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Palermo - Italian city, capital of Sicily

Palermo (Sicilian: Palermu) is on the northern coast of the Italian island of Sicily. It is a city with a thousand years of history, beautiful Arab-Norman architecture, amazing food, and lively neighbourhoods. It is a bit scruffy around the edges, but a visit of a few days will make you want to stay for weeks.

Understand

The Cathedral, in Arab-Norman style

It's the capital city of the autonomous region of Sicily and of its own province. The city's economy is based on local government institutions, port, shipbuilding industry and the mechanical industry. It is also seat to some important Sicilian wine-making companies (like Tasca d'Almerita, Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo, and Planeta) whose popularity in the world is growing.

Climate

History

Capital of Sicily, founded by Phoenicians under the name of Ziz (= Flower, but the meaning is still doubtful), later renamed by Greeks Panormos, which means "all port". It reached its golden age during the Arab domination (from 9th to 11th centuries AD) when it became one of the most prosperous cities in the Mediterranean and Europe, known as "city of delights" for its marvelous and lavish gardens, as well as for magnificent mosques and palaces.

After being conquered by the Normans (1060-1080 AD), most of palaces and mosques were destroyed, but the new rulers exploited the cosmopolitan environment of Palermo and the artists, architects and masters from different cultural roots giving the birth to a unique architectural style, the so-called "Arab-Norman Style of Sicily", which is an original mixture of arabesque decorations, Romanesque architecture and Byzantine mosaics. After being home to one of the most famous Emperors of the Middle Ages, Frederick II of Swabia, named "Stupor Mundi" by contemporaries, Palermo began its decadence under the influence of several dominations (French, Aragonese, Spanish and Bourbons from Naples.

In the middle of 19th century, during the so-called "Italian Risorgimento" Palermo was one of the leading revolutionary cities in Italy, strongly contributing to the success of the Thousand patriots' expedition lead by the famous Italian national hero Giuseppe Garibaldi, which ended with the reunification of Italy under the Savoy dynasty from Turin (1860).

Nowadays Palermo faces several problems affecting its economic development, mainly because of the presence of the very powerful criminal organization known worldwide as "Mafia" or "Cosa Nostra".

Get in

By plane

  • Palermo Airport (IATA: PMO Falcone–Borsellino Airport), 38.181944°, 13.099444°, +39 0917020273. Has flights incoming from other Italian centres and major European cities on a regular basis. Half hourly shuttle buses, on the :00 and :30, (operated by Prestia e Comandè) provide inexpensive transport into the city centre train station (€6.30, as of July 2018). Purchase bus ticket from the ticket office next to the bus at the airport. From city centre to the airport, purchase ticket from the driver. There are 1-2 buses per hour, 50 minutes, €6.30 one way (€10 return if bought online). The usual taxi and car rental services are also available at the airport. Trenitalia also offers regular service at the airport at the Punta Raisi station located in the basement of the terminal. Cost to take the train to Palermo Centrale is €6.50 (March 2023). A trip to Palermo Centrale takes just under an hour, whether by bus or by train. 2018-08-27

By ferry

Ferries steam between the port of Palermo and the following several Italian ports on a regular basis: Genoa, Civitavecchia, Naples and Cagliari (Sardinia). International routes are available from Valletta (Malta) and Tunis (Tunisia).

By train

There are overnight through trains from Rome, Naples and even Milan via the train ferry across the strait of Messina. The main railway station, Palermo Centrale 📍, is located at Piazza Giulio Cesare.

Get around

The Baroque square of "Quattro Canti"

On foot

Although Palermo is a fair-sized city, most of the interesting sites around the centre can easily be reached on foot.

By bicycle

There are a large number of bicycles and e-scooters for hire across the city. These include Lime, RideMovi and others. Prices vary.

By bus

Get a 24-hour ticket for €4. Many buses run on Via Roma. You can take the "Free Centro Storico" bus to move around the old town; it covers all the main touristic areas. To go to Piazzale Indipendenza, take bus 109 from the station. If you want to go to Mondello, take the bus 806. You can also use the mobile app Moovit to browse all the urban lines and plan your trips around the city.

