Kite guide · Europe

Kitesurfing in Sicily: Lo Stagnone, the Other Spots and Where to Sleep

Standing-depth flat water at Lo Stagnone, wave spots within an hour's drive, and a pool hotel 20 to 30 m from the kite station.

Standing-depth lagoon at Lo Stagnone
Summer thermals of 14–18 knots
Sea at 25–26.5 °C in July–August
Walk 20–30 m to the kite station

Compare the spots Where to stay

In short

Kitesurfing in Sicily centres on Lo Stagnone, a shallow lagoon on the island's western tip, between Marsala and Trapani. In the kite area the water is flat and rarely deeper than 1 to 1.5 m, so you can stand up almost anywhere: that is why so many people learn here and freestylers come to train. From June to September a thermal sea breeze usually blows 14 to 18 knots from late morning, and May and October bring more strong-wind days.

For chop or waves, Capo Feto and Puzziteddu are 40 minutes to an hour's drive south, and the south-east coast, the Strait of Messina and the north coast have spots of their own. To sleep on the spot, Resort Santa Maria has a pool and sits 20 to 30 m behind the Kite Lab base, 5 to 10 minutes from Trapani airport.

At a glance

Sicily at a glance

Wind: Summer thermal of 14–18 knots at Lo Stagnone; stronger frontal days, Sirocco included, in spring and autumn
Peak season: May to October; most schools open from March or April to October or November
Water: About 25–26.5 °C in July and August, 14.5 °C in late winter (Trapani)
Wetsuit: Lycra or T-shirt in summer; 3/2 mm in spring and late autumn
Kites: Two sizes, for example 10–12 m plus 7–9 m for experienced riders (Torre Loopa school)
Best for: Learning and freestyle on flat water; waves on day trips to Puzziteddu
Flights: About 3 h from London and 2 h 20 from Frankfurt to Palermo; Trapani is 5–10 min from the spot
Time zone: Central European Time, one hour ahead of the UK
Entry: EU citizens: ID card or passport. UK: no visa for up to 90 days in 180

Verified with the official sites of Kite Lab, Duotone Pro Center Sicily, KiteClub Marsala, Trickite School and Resort Santa Maria, Visit Sicily, GOV.UK and the EU's Your Europe site, spot guides from Follow The Wind, Torre Loopa, Kitereisen, HolidayCheck, spiagge.it and Unplug, Climates to Travel, FlightsFrom and Google Maps listings · Updated October 2026

Compare

Sicily's kite spots compared

Sicily's best-known kite spot is Lo Stagnone, the lagoon that Visit Sicily, the region's tourism site, calls one of the kitesurfing capitals of the world. The other areas are beaches on the open sea, each with its own wind and water. They suit a day trip from the lagoon or a different kind of holiday, but none has a hotel on our list yet.

Sicily's kitesurf spots compared
Area	Where	Water	Best for	On Kitesurf Holiday
Lo Stagnone	Lagoon between Marsala and Trapani, on the west coast	Flat, rarely deeper than 1 to 1.5 m	Learning, freestyle and flat-water progression	Yes: spot guide, hotel and school
Capo Feto	Nature reserve by Mazara del Vallo, about 40 min by car	White sand, clear water and small chop	A day of open water; Duotone Pro Center Sicily suggests it for foiling	Not yet: a day trip in our Lo Stagnone guide
Puzziteddu	Torretta Granitola, near Mazara del Vallo, about 1 h by car	Waves	Wave riding	Not yet: a day trip in our Lo Stagnone guide
South-east coast	Granelli (Pachino), Isola delle Correnti (Portopalo), Pozzallo and Santa Maria del Focallo	Sandy beaches, such as 7 km at Granelli; flat water or small waves depending on the wind	Winter sessions: Trickite School calls Granelli its favourite winter spot	Not yet
Manfria	South coast, between Gela and Licata	Small waves with south to south-west wind	Riders past the beginner stage	Not yet
Strait of Messina	Torre Faro and other beaches around Messina, on the north-east tip	Open sea in the strait between Sicily and the mainland	Riders past the beginner stage, all year round	Not yet
Capo d'Orlando	Middle of the north coast, Messina province	Wide sandy beach on the open sea	Riders past the beginner stage	Not yet

