Palermo is a paradoxical city. Once one of the gems of Europe. It enchanted visitors like Goethe and Wilde. In the ’90s, it was a war ground. Assassinations of politicians, judges, and informants saw it compared to a warzone. Palermo has pulled itself out of the doldrums in the last two decades, and it is once again a desired destination. Let me lead you through this wonderful city with our guide on where to stay in Palermo.
Pro Tip: You’re going to want to circle back to this article since it’s packed with local recommendations. If you are planning a trip to Sicily, be sure to check our Travel Guide to Sicily, including Where to Stay in Sicily, and our Archaeological Guide to the Valley of the Temples.
Why Should You Visit Palermo?
Palermo is a paradoxical city at times. The public transport system is next to useless, there are sporadic garbage collection issues, many streets in the historic center are poorly lit at night, and there is a supposed crime issue (at least if you listen to tourists who have never been). The truth is Palermo has some problems. Chief amongst them is that, at times, it is heartbreakingly beautiful.
Well, with all the amazing food, Baroque splendor, Norman beauty, Arabic influence, lively street life, and rowdy nightlife, honestly, I could think of a hundred reasons, but let’s start with my personal recommendation of top things to do in Palermo. And keep that word in mind. Personal! There is no such thing as a definitive list of things to do in any city, and any such list is purely subjective.
That being said, here are my top things to do while in Palermo.
- Why Should You Visit Palermo?
- The Top Things to Do in Palermo
- 1. Step Back it Time at Palazzo dei Normanni & Cappella Palatina
- 2. Get Decadent With Some Street Food
- 3. Explore Palermo’s Soul at Vucciria Market
- 4. Visit The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
- 5. Check Out the Oppulant La Martorana
- 6. Feel the Shame at Fontana Pretoria
- 7. Cook Up a Storm Sicilian Style
- 8. Check Out Some Creepy Capuchin Catacombs
- 9. Climb Europes Most Beautiful Headland at Mt Pellegrino
- 10. Hit the Beach in Mondello
- 11. Take a Day Trip to Cefalù
- Where To Stay in Palermo
- Most Recent Blogs
“Sicilians build things like they will live forever and eat like they will die tomorrow.“
-Plato
The Top Things to Do in Palermo
1. Step Back it Time at Palazzo dei Normanni & Cappella Palatina
Recent archaeological discoveries have pushed back the foundation date of the building considerably. Initially, historians believed that the structure was constructed during the Islamic Caliphate. However, further research and archaeological findings have led to the conclusion that the foundations of the structure actually date back to the much earlier Phoenician period of the city.
Once the center of political power in Sicily, Fredrick II and Roger II held court here.
The palace is a gem, but the jewel in the crown is the Cappella Palatina. Starting during the reign of Roger II in 1130, the mosaics took ten years to complete and are considered amongst the finest in the world. Ego eimai to phos tou kosmou ( I am the light of the world), reads the Greek inscription above the central apse.
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Where to Stay in Palermo article
2. Get Decadent With Some Street Food
There are many reasons to love Palermo: stunning architecture, great weather, and beautiful beaches nearby. But for me, no museum, church, or archaeological site, nothing, ranks higher than the food. In particular the street food.
There’s something for everyone. There are arancini (fried rice balls filled with goodness), Sicilian sfincione or Sicilian pizza, and many more options for those who don’t want anything too challenging.
I like the more adventurous options. For example, pani câ meusa (bread with spleen) is a beautiful local delicacy. It is bread filled with veal or lamb spleen fried in fat. It doesn’t sound appetizing, but it tastes delicious. But my favorite is undoubtedly stigghiola. Locals make this dish by wrapping goat or sheep’s intestines around a skewer of spring onions and cooking it over open coal to give it a nice smoky flavor. Delicious!
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Where to Stay in Palermo article
3. Explore Palermo’s Soul at Vucciria Market
To understand the markets of Palermo is to understand its soul—the shout of a fishwife, the song of a market seller, the smell of fresh goods. The cacophony of noise and smells are an assault on the senses that I positively adore.
The markets are the real heart of Sicily, the melting pot of different cultures, cuisines, and styles. I start every day I can in Palermo with a stroll through the markets to awaken the senses.
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Where to Stay in Palermo article
4. Visit The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
The cathedral of Palermo stands as a dedication to the assumption of the Virgin Mary. Its construction took place on the site of a former mosque, with the aim of incorporating and repurposing the existing ruins. Walter of the Mill, an Englishman who served as the tutor to William II, took the initiative to establish this grand cathedral.
The long history of the building means it is a mix of different styles, not always blended well. The exterior was constructed in the 15th century in the Catalonian Gothic style by Antonio Gambara, with the dome added in the 18th century.
Inside is rather plain, but you will find the royal tombs of numerous monarchs, most notably Fredrick II of Hohenstaufen. Fredrick, who died in 1250, was referred to as Stupor Mundi (the wonder of the world). Fredrick was an incredible mathematician, musician, and polyglot, being able to speak up to six different languages. He lived his life in front of the world, from birth to death. His mother, Constance de Hauteville, was forty years old when she was due to give birth. Rumors swirled that the pregnancy was fake in order to preserve her line as the last Norman princess. She was traveling from Milan to Sicily to meet up with her husband when labor began. She chose to give birth in the main square of Le Marche so that nobody could doubt her claim to be the true mother.
