As of 18 August 2026. This overview summarises the current situation in Sicily: flight operations in Catania amid ongoing Etna activity, the warning level for thunderstorms and wildfire risk, the key cultural dates over the next two weeks or so, and the overall tourist situation at the height of summer.
Travel & Transport
Catania-Fontanarossa Airport continues to operate under restrictions. Airspace sector B1 was closed due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere; the number of arrivals was limited to ten flights per hour, initially until 12 noon on 18 August. No restrictions applied to departures. Whether the measure will be extended beyond midday will be decided at short notice – the airport operator asks travellers to check their flight status directly with the airline before heading to the terminal.
Anyone affected by a cancellation can find realistic detours via Palermo, Trapani, Comiso, the Strait of Messina or the mainland in our compass for alternative routes in case of flight cancellation.
No strikes are planned for shipping on 18 August. However, the Strait of Sicily is reported to be rough, so weather-related cancellations are possible on the hydrofoil connections to the smaller islands – especially to the Pelagie Islands and Pantelleria. A ferry connection should therefore never be treated as guaranteed, especially not for the return leg before a flight.
Nature & Safety
Etna
The responsible observatory last reported, on the evening of 17 August, continued explosive activity of varying intensity at the Voragine crater, with an eruption column of around 6,000 metres above sea level, drifting towards the southeast. The lava field in the Valle del Bove is cooling overall, though an active vent at around 1,900 metres continued to feed a flow down to roughly 1,600 metres. An explosive event caused the eastern flank of the Monte Rittmann cone to collapse; this opened a new vent at around 2,350 metres, from which a lava flow around 500 metres long emerged and cooled quickly. Volcanic tremor remained at an unchanged high level, with the source in the Voragine area at around 3,000 metres altitude. The aviation warning level had stood at Red since the evening of 16 August and was downgraded to Orange at 10:00 on 18 August; the previously closed airspace sectors have been reopened, and flight operations in Catania have been running without restrictions since then. Continuously updated details on the eruption are available in our live ticker on the eruptive phase.
Access restrictions apply to the summit area during the current eruptive phase. Which altitudes and zones are currently open is determined by the responsible authorities and the surrounding municipalities, and can change at short notice. Anyone planning a guided tour or a hike on the mountain should check the current status directly with the tour operator and the municipality on the day of the tour. The lower-lying areas and the towns at the foot of the volcano are not affected.
Weather and storms
The yellow warning level for hydrogeological risk applies island-wide for the whole of 18 August. Scattered rainfall is expected, mostly in the form of showers or thunderstorms, especially over the central, northern and western parts of the island, with moderate totals. The Strait of Sicily is rough. For hikes and mountain tours, this means: thunderstorms typically form in the afternoon in this kind of weather pattern, so an early start is advisable. Current readings for individual towns and coastal stretches can be found on our Sicily Weather page.
Heat and wildfire risk
The official wildfire risk and heatwave notice number 176 of 17 August 2026 applies for today and sets a pre-alert level – medium hazard – in all nine provinces: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Syracuse and Trapani. On hiking trails without shade, significantly more water should be carried than usual; trails and access roads closed by the authorities must not be entered. Open fires and barbecues outside designated areas are off-limits under these conditions.
Events & Culture
Militello in Val di Catania: Festa del SS. Salvatore on 18 August
Militello in Val di Catania is celebrating its patron saint feast in honour of the Santissimo Salvatore today. The town in the south of the province of Catania is one of the late-Baroque towns of the Val di Noto and thus part of the UNESCO World Heritage, and the feast is the most important date in the municipality’s calendar, drawing numerous returning emigrants and visitors alongside residents. The proceedings are spread over several weeks: celebrations traditionally begin on 8 August with the “Cantata” and a procession of a 19th-century painting, followed by the Novenario with nine days of liturgical preparation. On the eve, 17 August, the mayor symbolically hands the keys of the town to the patron saint, and the bronze doors of the Salvatore chapel are opened with three historic silver keys.
On the feast day itself, the solemn Pontifical Mass takes place in the morning, and in the afternoon the “Vara” leaves the mother church – accompanied by children in the traditional red devotional dress entrusted to the patron saint. The exact times are set anew each year by the festival committee and announced via the parish and the municipality; anyone wanting to be there specifically for the procession should check with them. Practically important for visitors: provincial road 28/II is completely closed to traffic on 18 August from 6am to 2am the following night, on the section from the junction with the town bypass to the intersection with provincial road 47. The reason is the fireworks in the Contrada “Chiusa”. The parallel municipal road is available as an alternative. In the town centre itself, expect extensive closures and limited parking – arriving early and parking on the outskirts is the calmer option. The same road closure applies again on 8 September, when Militello celebrates the Madonna della Stella.
