Things to Do in Sicily in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Sicily
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Shoulder season pricing means accommodation costs drop 30-40% compared to summer peaks, and you can actually book decent agriturismos without the six-month advance planning. Flight prices from mainland Europe typically run 60-90 euros return in March versus 150-200 euros in July.
- Almond blossoms transform the Valle dei Templi and countryside into something genuinely spectacular in early March. The Valley of the Temples without the 35°C (95°F) heat and tour bus crowds means you can actually spend time exploring without feeling like you're melting into the ancient stones.
- March weather sits in that sweet spot where you can hike Mount Etna's lower slopes around 1,800-2,000 m (5,900-6,560 ft) without summer's oppressive heat or winter's heavy snow closure. The volcanic landscape looks particularly dramatic with snow still capping the summit while wildflowers start appearing at lower elevations.
- Local life operates at normal pace rather than tourist-season mode. Markets in Catania, Palermo's Vucciria, and Siracusa sell to actual Sicilians, restaurant menus haven't been dumbed down for package tourists, and you'll hear more Italian than English at archaeological sites. The island feels like it belongs to locals rather than cruise ship passengers.
Considerations
- Weather genuinely varies day to day. That 6-17°C (43-63°F) range means you might need a winter jacket one morning and shorts by afternoon. The 10 rainy days scattered through March are unpredictable, and when it rains in Sicily, it tends to come down hard for 30-90 minutes rather than gentle drizzle. Indoor backup plans aren't optional.
- Beach season hasn't started. Water temperatures hover around 15°C (59°F), which is frankly too cold for swimming unless you're particularly hardy. Coastal towns like Cefalù and Taormina look beautiful but beach clubs remain shuttered, and that Mediterranean beach holiday experience you might be imagining won't happen until May.
- Some seasonal businesses stay closed until Easter. Smaller agriturismos, coastal restaurants, and island boat services to places like the Aeolian Islands run reduced schedules or don't operate at all. You'll need to verify opening hours rather than just showing up, particularly in smaller coastal villages.
Best Activities in March
Valley of the Temples Archaeological Exploration
March gives you the Valle dei Templi without the brutal summer heat that makes afternoon visits genuinely miserable. Temperatures in the 15-17°C (59-63°F) range mean you can spend 3-4 hours exploring the 1,300 hectare site without needing to retreat to shade every 20 minutes. Early March often catches the tail end of almond blossoms against the honey-colored temples, which is genuinely photogenic rather than Instagram hype. The site opens at 8:30 AM and morning light between 9-11 AM hits the temples beautifully. Arrive when it opens to have the Temple of Concordia essentially to yourself for 30-45 minutes before day-trippers arrive from cruise ships around 10:30 AM.
Mount Etna Lower Slope Hiking and Crater Exploration
March hits that window where lower slopes around Rifugio Sapienza at 1,900 m (6,230 ft) are accessible without heavy snow gear, but the summit still wears a dramatic snow cap. You can explore the Silvestri Craters and lava fields from recent eruptions without summer's crowds or winter's closures. The cable car typically starts running in late March, weather permitting, taking you to 2,500 m (8,200 ft). Temperature drops roughly 6°C per 1,000 m elevation gain, so expect 5-10°C (41-50°F) at Rifugio Sapienza even when Catania feels mild. The volcanic landscape looks particularly stark and otherworldly in March light, and you might catch the contrast of snow-capped summit against blooming wildflowers at lower elevations.
Sicilian Cooking Classes and Market Tours
March means spring vegetables start appearing in markets alongside winter citrus. You'll find wild asparagus, fresh fava beans, artichokes, and blood oranges still at peak, giving cooking classes better seasonal ingredients than summer's limited produce. Classes typically start with market tours in Palermo's Ballarò, Catania's Pescheria, or local town markets where vendors actually sell to locals rather than performing for tourists. You'll learn dishes like pasta con le sarde using fresh sardines, caponata with proper Sicilian eggplant, and arancini techniques that vary by region. The 70% humidity actually helps when working with pasta dough. Classes run 3-5 hours including market time and sitting down to eat what you've made.
Baroque Towns Walking Tours in Val di Noto
The eight UNESCO baroque towns of southeastern Sicily, particularly Ragusa Ibla, Modica, and Noto, are genuinely spectacular in March weather. Walking the steep stone staircases and narrow streets of Ragusa Ibla in 15-17°C (59-63°F) temperatures beats doing it in July's 35°C (95°F) heat by a considerable margin. These towns were rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake in cohesive baroque style, and March light hits the honey-colored limestone beautifully, particularly in late afternoon around 4-6 PM. Noto's main Corso Vittorio Emanuele runs 1 km (0.6 miles) of baroque architecture that you can actually appreciate without heat exhaustion. Modica's chocolate shops let you taste chocolate made using ancient Aztec methods brought by Spanish rulers.
Syracuse and Ortigia Island Historical Exploration
Syracuse gives you 2,500 years of history from Greek theatre to baroque piazzas without summer's overwhelming heat and cruise ship crowds. The Parco Archeologico della Neapolis includes a 15,000-seat Greek theatre carved from limestone, Roman amphitheatre, and the Ear of Dionysius cave with remarkable acoustics. March temperatures make the 2-3 hour site exploration comfortable rather than an endurance test. Ortigia island, the historic center connected by bridge, covers roughly 1 square km (0.4 square miles) of baroque architecture, the Duomo built into a Greek temple, and the Fonte Aretusa spring. Walking Ortigia's narrow streets in March means you can actually move rather than shuffling through summer crowds.
Wine Tasting Tours on Etna's Volcanic Slopes
Etna's volcanic soil produces distinctive wines, particularly Nerello Mascalese reds and Carricante whites, that taste genuinely different from mainland Italian wines. March timing means you'll see dormant vines just before spring growth starts, and winemakers have time to actually talk rather than managing harvest chaos. Wineries dot the northern and eastern slopes between 400-900 m (1,310-2,950 ft) elevation, offering dramatic views of the volcano and coast. The volcanic terroir combined with high elevation and dramatic temperature swings creates wines with unusual mineral character. Tours typically visit 2-3 wineries, include 6-10 wine tastings, and often incorporate lunch with local cheeses, salumi, and olive oil.
March Events & Festivals
Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore (Almond Blossom Festival)
Agrigento's almond blossom festival typically runs first two weeks of March, celebrating the blooming almond trees throughout the Valle dei Templi and surrounding countryside. The festival includes folk music and dance performances from international groups, craft markets, and almond-based food stalls. The actual almond blossoms peak early to mid-March depending on winter temperatures, transforming the archaeological park into white and pink blooms against ancient temples. Worth timing your Agrigento visit to catch both the festival atmosphere and actual blossoms, though the festival itself can feel somewhat touristy. The blossoms themselves, particularly in early morning light at the Valley of the Temples, are genuinely spectacular rather than overhyped.
Festa di San Giuseppe
March 19th marks Saint Joseph's Day across Sicily with special traditions including elaborate altars decorated with flowers, candles, and traditional foods in churches and some private homes. Bakeries make special pastries including sfinge di San Giuseppe, zeppole, and pignolata. In some towns, particularly Salemi in western Sicily, locals construct elaborate bread sculptures and altars that neighborhoods compete over. The feast marks the end of winter and traditionally involves giving food to the poor. Not a massive tourist spectacle but offers genuine insight into Sicilian religious and food culture if you're on the island around mid-March.