Sicily Entertainment

Sicilian cities aren’t exactly renowned for their nightlife. The larger cities such as Palermo, Messina and Catania have a number of nightclubs and bars, but the scene is hardly vibrant or trendy. Resort towns like Taormina also have plenty of places to drink and socialise, but it’s usually done in the hotels.  Most visitors to Sicily seem content to spend their evenings relaxing at an outdoor café, but if you really want some cultural interaction, you can find it.

Nightlife

Palermo is the cultural centre of Sicily and thus has the greatest number of choices when it comes to nightlife and entertainment. Things get hopping after dark as local youths gather in the plazas to make plans for the evening. There are several decent nightclubs if you’re in the mood for dancing as well as a handful of lively pubs if you want to have a drink and catch some live music. Unfortunately, some areas such as La Kalsa and Alberghiera are really unsafe to walk around after dark. The higher class hotels are perhaps the best and safest places to have a drink. Other safe areas are the lively squares of Piazza Castlenuovo and Piazza Verdi. You should also check out Kursaal Kalhesa, where the local trendy crowd goes to drink and listen to live music in a restored palace. Many of the patrons speak English, so it’s a great place to meet some locals.

Outside Palermo

The most sophisticated nightlife can be found in Taormina. The bars are chic, the drinks expensive and the atmosphere vibrant. If you don’t want to party indoors, there are plenty of outdoor cafés, or you can stroll along the promenade at the Corso Umberto I. If you are in Messina, it’s best to have a drink in your hotel bar, or take a taxi to the lively Gli Antenati Pub, which unfortunately is closed during the summer. Catania is much the same, but it has more nightclubs and pubs to choose from. The Royal Pub Ceres and Mr Bahia Pub are two good choices for a drink. Much of the nightlife in Syracuse happens in the villages on the outskirts of town, especially along the coast.

Opening hours

One thing to keep in mind is that many of the bars and nightclubs in Sicily’s cities close during the hot summer months of June through September, whereas, at the coastal resorts, the bars are only open during the summer. Most pubs open around 20:00 and go on until 02:00, but all of them have erratic opening times depending on the day or the time of the year.               

Theatre and music

For cultural arts, Palermo is Sicily’s hub. Its opera and ballet season run from November to July, with most of the performances happening at the lovely Teatro Massimo. This restored theatre has the second largest indoor stage in Europe next to Paris’ Opera House. Palermo’s other grand theatre is the Politeama Garibaldi, which presents a wide range of opera and symphony performances in-season. Live music can also be found in many of the city’s bars. Agricantus is a good choice, as they put on a wide range of musical styles.

Catania also has a theatre called the Teatro Massimo, which houses this city’s opera and hosts other concerts during its season from October to May. If you are in Taormina, the ancient Greek/Roman theatre comes to life in all its glory during the summer season. A wide range of international acts come to perform here, with everything from classical symphonies to rock and roll.

Nearly every town of note in Sicily has a small theatre which puts on performances of the world famous Sicilian marionettes. This unique form of entertainment is at its peak here in Sicily and should not be missed. The stories are colourful and fast-paced, so even if you can’t understand Italian, you can figure out what’s going on.

Festivals

Sicily doesn’t exactly have the world’s most extensive festival line up, but there are a handful of interesting events worth checking out if you are visiting at the right time.

• The Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento celebrates the planting season and the beautiful almond blossoms in the Valley of the Temples. Each evening, the stunning Temple of Juno comes to life as international and local artists perform under the lighted surroundings (February).
• The Carnivals of Acireale and Sciacca are two of the most colourful carnivals in Sicily. They begin on the Saturday before Lent and culminate with the burning of floats and other excitement on the night of Shrove Tuesday (February).
• World Festival on the Beach happens in Mondello as spring changes over to summer. As the winds pick up, many professional windsurfers arrive for the yearly competition. When the sun goes down, the party really starts (May).
• Siracusa classical theatre is held in the Greek theatre at Neapolis and the Maniace Castle in Ortygia. Greek classics are performed amid the amazing atmosphere of these ancient sites (May to June).
• The Couscous Festival in San Vito Lo Capo is a fun time as chefs from regional countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Israel and other countries come to show off their regional cuisine. The festival strives to promote goodwill and celebrate cultural diversity through food and live music (September).