See

Because of its variety of monuments, attesting to its long and rich history, and the number of other cultural and naturalistic attractions, Palermo can offer a very interesting experience to the visitor interested in exploring it. The Cathedral of Monreale, the Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel, the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, the Church of San Cataldo, the Palermo Cathedral, the Zisa Palace and the Admiral’s Bridge, comprise together with the cathedral in Cefalù the world heritage site “Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale”.

  • Palermo Cathedral, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 38.114444°, 13.356111°, +39 091 334373. Honey-coloured and Catalan influenced. Frederick II, Barbarossa's son, died in 1250 and is buried here, far from his ancestral home above Hohenstaufen, Germany. Frederick's sarcophagus is of porphyry dyed with imperial purple. Dome interior of the Palatine Chapel

  • Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina), Piazza Indipendenza, 38.110833°, 13.353611°, +39 091 705 4317. M-F 09:00-11:45, 15:00-16:45; Sa 09:00-11:45; Su 09:00-09:45, 12:00-12:45. It's one of the artistic gems of Palermo: a chapel with magnificent mosaics and Arabian-style decorations, among the most beautiful in the world. It is inside of Palazzo dei Normanni. included in the Normans palace tickets

  • Palazzo dei Normanni (Palace of the Normans), Piazza del Parlamento, 1, 38.111389°, 13.353056°. The oldest royal residence in Europe, the home of the rulers of the Kingdom of Sicily and imperial seat of the Emperor Frederick II. The palace contains the Cappella Palatina, the best example of the Arab-Norman style of Sicily. Nowadays it is the seat of the Sicilian Parliament. €15.50 2022-02-22 Cloister of San Giovanni degli Eremiti

  • San Giovanni degli Eremiti, Via dei Bernadetti, 38.109722°, 13.354722°, +39 091 651 5019. M-Sa 09:00-19:00. Church notable for its brilliant red domes, which show the persistence of the Arab influences in the 12th century, with its typical Arab-Norman style. The €6 admission ensures that the lovely garden is quiet and peaceful.

  • Museo Archeologico, 38.120892°, 13.360369°.

  • Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Piazza Cappuccini (just west of the city centre), 38.111667°, 13.339167°. 09:00-12:30 and 15:00-17:30. The catacombs of the Capuchin convent contain over 8,000 mummified ex-residents from Palermo and its surrounding villages, some merely clothed skeletons, other remarkably well-preserved and lifelike. Well worth a visit, interesting, if slightly morbid. Children may either find it exciting or terrifying, and it must be the responsibility of their parents to think carefully before taking them. You can arrive via the tram line and a 10- to 15-minute walk. Your visit will not take longer than one hour. No photography allowed €3 2023-02-08 Baroque interior of the Church of the Gesù

  • The Gesu Church is one of the most architecturally important in Palermo. Constructed between 1564–1633, its late date of completion resulted in an abundant use of polychrome marbles on both floors and walls. This form of decoration, which gradually evolved in Sicily from the beginning of the 17th century, was a mark of the beginning of the Sicilian Baroque period, which was to give Sicily almost an architectural national identity. The church has a modest facade and it's hidden in back street in central Palermo, unlike the great cathedral this one you have to look for.

  • Quattro Canti - the symbolic crossroads at the old centre of the city and the nearby small, but pretty La Martorana church with Byzantine mosaics inside.

  • Piazza Garraffello near Vucciria on Friday nights a DJ is playing open air if the weather is good. Huge crowd dancing. There are also lots of bars right next to the square.

