BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Renting a boat in Palermo, Sicily: the guide
Palermo's bay, Monte Pellegrino, Mondello beach: what to know before renting a boat off the north coast of Sicily.
Sicily's capital, Palermo, opens onto the Tyrrhenian Sea with a striking bay closed off by Monte Pellegrino, one of the most recognisable headlands in the Mediterranean. It is a stretch of water still far less crowded with rental boats than the Balearics or the French Riviera.
The bay and Mondello
Leaving the harbour, Palermo's bay opens into the Conca d'Oro. Just to the north, the Mondello beach and its shallow lagoon make for a calm anchorage in the late morning, before the day's speedboats arrive.
Which boat to choose
A RIB (€200–600 a day) is perfect for hugging the north coast up to Mondello and Sferracavallo. For a longer week around Sicily, a sailboat or catamaran remains the more comfortable option.
Weather to watch
The southern Mediterranean can be hit in summer by the sirocco, a hot wind from Africa that quickly raises a short, choppy sea. As anywhere, check the 3-day forecast before booking — see our Mediterranean winds guide.
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