Surfing in Sicily means taking to the water in the shadow of smoking Mount Etna. And, you know what? It’s pretty darn good stuff!
An introduction to surfing in Sicily
Surfing in Sicily might not have the same ring to it as surfing in Bali or Portugal but this island at the foot of The Boot is actually home to some of the finest waves in the Med. The reason? Just look at the geography. The place is perfectly angled to pick up NW, SW, and SE swells, and there’s hardly a landmass in the way on three sides to create a wave shadow.
That means there are breaks on all shorelines bar the far north that looks out to the Italian mainland. Couple that with varied topography, from rugged, rocky cliffs to soft sand bars that run for miles and miles, and you should be looking at something for all levels of surfer.
Our advice? Do yourself a favor and come in the winter. There’s nothing better than an abandoned beach in Sicily and that will only happen when the temperatures go south. What’s more, NW wind swells are the prime conditions, getting the quality breaks around Palermo working overtime.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Italy
Surfing in Sicily at a glance
The good:
- Best surf spot in the Med
- Warm water
- Not busy in the winter
The bad:
- Not the most reliable – it’s no Portugal
- Not the best in the summer
- Very touristy in the summer
What’s in this guide to surfing in Sicily?
Where is Sicily?
Sicily is the southern island of Italy. It’s like the football being kicked by the boot, sat over a strait from the Campanian coast. It’s now easier to access than ever before, because more and more low-cost airlines have been setting up roots here in the last few years. The best access points are Palermo Airport, Catania Airport, and Trapani. There are also train-ferry and direct car ferry links from the mainland of Italy, with another four hours or so on the road before you reach Naples.
A guide to the Sicily surf spots
Sicily’s surf breaks exist on the eastern coast around Catania and ring all the way to the north by Palermo. Let’s take a look at all of the best ones, skipping only the secret ones that we’d never get served pizza for again if we revealed…
Giardini Naxos
Giardini Naxos has a wonderful location beneath where the lush green coast hills spill off the sides of Mount Etna. The roadway runs really close to the Med there, and wiggles around a rocky wall that crumbles into the sea like something out of Madeira. Or, at least, it would be something out of Madeira if it had the size. Usually, it’s knee-to-head high here on strong SW swells and a little more with direct E windswells. The draw is the fact that it’s a rare left hander on a rock reef forming just south of the breakwater.
Playa Catania/Le Capannine
Apart from being the place to strut your stuff on the promenades and the soft sands just outside of big Catania city, the stretch of Le Capannine, located just to the south of town, can pick up some decent winter swell systems. It’s often offshore here when it’s working because the west winds are dominant. It’s mainly small, lippy stuff for beginners here, but there are also the occasional winter days that get just about overhead and start peeling. The rights are much better than the lefts of the peak since wrap-around swells usually break at a slight NW angle on the beach. Surf School Catania is the place to go for board rentals and tuition.
Siracusa South
One of the most challenging waves on the island when it’s working and definitely one for the real rippers, Syracuse South is actually one headland over from the depths of its namesake city. You need to get away from where Isola Ortigia bars the way for any swell and out to the more exposed stretches of southeast Sicilian shoreline. There are some access alleys to the coast at Punta Milocca that pave the way to the waves. With a good SW pulse in the Med, the spot hoovers up some good size and can hold it too. Midwinter or strong autumn days can see 5-10 foot easy, with an A-frame peak forming at the middle to give a very decent right hander that’s just asking to be slapped on the lips.
Portopalo
The exposed point at Portpalo is a mecca for windsurfers during the summer wind season and the winter months when the storms come rumbling over. Strong westerlies are a gift there if you’ve got the sail in tow, but it’s experts only really. There’s also perhaps the closest thing that Sicily comes to a big wave break that can bomb off the shore when Medicanes roll through, but it’s dangerous surf.
San Leone
There’s a rare south-coast surf spot on the flat beaches outside of San Leone. Just 20 minutes south of the famous temple valleys of Agrigento, the location is best on SW wind swells, but there needs to be some size because the shallow bottom keeps things smaller than they would be elsewhere on the island. The wave is a peeling left that can go for quite some way off the rocks and into the bay. It’s the stomping ground of the only dedicated sup-surf-skate school in southern Sicily: Scuola Surf Sanleonesurftribe.
