things to do in Palermo, sicily

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is rich in history, culture, and delicious cuisine.

If you're planning a trip to this beautiful city, I'll share some of my favorite things to do in Palermo.

From ancient landmarks to mouth-watering street food, there's something for everyone in Palermo.

(For frequently asked questions about Palermo, see this page.)

The Best Time To Go Is Now

"Everyone who comes to Palermo is a Palermitan." These words came from the long-time Mayor of the biggest city in Sicily, Leoluca Orlando. During the two decades from the 1990s, he steered the Sicilian capital out of the mafia and towards its current glory.

Over a thousand years ago, the Arabs made Palermo the capital. After them came the Normans, the Byzantines, the Spanish, and the French, who left their traces in the city's cuisine, customs, markets, and architecture.

Today, a couple of million tourists visit Palermo every year. Gone are the days of trying to escape the city as fast as possible. Where once people would spend a night or two in Palermo and then hurry away, they now enjoy their time there.

The reasons are clear. Palermo has managed to wriggle out of the mafia's grip. Young people are confident in the future, and this is reflected throughout the cityscape.

One example of the new Palermo is the district of Kalsa. Young people have filled it, and nice shops, bars, and multicultural eateries have sprung up.

Elsewhere in the old city center, traffic jams and crime have given way to a new urban culture. No more Mafia wars, yes to restaurants, lively nightlife, and cozy promenades.

Now is the perfect time to visit Palermo. The number of tourists is growing every year, and with it, the city also changes constantly.

Palermo's location also makes it ideal for day trips to the surrounding area. Beach resorts, such as Cefalù and Mondello, are within easy reach, as is the spectacular cathedral of Monreale.

Palermo is also well connected to the west towards Trapani. (An hour and a half with a bus.) And it only takes a few hours to drive through the island to the eastern shore. And even less to the south to the temples of Agrigento.

Palermo seen from the roof of Palermo Cathedral

View from the roof of Palermo Cathedral.

Of course, there are many things to do in Palermo itself, even for a more extended stay. But if you are in a hurry, you can see the main sights in two or three days.

I have listed the main attractions here. But if time is not an issue and you enjoy city life, Palermo is well worth staying longer.
The city's urban heartbeat, nightlife, street food, and great shops make it a fun place to stay.

How To Get To Palermo - And Beyond?

People usually arrive in Palermo by plane. This is the easiest and quickest way if you come from abroad or elsewhere in Italy. The airport is small but efficient.

Palermo airport's name comes from anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borselino. Along the route to the city is a monument for these two judges. That is the spot where a gigantic bomb killed Falcone, his wife, and his entourage.

The airport is 35 km from the center of Palermo. There is a good and cheap bus service that takes about an hour to the city center.

Outside Palermo airport.

One option is to hire a car from a well-known company inside the airport. Many car rental companies also allow you to return the car to a branch in another city.

Or, if you don't want to drive yourself, you can hire a car and driver from Palermo. You can ask for driver recommendations on Sicily forums on Facebook or elsewhere. That way, you avoid getting ripped off and/or other inconveniences.

If you arrive in Palermo by train or bus instead of an airplane, you will come straight to the city center, at the main railway station. From there, it's an easy trip to the historic center and the main sights.

So, here are my 7 main things to do in Palermo.

1. Marvel at "The Fountain of Shame" at Piazza Pretoria

This is probably the easiest thing to do in Palermo. Everyone ends up there sooner or later, probably sooner, because it's in such a central location.

Piazza Pretoria is one of the most famous attractions in Palermo. It is also very un-Sicilian.

The fountain and its statues were once located in a noble mansion. Stone by stone, they were moved to the center of Palermo.

The fountain is in the Renaissance style, which is a style not at all common in Sicily.

In fact, there was no Renaissance in Sicily. The island was then under Spanish rule. And those guys were more interested in the Inquisition than new artistic or philosophical trends.

Piazza Fontana seen from the roof of the Church of Santa Caterina. You can get there from Piazza Bellini.

There were also some troubles with the nuns living in the house opposite the fountain. They considered the fountain statues downright obscene. When some "indecent" parts of the statues were chopped off, people turned their suspecting heads to the nuns.

Later, a fence was erected around the statues to prevent unwanted 'repair work' in the future.

All in all, it's definitely a place worth seeing.

2. Pay a Visit to Palermo Cathedral a.k.a. St. Rosalie's Church

No visit to Palermo is complete without a visit to the city's cathedral. It is a combination of Arabic, Byzantine, and Norman styles, and the wealth of detail is enormous.

Palermo Cathedral also houses the remains of the city's patron saint, Santa Rosalia. Rosalia was a Norman noblewoman who refused marriage and dedicated her life to Christ.

