Palermo
Beach breakAll levels
Palermo's bay between Monte Pellegrino and Capo Gallo, with waves in a northerly swell.
The season runs from October to April. Palermo and Catania have active surf communities and schools. The water is among the warmest in European Mediterranean waters: around 15 °C in winter, so a 3/2 or 4/3 is enough.
Map
Isola delle Femmine (Palermo)
ReefIntermediate
Reefs facing an islet west of Palermo, with the best-quality waves in the area.
San Vito Lo Capo (Trapani)
Beach breakAll levels
A Caribbean-looking beach in north-west Sicily that wakes up with the tramontana.
Castelvetrano (Trapani)
Beach breakAll levels
South-coast beaches beside the Greek temples of Selinunte.
Catania
Beach breakAll levels
Catania's long sandy beach, facing the Ionian Sea below Mount Etna.
Conditions at a glance
| Spot | Wave type | Level | Best swell | Best wind (offshore) | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mondello | Beach break | All levels | N, NE, NW | S, SW | All tides |
| Isola delle Femmine | Reef | Intermediate | N, NW | S, SE | All tides |
| San Vito Lo Capo | Beach break | All levels | N, NE | S, SW | All tides |
| Marinella di Selinunte | Beach break | All levels | SW, S, W | N, NE | All tides |
| La Plaia | Beach break | All levels | E, SE, NE | W, NW, SW | All tides |
Indicative information gathered from surf guides and surfers' experience. Conditions change with the sandbanks: check the forecast and ask at the beach.
Which wetsuit to bring
The water is around 15 °C in winter and 25 °C in late summer.
4/3 wetsuit
The autumn-to-spring suit for water at 12–16 °C.
View on Amazon
3/2 wetsuit
For water from 17 °C.
View on AmazonAmazon affiliate links: if you buy through them, Shapers Europe earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.