16 things to do and see in Palermo

When I told people that I’d be visiting Palermo I got two distinct reactions: some told me Palermo is their favourite Sicilian city, and others asked me if it was safe to go there. You see, the capital of Sicily, Palermo, has a great deal of history. Palermo is mainly known for Cosa Nostra, its mafia, which to this day, still exists. But don’t worry, as a tourist, you won’t walk right into a Godfather scene. In fact, you won’t notice anything at all as long as you behave appropriately and remain in the tourist areas. Yes, the city may be a little rough-edged with its crumbling paint and graffiti in some areas, however, it also has majestic buildings that should not be missed, so don’t let any mafia story scare you. In this post, I’m going to show you 16 things to do and see in Palermo because there is a reason many people have fallen in love with the city!

16 things to do and see in Palermo

1. Go to the rooftop of the Cathedral of Palermo

Did you know Palermo has many UNESCO world heritage sites? Well, The Cathedral of Palermo is one of them as it is meant to be. The Cathedral constructed in 1185 is a building that cannot be missed. Literally, the building is huge and has a very stunning exterior. Its architecture which has a mixture of Western Byzantine and Islamic influences is the reason it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It originally started off as a mosque, but it has also been and still is, a crypt during its lifetime. Nowadays you can visit the crypt and see the tombs of King Roger II among other tombs of kings and queens.

Another reason why the cathedral is worth visiting is the fact that you can go to the roof for a wonderful view of Palermo city.

Admission to the cathedral is free. If you want to visit the Tombs, Treasury, Crypts and the Roof you need to pay an additional €7,00.

Don’t be like me though, I visited the Cathedral of Palermo on a Sunday. Right when the Mass started. I wanted to see a bit of it, but didn’t realise the lenght of a Mass. During the mass you cannot buy tickets or go to the rooftop, so I’d advise scheduling around that! Some parts of the Cathedral might also be closed on a Sunday.

2. Visit Teatro Massimo

Built in 1897, Teatro Massimo is Italy’s largest opera house which is famous for its temple-like exterior and its superb acoustics. You are welcome to watch an Opera or Ballet show. The theatres hosts over 130 performances each year, so there is always something to watch during your time in Palermo.

If you’re not really into opera or ballet you could also book a guided tour through the building. Tickets are 10 € unless you’re under 26 (€5) or you’re with a group of at least 20 people (€8, per person). You can also simply admire the view from the outside.

Make sure you visit the theatre at night as well, since that is when the square in front of it is most lively!

3. Go on a Food Tour

Of course, it’s possible to explore a city on your own, but you could also go on a food tour. By doing so you’ll get the best of both worlds: a tour of the city with a tour guide that can tell you all about its history AND you get to eat really good food. Who doesn’t want that?

Sicily had the best street food I’ve ever had. Here are some things you absolutely cannot miss:

• Arancina (fried ball of rice)
• Sfincione (something between a pizza crust and bread)
• Cannoli (tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling containing ricotta)
• Brioche con Gelato (gelato on brioche)

Here are some of my favourite food tours:

If you don’t get to do a food tour for whatever reason I recommend going to Palermo Store Cafè on Via Maqueda. They offer all kinds of delicious snacks, from Cannoli to gelato, they’ve got it all. For about €15 you can get a bunch of typical Sicilian street food and a drink of choice. It might feel a bit less authentic, but I’d say it’s worth it!

4. Visit one of the markets

Another food-related thing you can do in Palermo is going to one of the historical markets, where you’ll be greeted by loud vendors singing chants whilst preparing your food right in front of you. Whether you’re looking for souvenirs, fruits, fresh fish or just to experience the Sicilian way of life, the markets are the place to be.

Palermo has multiple markets but these four are the most popular ones:

• Capo: Out of all markets, Capo is the most atmospheric of all. This is the market the locals seem to prefer, and that says a lot about the market. Roam through the little lanes and alleyways looking for the best deals out there.
• Vucciria: It no longer is a market but it used to be one though, right in the heart of poverty-stricken Palermo, which causes its rough and shabby look. Nowadays it’s best visited at night when it transforms into a hotspot for nightlife; start your evening with some aperitifs and end it with some drinks and dances, that’s what makes it such a fascinating place to visit.
• Ballarò: The largest market of all, you can literally find anything there. Foods, clothes, household stuff, you name it, all for a rather good price. But be aware of tourist scams though, you don’t want to be paying more than necessary.