Rosalia lived in seclusion on Monte Pellegrino, where she died in 1166. In 1624, when the plague struck the city, she became the town's patron saint.

St. Rosalia's grave in Palermo Cathedral

The remains of Santa Rosalia lay here, in Palermo Cathedral.

The story goes that Rosalia appeared in a dream to a local hunter. That way, she showed him the location of her remains. They were in a cave where she had died.

The hunter went to the cave and found the remains. Then, people carried the bones from the mountains to the city and laid them to rest in Palermo Cathedral.

Shortly afterward, the plague left the city. So Rosalia became its patron saint.

You can visit the site where the bones were found. After a bus ride, you have to hike up the hill, so reserve enough time for it.

Construction of Palermo Cathedral began in 1168 by a local cardinal. The idea was to bring the power of the Roman Catholic Church to this multicultural island. The cardinal also hoped to strengthen his power in relation to the Norman king of Sicily, William II.

Although Palermo Cathedral is a fine sight, William II had the last word. He built his own - even more magnificent - cathedral in Monreale.

So what do you do in Palermo after you've seen the cathedral? Just continue the pedestrian street in front of it. That way, you soon get to one of Palermo's finest attractions: the Palatine Chapel.

3. Check Out the Gold Mosaics in the Palatine Chapel (Capella Palatina)

A visit to this chapel near the Norman palace is one of the top things to do in Palermo. John Norwich called it "the most complete expression of the Sicilian-Norman political miracle."

It combines Latin, Byzantine, and Islamic elements in one harmonious whole. And this was at the same time when Muslims and Christians were slaughtering each other elsewhere in Europe.

Only here, in Sicily, did all three great civilizations work harmoniously. Like Norwich says: "Norman Sicily remains a lesson to us all."

Inside the Palatine Chapel.

Construction of the Palatine Chapel began in 1130 and took thirteen years to complete. It was dedicated to the coronation of the first king of Sicily, Roger II.

Its main attraction is its mosaics. Some say the mosaics even surpass the churches of Constantinople in splendor.

The mosaics were of Roman origin, but they were made in the tradition of Byzantine art.

The abstract designs on the lower walls of the chapel are instead of Islamic origin.

The place is located near the city center, inside the Norman Palace. It takes fifteen minutes to walk there from Quattro Canti.

The place is popular among tourists, so you can expect some traffic.

The easiest way to avoid crowds is to visit the Palatine Chapel either early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

The Norman Palace, next to the Palatine Chapel, is the oldest royal palace in Europe. If you have time, visit that too.

4. Take a Bus (or a Taxi) to Monreale Cathedral

From the Norman Palace - where the Palatine Chapel is located - you can take a bus straight to Monreale. The buses leave right behind the palace every half hour. The fare is a couple of euros.

You can also take a taxi. With a bigger group, it's no more expensive than a bus, but it's way more comfortable.

This is one of the things to do in Palermo that you should take advantage of. The place is decorated similarly to the Palatine Chapel, but the difference lies in size—this is way bigger.

So, if the chapel seems too crowded, you can head here instead. Go to the chapel after you come back. It's not so crowded in the evenings.

Monreale Cathedral.

The town of Monreale sits on a hillside, half an hour's drive from Palermo. It is home to one of the most essential sights in Sicily: the Monreale Cathedral.

King William II built this cathedral to strengthen his power. It was a counter-reaction to the Cardinal who built Palermo Cathedral. And there's no question to it: the Cardinal came second.

This cathedral also represents a harmonious collaboration between different cultures. Greeks, Arabs, and Normans all participated in its construction.

The mosaics inside the church represent the Byzantine side.

The population of Monreale is around 30,000. And even if there are no other attractions, you can spend some time in the town, eating or going to a café.

When entering the cathedral, you must cover your knees and shoulders. Disposable covers are available at the cathedral door.

Sunday is not a good day to visit the Monreale. The cathedral is only open for a limited time.

On other days, Monreale is an excellent day trip destination.

5. Capuchin Crypt (Catacombe dei Cappuccini)

From the Norman Palace, you can also head to the Crypt of the Capuchin Monks. A bus runs from behind the palace every twenty minutes. The journey takes about ten minutes. You can also walk there.

The most famous legacy of the Capuchin monks is cappuccino - named after the color of their robes.

The Capuchins belonged to the Franciscan order. Their motto was 'memento mori'. "Remember that you are dying". Something they felt obliged to remind their fellow man of.

Because of this, they also saved and displayed the bones of their monastic brothers.

The Palermo Capuchin monks took the custom a step further. For one reason or another, they began to embalm their monk brothers.

The method was effective and soon attracted interest outside the monastery. The local nobles began to request the same treatment for their dying relatives.

The results of this 'eternal life' offered by the monks are now seen in the Capuchin Crypt. There, the embalmed bodies of more than 8,000 deceased are on display.

Needles to say, the sight of dead monks is not too beautiful. This place is not recommended for those suffering from fear of death, although it may have some therapeutic effects.

For me, the biggest impact wasn't so much the dead mummies themselves as the sheer number of them.

The bodies of different groups of people are in different rooms in the crypt. The first to arrive are the bodies of the Capuchin brothers, who serve as the first 'guinea pigs' of the embalming process.

Women and men have their alcoves, as do children. Some of the children are very young. There is also a room for virgins.

At some point, the authorities banned the use of the embalming method. With one exception...

This is the most famous body in the crypt. It belongs to 2-year-old Rosalia Lombardo, also known as Sleeping Beauty. Her dead body shows no signs of aging.

Rosalia died of pneumonia in the 1920s when embalming was already banned. At the parents' request, the law made an exception for Rosalia.

Rosalia's dead body looks as if it could wake up at any moment. Locals consider this a miracle. Scientists say it's likely due to the body's airtight display case.

Photography is not allowed in the crypt out of respect for the deceased. You can still buy cards with pictures in the shop.

If you are looking for things to do in Palermo that are out of the ordinary, head to the Capuchin Crypt.

6. Visit Vucciria, Ballaro and Capo Markets

Capo Market in Palermo.

After thousand-year-old buildings and embalmed corpses, you may be looking for more lively things to do in Palermo.

So, let's return to living. One way to do this is to visit one or more of Palermo's markets.

This is best done in the early morning hours when trade is at its busiest.

Sicily's markets date back to the Arabic era - more than a thousand years ago. The people are loud and boisterous, shouting and singing.

Palermo's markets are well stocked with fresh vegetables and fruits, meat, herbs, spices, clothes, and household goods, as well as a wide variety of delicious street food.

There are three markets in Palermo: Ballarò, Vucciria, and Capo.

Ballarò Market is the most lively and authentic. It has been in the same place for over a thousand years. And the tradition of singing vendors in the area is just as old.

Vucciria Market is not as big as Ballarò, but it is worth visiting. There, you can find fish, meat, household utensils, cheese, butchers, quality knives, and a traditional knife sharpener.

Knife sharpener in Vucciria Market, Palermo, Sicily

A knife sharpener in Vucciria.

Vucciria is also home to the local old-school bar, Taverna Azzurra. Head here for a drink in the company of the locals.

Of the three markets, Capo Market is the least exotic. But it's still a great place to shop, eat, and drink.

We bought some Sicilian mixed spices there. They made the food absolutely delicious and cost next to nothing. If I knew how good they were, I would have bought more to take home.

7. Experience the Nightlife in Palermo

In Sicily, the afternoon is the time to relax. Many shops and restaurants are closed. But when the evening comes, the whole scene comes alive.

First, people go for an evening walk. Then, they go somewhere to drink and eat. After that, there are many places to experience the nightlife.

Palermo has a variety of bars that spill out onto the streets. There is music, drinks, lots of people, and delicious food from street grills.

Best of all, Palermo's nightlife lasts all year - and week-round.

The best place to look for nightlife is in the old town. Try Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via dei Chiavetteri, for example.

Especially later at night, the Vucciria area is most lively. Mingle with the colorful crowd and buy cheap drinks - and food.

For more sophisticated fun, the Politeama area is the place to be. The clientele is more upper-middle class, and there are lots of good foods and drinks.

Another bit more sophisticated spot is the harbor area (La Cala). Here, you can sip a drink in a maritime atmosphere and enjoy seafood.

All places offer drinks and large and small meals. In the old town, there are delicious and cheap snacks to have with your beer. In Politeama, prices are higher, but so is the standard of the places.

In the better areas, you will sit at terrace tables. In the old town, people stand or sit in the streets.

One of the main things to do in Palermo is to visit its nightlife. It's also hard to miss. When restaurants open in the evening, it has already started.

Vucciria area in the evening.

Things to Do in Palermo: The Conclusion

There are plenty of things to do in Palermo—so much that you have to pick and choose. I have covered the main attractions here. You can get around them in a couple of days.

More than a thousand years of history are visible everywhere. The Norman religious buildings, in particular, will make your head spin.

You can also find history by just looking around. It shows in the city's people, customs, food, pastries, markets, and architecture.

Of all the cities in Sicily, Palermo is one of my favorites. There is plenty to see, experience, and do, even for a longer time.

More...

The Main Cities in Sicily

Monreale Cathedral

Car Rental in Sicily

(Last edited: November 30, 2024.)

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