Lipari: San Bartolomeo from 21 to 24 August
San Bartolomeo is the patron saint of Lipari and of the entire Aeolian Islands; the cathedral on the castle rock above the town bears his name. The feast is the high point of Lipari’s year and, for many who have emigrated, the occasion to return. The secular programme on the stage at the Marina Corta is confirmed for 2026: on 21 August, Lipari’s town band plays at 7:30pm, followed at 10pm by the band “Beat 90’s”; on 22 August, “Soundsgood” at 10pm and a DJ set at 11:30pm; on 23 August, Fabrizio Moro at 10pm with his tour “Non ho paura di niente”; on 24 August, “Los Locos & Village Girls” at 10pm and the big fireworks display at midnight, after which the dancing continues.
The religious core of the feast falls on 24 August: after the morning Masses, the evening brings the solemn Pontifical Mass and the procession, in which the statue of the saint and the silver reliquary “Vascelluzzo” are carried on the shoulders of the confraternities through the streets of the centre. To close, boats and ships traditionally gather below the cathedral, where the blessing for seafarers is given – a scene that makes the island’s bond with the sea visible. The exact times of the religious programme are announced shortly beforehand by the parish and the municipality. For planning purposes, this means: accommodation on Lipari is scarce in these days, and the hydrofoils from Milazzo are heavily booked. Anyone wanting to see the procession and the midnight fireworks needs to stay overnight on the island, since the evening connections back to the mainland end beforehand. Restrictions apply in summer to bringing your own vehicle to the Aeolian Islands; this should be clarified with the municipality before booking.
Segesta Teatro Festival: performances until 30 August
The fifth edition of the Segesta Teatro Festival is running at the Archaeological Park of Segesta until 30 August, bringing together theatre, music, dance and performance between the ancient theatre and the Doric temple since 26 July. The current week is packed: Gabriele Vacis presents his “Gospel Trilogy” on 17 and 18 August, on 19 August at 9:30pm the Alessio Alessandra Band plays the programme “Canzoni raccontate” at the temple, which draws on the Italian tradition of the narrated song. On 20 August at 7:30pm the Italian premiere of “Traces of Rupture” by the Lebanese collective Zoukak follows in the ancient theatre, on 21 August Tamuna is on the programme, and on 22 and 23 August a new production of “Oreste”.
Practical tips: the ancient theatre sits high above the car park at the park entrance; a shuttle bus usually brings visitors up, though whether it also runs for the evening performances should be checked in advance with the organisers. The climb on foot is steep and tiring even in the evening in August. Tickets are available at the festival box office; anyone wanting to combine the visit with seeing the temple and theatre in daylight should note the park’s separate opening hours. Allow a little more time for the return journey in the dark on the winding access roads than for the way there.
Messina’s regional museum after art theft
On the night of 16 August, unknown perpetrators broke into the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum in Messina and stole four panels attributed to Antonello da Messina, including parts of the San Gregorio polyptych and a panel painted on both sides with the Madonna and Christ in the Pietà. Investigators found two further panels shortly afterwards near the building, apparently abandoned by the perpetrators. The museum initially remained closed for forensic examination. For travellers, this means: a visit to the museum – for many the main reason for a stopover in Messina – should be confirmed by phone or with the relevant authority before setting out, including which rooms are open again. Other sights in the town and surrounding area are not affected; our destination page on Messina gives an overview.
Smaller events are also underway elsewhere: in Piazza Armerina, the summer programme continues after the Palio dei Normanni, with the group Nomadi performing there on 19 August. In the Madonie and the interior of the island, several village festivals and sagre are coming up over the next few days, with dates announced by the municipalities at short notice.
General & Tourism
The season is going well despite the restrictions at Catania Airport. For the period from 15 June to 15 September, occupancy at accommodation businesses in Sicily stands at around 63 percent, a good thirteen percentage points above the same summer last year; overnight stays rose by around five percent compared with the same month last year. Many towns are reporting full occupancy for Ferragosto week and the week that follows.
In practical terms, this means for the coming days: expect full car parks and long waits at the well-known coastal stretches and in the historic town centres, especially in San Vito Lo Capo, Palermo, Syracuse, Catania and Giardini Naxos. Anyone seeking peace and quiet is better off heading inland, to the Madonie and Nebrodi, or to the less developed stretches of the south coast during this period. From early September, the situation at the beaches noticeably eases, while the sea stays warm.
Note: all information as of 18 August 2026. Before travelling, please check current timetables, opening hours, event dates, and weather and safety warnings again.
