The sea temperature at Mondello (Palermo) today is 22.1 °C (72 °F) – cold to refreshing water, better for a short swim. The usual October average is 23.3 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 25.7 °C to 22.1 °C. Swimmable from May to November, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.6°C / 58.2°F | 15.3°C / 59.6°F | 15.9°C / 60.6°F |
| February | 14.1°C / 57.4°F | 14.6°C / 58.2°F | 15.0°C / 59.0°F |
| March | 14.0°C / 57.2°F | 14.8°C / 58.6°F | 15.3°C / 59.6°F |
| April | 15.0°C / 59.0°F | 15.8°C / 60.5°F | 16.5°C / 61.7°F |
| May | 18.4°C / 65.1°F | 18.9°C / 66.0°F | 19.4°C / 66.9°F |
| June | 23.0°C / 73.4°F | 23.8°C / 74.9°F | 24.8°C / 76.6°F |
| July | 26.9°C / 80.4°F | 27.5°C / 81.6°F | 28.0°C / 82.3°F |
| August | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.9°C / 82.3°F | 28.8°C / 83.8°F |
| September | 25.6°C / 78.0°F | 26.2°C / 79.1°F | 26.7°C / 80.0°F |
| October | 22.6°C / 72.8°F | 23.3°C / 73.9°F | 24.0°C / 75.2°F |
| November | 19.6°C / 67.2°F | 20.5°C / 69.0°F | 21.1°C / 70.1°F |
| December | 16.0°C / 60.9°F | 17.0°C / 62.6°F | 17.5°C / 63.6°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.1°C / 53.7°F | 12.8°C / 55.0°F | 13.8°C / 56.8°F |
| February | 11.7°C / 53.1°F | 12.7°C / 54.9°F | 13.9°C / 56.9°F |
| March | 12.5°C / 54.4°F | 13.6°C / 56.5°F | 14.8°C / 58.6°F |
| April | 13.9°C / 57.0°F | 15.2°C / 59.3°F | 16.3°C / 61.3°F |
| May | 17.5°C / 63.5°F | 18.8°C / 65.8°F | 20.0°C / 67.9°F |
| June | 22.4°C / 72.4°F | 23.9°C / 75.0°F | 25.1°C / 77.2°F |
| July | 25.7°C / 78.2°F | 27.1°C / 80.7°F | 28.3°C / 83.0°F |
| August | 25.7°C / 78.2°F | 27.0°C / 80.6°F | 28.2°C / 82.7°F |
| September | 23.6°C / 74.6°F | 24.8°C / 76.6°F | 25.8°C / 78.4°F |
| October | 20.2°C / 68.4°F | 21.2°C / 70.2°F | 22.2°C / 72.0°F |
| November | 16.7°C / 62.1°F | 17.5°C / 63.5°F | 18.5°C / 65.2°F |
| December | 13.7°C / 56.6°F | 14.3°C / 57.7°F | 15.1°C / 59.2°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Mondello holidays
Mondello is the seaside district of Palermo, the capital of Sicily, about 10 km north of the city centre in a bay framed by Monte Pellegrino and Monte Gallo. The former fishing village grew into a resort around 1900, and its early-20th-century Art Nouveau bathing pavilion on stilts still stands in the water in the middle of the beach.
Beaches
Mondello beach is a crescent of pale sand about 1.5 km long, with clear, shallow water that makes it a good choice for children. Much of it is taken by lidos with rows of cabins, umbrellas and loungers for hire, and free public stretches lie at both ends. On summer weekends half of Palermo seems to come here, so weekdays and early mornings are calmer. North of the village, the rocky coast of the Capo Gallo nature reserve has quieter spots for snorkelling.
Things to do
Mondello's piazza and harbour are lined with fish restaurants and cafés, and a walk along the promenade passes the Liberty-style villas of the early 1900s. Palermo's sights lie within half an hour: the cathedral, the Palatine Chapel with its Byzantine mosaics, and the street-food markets of Ballarò and the Vucciria. The cathedral of Monreale, part of the same UNESCO site of Arab-Norman Palermo, is a short drive inland. Paths in the Capo Gallo reserve climb above the sea, and the road over Monte Pellegrino leads to the sanctuary of Santa Rosalia, the city's patron saint.
Weather and best time to visit
At Mondello the sea stays above 20 °C / 68 °F from June to November.
Summers in Palermo are long, hot and dry, and August is the busiest month, when Palermo families spend their holidays by the sea. The scirocco, a hot wind from North Africa, can push temperatures sharply higher for a day or two. May, June and September are quieter.
Hotels and where to stay
Mondello village and its seafront road put the beach on foot, with rooms and small hotels among the villas. Central Palermo suits a city break with beach days, as AMAT bus 806 runs between the city centre and Mondello.
Signature hotels: Splendid Hotel La Torre
Airport and getting there
Palermo Falcone Borsellino airport (PMO) at Punta Raisi is about 25 km west of Mondello, roughly half an hour by car; buses and the airport train serve central Palermo. Ferries sail from Palermo's port to Naples, Genoa and the island of Ustica.