5. Visit the Fountain of Shame

Located at Piazza Pretoria, you will find Fontana Pretoria, also known as the fountain of shame. Why, you might wonder? The fountain is beautifully decorated with statues of the twelve Olympians, other mythological figures, animals and the rivers of Palermo. Due to the nudity of the statues, it became known as Piazza della Vergogna (Square of Shame).

Fun fact:

Did you know Fontana Pretoria was originally built in Florence by Francesco Camilliani in 1544. It got sold and reassembled in Palermo in 1574. It had to be disessembled in 644 pieces. Unfortunately, some sculptures got damaged during transport, so Francesco’s son, Camillo, made adjustments to the fountain.

6. Recharge at the Botanical Garden

Giardino Garibaldi is a great place to recharge in the shade, but that is not the only reason why you should visit the botanical garden. Giardino Garibaldi is home to a gigantic (the trunk is greater than 20 meters in diameter!) ficus macrophylla tree. Additionally, there are 12.000 different species of plants and a neoclassical museum. Entrance costs €6.

7. Admire some of the many churches

Palermo has a total of 15 churches, one more beautiful than the other. Obviously, it is a bit ambitious to visit all 15 but I truly recommend visiting these at least:

• La Martonara Church: Don’t be fooled by the plain exterior, the interior of this church is absolutely breathtaking: artworks, Byzantine mosaics and lots of gold. Entry is €2.
• Santa Catarina Church: A beautifully decorated church with a mixture of architectural styles: Renaissance, Baroque, Late-Baroque and Roccoco. You won’t know where to look first, it’s truly dazzling. Entry is €3 for just the church and €5 for the church and the roof. The rooftop has two viewing platforms with great views of Palermo.
• Church of the Gesù: Not to be confused with the one in Rome. This church is another Baroque church with stunning intricate designs on the inside. Should not be missed! Entry is free.
• Church of St Dominic: Originally built in 1458, rebuilt in 1640 and its gorgeous facade was made in 1726. Being one of the largest churches in Palermo definitely makes it worth a visit.
• Church of Saint Matthew: If you think the exterior is imposing, wait until you’re inside. This church is decorated with many works of important Sicilian artists. Its interior is absolutely gorgeous. There are so many details, you’re guaranteed to miss some on your first visit.
• The church of St. John of the Hermits: Compared to the other churches, this one might be the ‘odd one out’, but that is precisely why it is such an interesting building. It originally was a church, but during the Arab of Sicily, it got turned into a Mosque. Later, in 1136 it got turned back into a church and reconstructed, but the Arabic flavour is still evident in the bulbous domes. Furthermore, there also is a Cloister you can visit. Entry is €6.
• San Giuseppe dei Teatini: is a Roman Catholic church located in the heart of Palermo: at the southwest corner of Quattro Canti. You might completely walk by it, based on its exterior. It’s not an extravagant building and it blends in rather well with its surroundings. Its interior, however, is almost an overwhelming parade of Baroque art.

Dress appropriately if you plan on visiting a church. In other words, cover your shoulders and wear pants/dresses/skirts past the knee.

8. Take pictures at Porta Nuova

Churches aren’t the only architectural wonders to admire in Palermo. Take Porta Nuova, for example, the monumental city gate of Palermo, whose name translates to ‘new gate’. The original gate was destroyed in 1667 in a fire, but it was rebuilt in 1669 by Gaspare Guercio who remained faithful to the original shapes of the gate.

The two façades show different styles: the one facing the city is more classical and depicts the four Virtues (Peace, Justice, Truth and Abundance), and the outer façade has telamons which symbolise the Moors subjugated by Charles V.

The Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Palermo’s most important and busiest street, runs right through Porta Nuova. Keep this in mind if you want to take a picture of Porta Nuova without traffic.

9. Go to Quatro Canti Square for even more architecture

Quatro Canti Square is, as the name suggests, a square, which is also known by the name Piazza Vigliena. The square is the centre of the historic quarters of the city, and it’s the intersection of the two major streets of Palermo: the Via Maqueda and the Corso Vittoria Emanuele.

Sicily has had many different sovereign rules over the centuries, one of which was the Spaniards. The Quatro Canti Square has four palaces, built in the 18th century. Each palace represents a season and a Spanish king. The one on the southwest corner represents Charles V and spring, the one on the northwest side Philip II and summer, the one on the northeast side Philip IV and autumn, and the one on the southeast side Philip III and winter.

