vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs September at #2. The undisputed best month — 23C, near-dry, schools in session, every site at its photogenic peak.
September
#2 of 12 months
Best match
September is May with warmer sea — Italys connoisseurs month, weather perfect, prices retreating mid-month.
- ↑Sea peaks at 26C — warmest swimming of the year
- ↑Hotel rates drop 30-40% from mid-September as Italian schools resume
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The undisputed best month — 23C, near-dry, schools in session, every site at its photogenic peak.
- ↑23C with low humidity and 9 hours sun — perfect conditions for Etna trekking and temple visits
- ↑Infiorata di Noto on the third weekend — flower-petal carpets laid through the baroque town
| Factor | September | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 10 | 10 |
| Value score | 6 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 6 |
| Events score | 7 | 8 |
| Atmosphere | 10 | 10 |
| Avg high temp | 29°C | 23°C |
| Monthly rain | 35mm | 25mm |
| Daily sunshine | 9hrs | 9hrs |
September trade-offs
- ↓First two weeks still effectively August prices
- ↓Storm risk picks up from third week — single days can be washed out
May trade-offs
- ↓Sea at 19C — first viable swimming days only at the end of the month
- ↓Some south coast scirocco wind episodes can push temperatures briefly to 35C
Scores compare months within Sicily. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →