Easter in Sicily

If you'll be in Sicily for Easter this weekend, read our recent Easter article first. It may give you a whole new perspective on how to enjoy this fantastic holiday in Sicily. (Shown here is a paschal lamb made of marzipan - a typical Sicilian pastry sold around this time of year.)

Sicilian Baroque - Casa Professa

While I must confess to not being a great fan of Baroque or Rococo architecture, Casa Professa (officially the "Chiesa del Gesù"), historically Sicily's most important Jesuit church, is worth a stop on any Palermo itinerary. With its intricate intarsia inlay, bold paintings and a few sculptures by Serpotta, it is generally considered the finest example of its style in Sicily - though purists do not consider it "Sicilian" Baroque per se.

Located between the Quattro Canti and the Ballarò street market, the church is easy enough to find, and just a few minutes' walk from San Cataldo and the Martorana. Read about it in Carlo Trabia's recent article.

Rite of Spring

Here in Sicily Spring arrives fairly early. You might even say it's already arrived. The weather is already getting warmer after what was an unseasonably warm and brief winter.

Spring and Autumn are without question the best times to visit Sicily, though Winter is becoming increasingly popular and should not be overlooked. July and August, while great for sun worshippers, can be tricky because August, in particular, is often extremely hot - and some public beaches in Sicily are extremely crowded. That said, it's really a question of personal preference.

One of the nice things about Spring is that the fields are green and in April they come alive with wild snapdragons and other wild flowers. Our Sicily weather page offers a glimpse of Sicily's seasons month by month. Shown here is Segesta's ancient Greek temple in April.