Beware though, Quattro Canti Square being on the two busiest streets of Palermo results in touristy prices, especially when it comes to horse-drawn carriages. They can charge you more than €60 for a one-hour ride whilst there are tour operators who offer the same for less. Don’t book one at Quatro Canti Square.

10. Do a Mafia walking tour

Whenever I told somebody I’d go to Sicily, specifically Palermo, they’d ask me about the mafia situation. Was it safe to go there? The mafia undoubtedly has shaped the world’s view of Palermo. Sicily’s history with the mafia is as much intertwined as its occupational history. So why not dive into that history by going on a mafia tour? Or should I say no mafia, since the city is rebelling hard against it. Here are some tours I recommend:

11. Follow in the footsteps of the kings of Sicily at Palazzo dei Normanni

Also known as the royal palace of Sicily. In fact, this building is the oldest royal residence in Europe! It started out as a Norman castle, but has had many different owners and purposes. Nowadays the palace is a perfect example of the social-cultural fusion between the western, Islamic and Byzantine cultures on the island, all because of the many changes of power and renovations.

There are different kinds of tickets to enter the palace. Pay attention to the days as you cannot access every part of the palace at any given day,

• (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and holidays) Entrance to the Palatine Chapel, Royal Apartments, Re Ruggero Room, Neo-Gothic Chapel, Pisan Tower, Royal Gardens, exhibition and Punic Walls €19.00
• (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) Entrance to the Palatine Chapel, Royal Gardens, exhibition and Punic Walls €15.50

Tip! If you’re either under 25, over 64 or a teacher you might be eligible for a reduced price. Check the palace’s website form more information.

12. Visit Palermo’s most unique museum: The Capuchin Catacombs

The Capuchin Catacombs are unlike any other tourist attraction and it’s definitely not one for the faintest of hearts. In this rather morbid museum, 8000 full, mummified bodies are on display on shelves and hanging from the walls. This has been the case for over 400 years. It’s a resting place for celebrities, wealthy people and monks, because a generous amount of money was necessary to afford the Friars mummification process. People were willing to pay for this because mummification provided the possibility for families of the deceased to visit the well preserved bodies of their loved ones, and it was to preserve status and dignity, thus most bodies, if not all, actuall wanted to be there.

Some bodies are better preserved than others, but one in particular catches the eye: the two year old Rosalina Lombardo, who is also known as the world’s most beautiful mummy. Her body is so well preserved it seems like she’s sleeping, but she has been sleeping since 1920.

You can enter the Capuchin Catacombs for €3,-.

13. Go on a day trip to paradise: San Vito Lo Capo

Dreaming of going on holiday to a tropical destination, with clear cerulean seawater, golden sand and palm trees? You don’t need to leave Europe for that! You could just go to San Vito Lo Capo. It’s a 1 hour and 54-minute drive from Palermo, but it’s worth it.

When looking for a parking spot I recommend using Google. If you type in ‘parcheggio’ it will show you parking lots. Do read the reviews though! Some are better than others. Also, do not park in the streets! There are barely any free parking spots in San Vito Lo Capo. White lines mean that it’s free, but only for one hour. Blue lines mean that you’ll have to pay a fee per hour (and there usually is a maximum of hours you can park there) and yellow lines are for residents only.

In Italy, the paid parking lots are usually supervised whilst it is open. We always felt pretty safe leaving our car at such parking lots. We parked at ‘Parcheggio ‘Da Aldo”, which is a 15-minute walk to the beach, but in recent reviews, I’ve read that they also offer a shuttle service, so you might wanna ask about that first, although the walk is very doable.

Tip! It might feel a bit weird but some parking lot employees might ask you to leave the key in the car. This is not for them to steal your car or go on a joyride, but to move your car so that they can fit in as many cars as possible.

14. Go on a day trip to Mondello Beach

Another stunning beach is Mondello Beach, which is a lot closer to Palermo than San Vito Lo Capo but just as pretty. It takes about 20 minutes to drive to Mondello beach from Palermo. Do keep in mind that both beaches (Mondello and San Vito Lo Cap) can get very crowded in summer.

There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and gelato shops to spend all day there. You can rent a beach bed or you could walk a bit further to the free where you can lay down your own towel. I do recommend bringing a beach umbrella because the sun is no joke. In fact, during our first beach day, we didn’t bring one and we were literally the only tourists without an umbrella, we were fried like a piece of chicken, talk about stupid tourists hahaha!