Drive times are from the main Lo Stagnone spot, according to Kite Lab. Spot details come from Kite Lab, Follow The Wind, Duotone Pro Center Sicily, Trickite School, Visit Sicily, HolidayCheck, spiagge.it and Unplug.

Destinations

Our Sicily spot guide

Our Lo Stagnone guide covers the lagoon's riding areas, the wind month by month, the schools and their prices, and where to sleep on the spot.

Sicily

Lo Stagnone & Marsala

Flat water

May to Oct

On the spot

Where to stay on the kite spot

Our Sicilian stay is Resort Santa Maria, the only hotel right on the Lo Stagnone kite spot: a 3-star hotel with apartments and an outdoor pool, 20 to 30 m from the Kite Lab base. You walk from your room to the water, and the family can stay by the pool while you ride.

SpotSleep on the spotLearn

Lo Stagnone & Marsala →
Sleep on the spot
- Resort Santa Maria, kite hotel in Lo Stagnone & Marsala
Learn
- Kite Lab Sicily, kite school in Lo Stagnone & Marsala

Resort Santa Maria - Kitesurf Hotel in Lo Stagnone & Marsala, Sicily

Kite station 20–30 m

3-star hotel & apartments

Lo Stagnone & Marsala, Sicily

Resort Santa Maria

About 30 m, 1 min on foot to the kite station

3-star hotel and apartments on Lo Stagnone's main kite spot, 20 to 30 m from Kite Lab. Outdoor pool, restaurant, breakfast with hotel rooms.

Lagoon frontOutdoor poolRestaurant and lounge bar

Lessons

Kite schools we list in Sicily

Kite Lab, an IKO-affiliated school in front of Resort Santa Maria, teaches private and duo lessons coached by radio, from late April to 31 October. There is no package to prepay: you pay at the end of your stay for the hours you rode, €70 an hour for the first four private hours on the 2026 price list.

Kite Lab Sicily - Kite School in Lo Stagnone & Marsala, Sicily

IKO

On the main Birgi spot

Lo Stagnone & Marsala, Sicily

Kite Lab Sicily

IKO-affiliated kite school on Lo Stagnone's main spot, 20 to 30 m from Resort Santa Maria: private or duo lessons, radio coaching, Duotone gear.

8 services

English, French

Wind forecast

Wind today at our kite spots in Sicily

Updated 2 Nov, 12:47

Lo Stagnone, Marsala
Marsala guide and 7-day forecast →
1. Today
  21kts
  NW · gusts 41
  GO
2. Tue
  15kts
  NW · gusts 29
  OK
3. Wed
  13kts
  SE · gusts 23
  OK
Puzziteddu, Campobello di Mazara
Wind only: no guide yet
1. Today
  24kts
  WNW · gusts 47
  GO
2. Tue
  12kts
  NW · gusts 25
  OK
3. Wed
  12kts
  ESE · gusts 22
  OK

GO16–24 ktsOK12–15 ktsSTRONG25 kts and moreLIGHTunder 12 kts

Strongest wind and gusts of the day, in knots. Kite sizes are a rough guide for a rider of about 75 kg. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.

See the place

Video

The wind

Wind in Sicily: thermals, Sirocco and the rest

Lo Stagnone sits on the westernmost tip of Sicily, open to the Tramontana and Maestrale from the north and north-west, the Levante from the east and the Sirocco from the south-east. Local schools count about 300 windy days a year, and Kite Lab reports 70 to 80% of days with at least 12 knots in season: in a typical week, four or five days are rideable.