Both Fredricks’ parents died soon after, and he was raised on the streets of Palermo. He is often referred to as the last medieval monarch and the first modern ruler.
5. Check Out the Oppulant La Martorana
George of Antioch founded the church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, colloquially known as la Matorana, in 1143 to commemorate his long and successful naval career. The church became a gathering place for the Sicilian parliament after the Sicilian Vespers rebellion in 1282. While several fragments of the original Norman church remain, a Baroque façade was later added in 1588.
6. Feel the Shame at Fontana Pretoria
The Fontana Pretoria, also known as the “Fountain of Shame,” is an iconic symbol of Palermo. It has come to represent the government’s mismanagement in Sicily. Many of the sculptural pieces’ nakedness has caused scandal throughout the ages. Goethe was appalled by the fountain, and a local legend says that the water is contaminated with syphilis.
The sculptor Francesco Camilliani originally crafted it for the garden of Viceroy Don Pedro Alvarez in Florence. However, due to financial troubles, the Viceroy sold the statues to the Senate of Palermo.
In 1574 the statues arrived in the city, but many pieces were damaged—some central pieces were missing. The delivery consisted of 644 separate pieces. Camillo Camilliani (Francesco’s son) skillfully reassembled the sculptures, imbuing them with new meanings inspired by local myths and legends. They represent the twelve Olympians, river gods, and local legends.
7. Cook Up a Storm Sicilian Style
So you’ve been to the markets, eaten the street food, and devoured the cannoli, what next? Well, how about learning how to cook all that fabulous food so you can show off to your friends and family when you get home?
There are several options here. You could plum for a pizza and gelato-making class (always popular with the kids), or you could learn to cook a delicious four-course meal with a local chef.
After cooking up a storm, you and your fellow chefs will sit down for dinner for an evening of delicious food, wonderful company, and more than a splash of the local vino. A chance to experience Sicilian hospitality at its finest!
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Where to Stay in Palermo article
8. Check Out Some Creepy Capuchin Catacombs
Here in the crypts of the Capuchin convent, you will find the remains of over 2000 bodies, adults, children, wealthy patrons, priests, and friars, all preserved in a method perfected by the Capuchins over hundreds of years.
The last interment was of a young girl, Rosalia Lombardo, in 1920. Unfortunately, the friar in charge died immediately afterward, and the recipe for the enablement process was lost until it was re-discovered in 2010.
9. Climb Europes Most Beautiful Headland at Mt Pellegrino
Rising just over 600m above sea level, Monte Pellegrino was described by Goethe as the most beautiful headland in Europe. He stated, “The purity of the contours, the softness of everything, the exchange of soft colors, the harmonious unity of the sky with the sea and the sea to the land. Who saw them once shall possess them for a lifetime.”
I don’t have words to beat that, so let’s skip to history. Not only is Mount Pellegrino beautiful, but it is home to one of Italy’s most important religious sanctuaries, the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia.
Saint Rosalia lived as a hermit in these caves, where she died in 1166. In 1624 she appeared to a local huntsman and asked him to end her suffering by leading him to the bones so she could receive a Christian burial. They paraded her bones through the city and offered her a Christian burial. The locals attributed the end of the plague that had been raging in Palermo to the grace of Rosalia. Today, she is the patron saint of the city, and they parade her relics through the center once a year on July 14th and 15th.
10. Hit the Beach in Mondello
Stretching just over a mile between Mount Gall and Mount Pellegrino, you’ll find yourself in the beautiful seaside town of Mondello. Mondello reached the peak of its glitz and glamour in the late 1800s into the early 1900s. However, it was not just the velvety sands that drew the glitterati in but the magnet that was Sicily’s most beautiful and enigmatic woman Donna Franca.
Donna Franca was renowned for her style and grace. With her Cartier jewelry and a seven-meter pearl necklace draped around her neck, rumor quickly spread about the town about her husband’s need to produce such lavish gifts. Local legends say her husband bought a new pearl to add to her necklace each time he was unfaithful.
Today Mondello is one of Sicily’s most beautiful and accessible beach towns, just thirty minutes from Palermo.
11. Take a Day Trip to Cefalù
In a country of picturesque towns, Cefalù still holds a special place. Founded by the Greeks in the 5th Century, its name derives from the Greek Kephalos (Head), referring to the head-shaped rock that looms over it. While the town is beautiful, the beaches heavenly, and the food divine, no trip to Cefalù is complete without a trip to the Cathedral.
The Duomo de Cefalù was started in the 12th Century AD and not completed until the 13th. As with so much of Sicily, the art and architecture is a blending of different cultures. Norman, in its design, but with sixteen ancient Roman columns (probably taken from the temple of Diana), support the Arab-Norman arches. But the centerpiece is the stunning Byzantine mosaics in the central apse.
Where To Stay in Palermo
Palermo is Sicily’s paradoxical capital city. Find our guide to the best places to stay in Palermo!
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