15. Daytrip: Go back to Medieval times at Erice

Erice is a wonderfully preserved medieval town towering 751 metres above sea level. Erice is a beautiful town that is best explored by simply roaming around. You will find small, pebbled, streets, two castles and a stunning view of the ocean and the city of Trapani.

There are multiple ways to get to Erice, but I recommend taking the funicular from Trapani, which is a 1 hour and 45-minute drive. A return ticket costs €9,50 and you can park right in front of the funicular (although you have to be cautious of scammers, that will ‘help’ you pay for your ticket. Always do it yourself at the ticket machine, which is cash only. We never experienced anything bad, but it’s always best to be cautious!)

You could also drive there yourself, but keep in mind that it is a winding, small road that brings you to Erice. Not great for the inexperienced driver, and I must say, taking the funicular is an experience on its own.

When in Erice make sure not to miss Pepoli Castle, Venus Castle, the Garden of Balio, and one of the many churches.

16. Daytrip: Go on a hike at Zingaro Nature Reserve

If you need to get away from the city for a while, head over to Riservo della Zingaro, whose pristine nature, lack of cars, and noise will provide all you need. The reserve is characterized by rugged cliffs, blue bays and a variety of colourful flora. It was originally going to be turned into a road, but thousands of citizens signed a petition which prevented that. Because of them, you can still visit the nature reserve right to this day.

The Reserve is located between San Vito Lo Capo and Scopello, and it has got two entrances:

• The North entrance: 12 km from San Vito Lo Capo
• The South Entrance, 1km from Scopello

The South Entrance is a 1 hour and 15-minute drive from Palermo.

Coastal trail

There are various hikes you can do, but the most popular one is the 7 kilometres long coastal trail. This trail will lead you past 6 different bays in which you can cool down. Here they are from south to north:

• Cala della Capreria
  Because it is so close to the southern entrance it will get busy rather quickly. It is a pebble beach which is easily accessible and there is the possibility to swim to a smaller cove.
• Cala della Disa
  3.6 kilometres from the southern car park is a pebble and sand beach. You can access the shallow water easily, but due to the high cliffs this beach will be in shade after 12 pm, so keep that in mind if you want to visit this beach.
• Cala Barretta
  3.9 kilometres from the southern car par. This is the smallest beach on the trail.
• Cala Marinella
  5km from the southern entrance. This is a tiny cove which is only accessible via the water. You need to climb over large rocks making it less suitable to families or weak swimmers, but it does mean that it is the least crowded space of all.
• Calla dell’Uzzo
  6.4km from the southern entrance. This beach is pretty close to the northern entrance making it another popular beach. It is one of the larger beaches though, but expect a crowd at all times.
• Calla Tonnarella
  Another beach that gets extremely busy during summer because it is only 700 metres away from the northern entrance. You won’t need an umbrella for this beach for the surrounding cliffs provide shade at various points throughout the day. It is a pebble beach with easy access to the water.

There are several other trails you can choose to do. The entrance fee is €5,00,- which includes a map showing the different trails and points of interest such as the coves and small museums.

What to bring:

• Sunglasses and a hat: especially in summer. It can get scorching hot and the trail provides no shade.
• Plenty of water: see above. You cannot get drinking water during the hike.
• Sturdy shoes: you don’t need hiking boots for the 7km trail, but do bring some sturdy shoes.
• Swimming stuff: you’re going to want to take a dip in that refreshing water.
• Suncream: Don’t want to return like a lobster.
• Parasol: Unless you pick a beach/bay with shade.
• Scuba mask/snorkel: If you like snorkelling, this is a great spot to go to!

Where to stay?

• Budget: Hotel Elite is located in Palermo’s shopping district, has a buffet breakfast with a variety of healthy food and fresh froot, and it has a bar.
• Mid-range: Hotel Tonic is located in the centre of Palermo, the main highlights are a 5 minute walk away. Has got a generous breakfast buffet and 24-hour reception.
• Luxury: Grand Hotel Et Des Palmes is located right outside the restricted traffic area, Massimo Theatre is a 5-minute walk. Rooms are decorated with traditional furniture and fine fabrics. Breakfast is served in a luxurious hall and includes Sicilian specialities.

And that’s it, these are the 16 things to do and see in Palermo! I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Let me know what you would like to do best or what you’ve already done if you have ever been to Palermo! See you next time! Are you looking for more Sicily related content? Check these blog posts out as well: 12 things to do and see in Catania & 10 best things to do in Taormina

x – Sharon