The type of wind changes through the year. From June to September a thermal sea breeze adds a few knots: it usually starts around 10 or 11 am, peaks in the afternoon and eases from 5 or 6 pm, and 14 to 18 knots is a classic lesson day. Spring and autumn bring frontal winds instead, with more strong-wind days in May and October, and Sirocco days from the south that can reach 35 to 40 knots. Elsewhere on the island, each spot needs its own wind:

Lo Stagnone: the shore faces south-west at its southern end and north at its northern end, and the main spot in between suits most of the common wind directions, according to Kite Lab
Capo Feto: north-west, west, south-west and south winds, according to Kite Lab
Granelli, on the south-east coast: west, south-west and south-east winds, according to Trickite School
Manfria, on the south coast: small waves build with south and south-west wind

Season

When to go, month by month

The lagoon works from spring to autumn. What changes through the season is the type of wind, the water temperature and how many schools are open.

Kitesurfing at Lo Stagnone by period
Period	Wind	Sea	Wetsuit	Our take
April and May	Spring systems, often strong; more strong-wind days than in midsummer	15.5–18.5 °C	3/2 mm	Quieter, with stronger days; Kite Lab opens at the end of April
June to September	Thermal sea breeze, usually 14 to 18 knots from late morning	22–26.5 °C	Lycra or T-shirt; a neoprene top on cooler days	Classic lesson weather and the warmest sea
October	More strong-wind days; Kite Lab closes on 31 October	22.5 °C	Neoprene top or 3/2 mm	Warm water and stronger days at the end of the season
November to March	Fewer windy days but often stronger; the lagoon is quiet	14.5–19.5 °C	Full wetsuit	Most Lo Stagnone schools close; Trickite School calls Granelli, on the south-east coast, its favourite winter spot

Sea temperatures are monthly averages for Trapani, 1991 to 2020 (Climates to Travel). Wind notes come from Kite Lab, Duotone Pro Center Sicily and Follow The Wind; wetsuit advice follows Kite Lab.

Beginners and families

Is Sicily good for beginners and families?

Yes, at Lo Stagnone. In the kite area the water is rarely deeper than 1 to 1.5 m, with no waves or currents, so you can stand up and walk back from almost anywhere, and your instructor can stay a step behind you. Kite Lab says 6 to 10 hours of lessons usually bring your first runs and about 12 make you independent, upwind included. Children can start from about 8 under some conditions, though in practice Kite Lab usually begins at 10 or 11 years and 25 to 30 kg.

The catch for families is the beach: the main kite stretch has lawns and lagoon rather than sand, and the water in front is busy with kites. Swim in the pool at Resort Santa Maria or at San Teodoro beach, a few minutes' drive north, and keep the windless days for trips:

Mozia (Motya), the Phoenician island city in the lagoon, and the salt pans with their windmills
Marsala's old town and wine cellars, about 10 km away
Erice, a hilltop town 750 m above the sea near Trapani
A ferry from Trapani to the Egadi Islands
San Vito lo Capo and the Zingaro nature reserve for beaches and hiking

Travel

Getting there and entry rules

Trapani Birgi airport (TPS) is about 6 km by road from the main Lo Stagnone spot, 5 to 10 minutes by car, and Kite Lab quotes €15 to €20 one way for a taxi. Palermo airport (PMO) is about 90 km away, roughly an hour's drive, with direct flights of about 3 hours from London and 2 h 20 from Frankfurt; a private transfer costs about €65 to €90 one way, or you can take the bus to Trapani airport. A car is not essential if you stay on the spot, but Birgi has only one small shop, and Capo Feto and Puzziteddu are 40 minutes and an hour away.

Italy is in the EU and the Schengen area. EU citizens can travel with a valid national ID card or passport. UK citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa; their passport must have been issued less than 10 years before they arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after they leave, and the EU's new Entry/Exit System records fingerprints and a photo at the border. Rules change, so check GOV.UK before you travel.

