What Are the Warmest Cities in Italy?

Italy is one of the warmest countries in Europe and one of the most popular choices to seek summer sun or go for a quick winter getaway. When you visit Italy, you can count on a warm welcome. With fabulous food, medieval charm, and beautiful coastal areas such as the globally known Amalfi Coast, Italy attracts millions of visitors (some of whom end up moving to the country).

In this article I’ll share with you my list of the warmest Italian cities with at least 50,000 residents. I’ll cover the top 10 in more detail and then present the entire ranking in a table with 125 major cities in the country.

Top 10 Warmest Cities in Italy

Here are the top 10 warmest places in Italy. They’re ranked by their annual daily mean temperature. Each city also includes temperatures in January (usually the coldest month) and July (usually the hottest month). The list is dominated by coastal towns, primarily on the Mediterranean island of Sicily.

1. Messina – 18.85 °C

The hottest city in Italy is Messina, a port city in northeast Sicily on the Mediterranean Sea. It’s located across the Strait of Messina from mainland Italy. Messina has the highest average annual temperature in the country, making it the warmest city in Italy. It’s not the warmest place in the winter (a few Sicilian cities have warmer winters) but it has by far the warmest low temperatures year round (meaning that the difference between average temperatures during the day and night is the lowest).

Average high temperature in January: 14.4 °C

Average high temperature in July: 30 °C

2. Agrigento – 18.4 °C

The second warmest place in Italy is Agrigento. It’s located on the southwestern shore of Sicily, several kilometers inland from the coast. It has some of the hottest summer temperatures in Sicily. A heat wave in Agrigento is sure to bring uncomfortably hot temperatures.

Average high temperature in January: 14 °C

Average high temperature in July: 30.9 °C

3. Reggio Calabria – 18.3 °C

Reggio Calabria is the third warmest city in Italy and the first that’s located in mainland Italy (although located just 10 km from the shores of Sicily). Reggio Calabria is the largest city in Calabria, creating one of the biggest urban areas in Southern Italy. Due to its warm and relatively dry weather, it offers a pleasant seaside experience with some of the best weather Italy has to offer for those who don’t want to visit Sicily. This makes it a wonderful place for those who want to enjoy warm weather in Italy without living on an island.

Reggio Calabria ranks #4 in the ranking of record temperatures in Italy (check it here), having recorded 46.2 degrees Celsius in 1983.

Average high temperature in January: 15.3 °C

Average high temperature in July: 31.1 °C

4. Palermo – 18.25 °C

The fourth hottest place in Italy is Palermo, the capital of Sicily. It’s located on the northwestern shore of the island, creating a metropolitan area that’s the fifth biggest in Italy. If you’d like to live in one of the warmest and most populated regions of the country, Palermo may be your best choice.

Average high temperature in January: 14.7 °C

Average high temperature in July: 29.8 °C

5. Syracuse – 18.05 °C

Syracuse is a city on the Ionian coast of Sicily. It has some of the highest temperatures in the summer months on the island. Syracuse is sometimes considered the hottest city in Italy because it leads the ranking of the record temperatures in Italy, with 48.8 degrees Celsius recorded in 2021.

Average high temperature in January: 14.8 °C

Average high temperature in July: 31.3 °C

6. Salerno – 18 °C

Salerno is the first city on this list located neither in Sicily nor close to it. The city is located southeast of Naples, much further north than other hot places in Italy. While it has some of the coldest winters on this list, it has high temperatures in other months, giving it the sixth spot.

Average high temperature in January: 13.4 °C

Average high temperature in July: 31.2 °C

7. Bagheria – 18 °C

Bagheria is located about 18 km east of Palermo. Due to its nearby location, it features almost exactly the same climate as Palermo.

Average high temperature in January: 14.4 °C

Average high temperature in July: 29.3 °C

8. Marsala – 17.75 °C

Marsala is a city on the western coast of Sicily. It has the highest average highs during the winter months, with temperatures reaching 16-17 °C between December and February. Average winter lows are between 8-9 °C. Temperatures in January seldom dip to levels that would be considered cold.

Average high temperature in January: 16 °C

Average high temperature in July: 29.4 °C

9. Caserta – 17.7 °C

Caserta is located 35 km north of Naples. Along with Castellammare di Stabia on the tenth place, it has the coldest winter temperatures in this ranking.

Average high temperature in January: 12.6 °C

Average high temperature in July: 31.5 °C

10. Castellammare di Stabia – 17.7 °C

Castellammare di Stabia is a coastal town located about 30 km southeast of Naples. It has the hottest summers out of all cities on this list as well as the coldest winters. The winter months may bring cold air but on average they’re still mild compared to cities in northern Italy. If you’re looking for the hottest place in Italy in the summer, this town is one of the best options.

Average high temperature in January: 12.5 °C

Average high temperature in July: 32.2 °C

Top 125 Warmest Italian Cities Ranked by the Average Temperature

Here’s a table with 125 major Italian cities that have at least 50,000 residents. Some cities are missing because I couldn’t find climate data for them. The data comes primarily from Servizio Meteorologico.

If you’re curious about hottest places in Europe, you may also be interested in articles about the warmest cities in other European countries which includes Southern Europe and other countries, too.

I also wrote an article answering the question of “Where is it warm all year round in Europe?” You may also want to read my article What’s the Hottest Country in Europe? describing some of the hottest places on the Old Continent.