Season guide · Palermo · Italy
Palermo in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Lucarelli, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
A warm sea into October, Le Vie dei Tesori openings and marzipan fruit for the Day of the Dead. Expect highs up to 28°C (82°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 19 rainy days across September–November. September–October are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 13°C (55°F) to 28°C (82°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 19
- Sea
- 20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 28°C (82°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 4 | 12.4 h | 4/5 |
| October | 25°C (77°F) | 17°C (63°F) | 7 | 11.1 h | 3/5 |
| November | 20°C (68°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 8 | 10 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 24°C (75°F) against a yearly 23°C (73°F), and 19 of the year's roughly 65 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Acchianata — night pilgrimage up Monte Pellegrino to Santa Rosalia's sanctuary (night of 3–4 September)
- September: Le Vie dei Tesori — openings of normally closed buildings (usually weekends from September)
- October: Le Vie dei Tesori (usually weekends into autumn)
- November: Festa dei Morti — Day of the Dead, with gifts and marzipan fruit for children (2 November)
Make the most of the weather
Garden · Kalsa
Orto Botanico
Founded in the late 18th century and still run by the university, Palermo's botanical garden has a neoclassical entrance building, tropical and subtropical plants from around the world and a giant Moreton Bay fig whose aerial roots spread like a small forest.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Religious site · Il Capo and the Cathedral
Palermo Cathedral
Walk the roof terraces late in the afternoon for views over the domes towards Monte Pellegrino.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
Religious site · Monreale
Monreale Cathedral and Cloister
In the hill town of Monreale, about 8 km southwest of Palermo, William II's 12th-century cathedral is lined with some 6,400 square metres of gold-ground mosaics, culminating in a giant Christ Pantocrator in the apse.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Beach · Mondello
Mondello beach
Go on a weekday morning; on summer weekends half of Palermo heads to the beach and traffic jams build on the road from the city.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Free
- Iconic
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Nature · Monte Pellegrino
Monte Pellegrino and the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia
The 606-metre headland that Goethe praised as the most beautiful promontory in the world rises between the city and Mondello.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Free
- Active
- History
Day trips in autumn
- Erice (About 1.5–2 hours by car, or bus and cable car) — A medieval hilltop town about 750 metres above Trapani, with cobbled lanes, Norman castle walls and almond pastries made from old convent recipes; views stretch over the salt pans to the Egadi Islands.
- Scopello and the Zingaro reserve (About 1–1.5 hours by car) — Scopello's old tuna fishery and sea stacks lie at the southern entrance to the Zingaro Nature Reserve, Sicily's first, where a coastal path of about 7 km links coves of clear water reachable only on foot or by boat.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Palermo?
Yes: September–October are among the best months. A warm sea into October, Le Vie dei Tesori openings and marzipan fruit for the Day of the Dead.
+What is the weather like in Palermo in autumn?
Highs of up to 28°C (82°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 19 rainy days over the season.