Honest notes

Good to know before you book

Lo Stagnone is a nature reserve: the main kite stretch has lawns rather than a sandy beach, and most schools launch kites from the water.
Duotone Pro Center Sicily and Kitereisen both say helmets and impact vests are compulsory for every kitesurfer on the lagoon, and the first 100 m from shore are kept for launching and landing.
Wear leggings in summer: algae and anemones in the warm, shallow water can sting some people's legs.
With your own gear, centres charge a day fee for their base: €8 at KiteClub Marsala and €10 at Duotone Pro Center Sicily, according to their websites.
Capo Feto and Puzziteddu need a car: they are about 40 minutes and an hour's drive from Lo Stagnone.

Our take

Our verdict

Great for

Beginners who want to stand up anywhere while they learn, with private or duo lessons
Freestylers and improvers who want flat water and steady summer thermals
Families who want a pool hotel on the spot, with Sicilian food, wine and history within an hour

Think twice if you are

Wave riders who want waves at the door: Puzziteddu is about an hour's drive from the lagoon
Winter trips: most Lo Stagnone schools close between November and March
Non-kiters who want a sandy beach in front of the hotel

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Kitesurfing in Sicily

Where is the best place to kitesurf in Sicily?

For most riders it is Lo Stagnone, the lagoon between Marsala and Trapani, where the water is flat and rarely deeper than 1 to 1.5 m and summer thermals usually blow 14 to 18 knots. For chop or waves, Capo Feto and Puzziteddu are 40 minutes to an hour's drive south, and the south-east coast, Manfria, the Strait of Messina and Capo d'Orlando have kite spots too.

When is the best time to kitesurf in Sicily?

From May to October at Lo Stagnone. From June to September a thermal sea breeze usually gives 14 to 18 knots from late morning, while May and October bring more strong-wind days. Most schools open from March or April until October or November.

Is September or October a good time to kitesurf in Sicily?

Yes. September usually brings thermals plus the first autumn systems, with the sea at about 25 °C at Trapani, and October has more strong-wind days than midsummer, with the sea at about 22.5 °C. Check opening dates late in the season: Kite Lab, for example, closes on 31 October.

How long does it take to learn kitesurfing in Sicily?

At Lo Stagnone, Kite Lab says 6 to 10 hours of lessons usually bring your first runs, and about 12 hours make you independent, upwind included. The water is standing depth almost everywhere, so after a fall you walk back to your board instead of swimming after it.

Is kitesurfing in Sicily expensive?

On Kite Lab's 2026 price list, private lessons at Lo Stagnone cost €70 an hour for the first four hours and €60 after that, or €55 and then €45 per person in a duo, and a full rental set is €75 a day. With your own gear, centres charge a day fee of €8 to €10 for their base. Confirm prices with the school.

Do I need a wetsuit to kitesurf in Sicily?

Only in spring and late autumn. In summer a lycra or T-shirt is enough, with the sea at Trapani averaging 25 to 26.5 °C in July and August, and leggings protect against occasional algae stings. Kite Lab includes 3/2 mm wetsuits and neoprene tops with its lessons and rentals.

Which airport is best for kitesurfing in Sicily?

Trapani Birgi (TPS), about 6 km by road and 5 to 10 minutes by car from the main Lo Stagnone spot. Palermo (PMO) is about 90 km away, roughly an hour's drive, and has direct flights of about 3 hours from London and 2 h 20 from Frankfurt.

Where can I stay right on the kite spot in Sicily?

At Lo Stagnone, Resort Santa Maria is the only hotel on the main spot: a 3-star hotel with apartments and an outdoor pool, 20 to 30 m behind the Kite Lab base. Kite Lab also books apartments and B&Bs in the village of Birgi, many 100 to 400 m from the water.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

We only publish facts we could confirm with the official website or two independent sources. Spotted something out of date? Write to info@kitesurf.holiday.