Faro
A bit of a secret spot but mainly uncrowded because it’s a nightmare to reach, Faro gets the swells at the far southwestern end of the island. The wave is a mellow and manageable right hander that just asks to be logged. The name is because of the lighthouse that’s just on the cliffs. Expect a drive and bring a 4X4 because there are a few dirt tracks through the cactus gardens on the shoreline to navigate before you get to the parking.
Ciammarita
There can be some lovely, lined up sets on days with bigger periods at this north-coast spot nearly midway between Palermo and Trapani. It can handle size too – we’ve seen it hit 6 feet and stay clean despite a touch of cross shore. It’s actually a whole stretch of exposed sand that gets direct hits from northwest swell systems that are quite common in the winter months. That means plenty of peaks to go around, with lefts and rights to suit different footed riders. All levels and rarely crowded.
Magaggiari
Northwest swells that come across in winter also help the rocky beaches at Magaggiari to offer up some waves. They rely on the formation of sandbars around the boulders at the end of the headland. When they are built-up enough then it acts like a reef point by throwing wally lefts straight into the middle of the bay. We’d say it’s intermediate+ because the take off can be steep. South winds will really help keep the shape.
Isola delle Femmine
The Isola delle Femmine is probably the premier spot for surfing in Sicily. It’s where Isola Surf, the first and best surf school in Palermo (and probably on the island) comes to ply its trade. Set on a horn-shaped headland that curls north into the Med, it’s got a long, scythe-shaped beach that sucks up NW swells and channels them into neat A-frame peaks and sandbars. When it’s smaller, the whole lot turns into fast, ankle-burning shore breaks that cater to foamie warriors and the local rippers alike. It’s fun to surf in a good atmosphere.
Mondello Beach
Some people go to Mondello Beach to hit the waves from Palermo but we’d say stick to Isola delle Femmine. The reason? This one’s much more of a windsurfer spot and the swirling cross shores can play havoc with the shape. If you’re a kiter or bringing the sail then eat your hearts out because this really is world-class stuff!
Where to stay when surfing in Sicily?
Sicily isn’t hailed as a honeymoon mecca for nothing. There are oodles of top-class hotels that ooze romance here. You also get loads of family stays and budget options across the island. We’ve tried to whittle it down to three of the best for surfers on the hunt for the best waves, although we’d say a car hire is still the best choice for getting around from beach to beach with the car in tow.
Casa Vespucci
We can see why the top ratings are coming thick and fast for this B&B stay near Isola delle Femmine. Just a few steps back from the main surf beach in the town, it’s a stylish, newly-renovated pad that has charming doubles and a relaxed vibe. We especially love the alfresco garden area – perfect for that pre-dawn coffee and cannoli in the Sicilian sun.
Hotel Costazzurra Museum & Spa
There’s something totally different on offer at the Hotel Costazzurra Museum & Spa. Guests can access an on-site historic exhibit that has ancient Greek and Egyptian relics. There’s also a full fitness center with a Turkish hammam and a Finnish sauna involved. Oh, and you get bike rentals on site that can take you to the beach at San Leone in just a few minutes. There’s a local surf school there, just so you know!
Hotel Casale Milocca
Get a taste of luxury on the eastern coast by the more advanced surf beaches of Syracuse South by booking into the Hotel Casale Milocca. It’s got a large pool with massage jets, lush green gardens by the sea, and big suites for surfing couples.
Step-by-step guide to planning your surfing in Sicily trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the surfing in Sicily…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp. Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Rent a car. If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Sicily?
Anyone who’s been to Sicily in the summer will know that the waves can be virtually nonexistent. We’re talking flat as a squashed arancini ball flat. You really HAVE to wait for the fall months to kick in to get some action in the swell, which predominantly hits during autumn medicanes in October, November, and December. Winter seems to have a mid-season flat spell in January, but things do pick up again for the spring as the weather warms a little. The sea can be colder then, but we’d actually put March and May down as some of the top times to come chasing waves on the island.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