  • Piazza Pretoria and the Fontana Pretoria (also known as square of Shame). In 1573 the Senate of Palermo bought a fountain intended for the Palace of San Clemente in Florence, with the intention of placing it in the square. The large central fountain is the focal point for 16 nude statues of nymphs, humans, mermaids and satyrs. In 1860, the fountain was considered the representation of corrupt municipalities, and Palermo nicknamed the square with the nudity of the statues, the Square of Shame (Piazza della vergogna). This may have also been reflecting the prevailing influence of the Spanish Inquisition during that time. 2021-02-15

  • Praetorian Palace or Palace of the Eagles (Palazzo Pretorio or Palazzo delle Aquile), Piazza Pretoria. The building has an important role in the political life of the city, since it houses the mayor and the offices of the municipality of Palermo. Construction began in 1463. It is open for visits to see the sumptuous meeting rooms, the "Sala Rossa" (seat of the mayor), the "Sala Gialla" (seat of the municipal government), the "Sala delle Lapidi" (seat of the city council), and the "Sala Garibaldi". 2021-02-15

  • The Zisa and the Cuba, Arabic-Norman royal palaces. The Zisa is in Piazza Zisa; the Cuba in Corso Calatafimi.

  • Monreale. A village 8 km west of Palermo, sitting on the hill with a great view back towards the city and the sea. It is home to a historical Norman-Byzantine cathedral, which has been designated as one of several buildings named in a UNESCO World Heritage Site 2021-02-15 Mosaic in Monreale Cathedral

  • Monreale Cathedral (Duomo), 39.081944°, 13.291944°. The cathedral of Monreale is one of the greatest extant examples of Norman architecture. It was begun in 1174 by William II and completed four years later. The church is a national monument of Italy and one of the most important attractions of Sicily. The cloister has 228 small columns, each with different decorations influenced by Provençal, Burgundian, Arab and Salerno medieval art. 2021-02-15

  • Palermo Botanical Garden, Via Lincoln, 2, 38.113743°, 13.373148°. Opens at 09:00, closes at different times based on the season (e.g. 17:00 in winter, 20:00 in summer). Historical city botanical gardens featuring many collections of plants, trees, and aquaculture. The garden is associated with the neighbouring university and contains a number of experimental gardens to test acclimation of plant species to Sicily. €6

  • Museo delle Maioliche (Museum of Maiolica Tile), Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 11, 38.112958°, 13.367378°. Appointment only.. Beautiful private museum of historical tiles produced both locally and in Naples. Guided tours available in English or Italian will take you through the techniques and historical considerations of tile making and its importance across Italy. €9

Do

Learn

International House Language Centre (dead link: January 2023) is right in the centre near Piazza Politeama (via Q. Sella 70). International House has teachers with years of experience. Each year it welcomes Italian language students from every corner of the globe. Its Italian language courses can be combined with traditional cooking lessons, scuba diving sessions and tours of the city and the island. The school was founded in 1975 and is also a centre of excellence for English language teaching. Free Wi-fi available for tourists and students.

Buy

The "Pizzo free" shops (dead link: February 2023) are a group of shopkeepers that refuse to pay the racket to the Mafia. The Palermitan consumers sustain them by going shopping in their stores. These shops are easily recognisable by a sticker in the shop/restaurant window.

  • Isola Saporita, +39 091 6527506. Corso Vittorio Emanuele 504 (opposite the cathedral). Good selection of wine, oil, marmalade, sauces, etc.
  • Mercato di Ballarò, Via Ballarò, Piazze de Carmine. M Tu Th-Sa 07:00-20:00, W 07:00-13:00. Busy food market in Albergheria.
  • La Coppola Storta, Via Bara all'Olivella 74, +39 091324428. This cap, first worn by Sicilian peasants and later by the Mafia, has become a stylish accessory.

Eat

Try specialties of Palermo like panino con la milza or panelle, in one of the many sandwich stands in the old city centre.

Budget

Around the Piazza Pretoria

  • Stuzzicandoci, Via Vittorio Emanuele, 251, 38.1163276°, 13.3629403°. Best place to eat a delicious arancina in Palermo downtown. The owner is really kind and friendly. Quality ingredients and courteous staff. 2022-05-01
  • Timilia, Via Maqueda, 221, 38.1162358°, 13.3611959°. Very good pizzeria, a real delight. Also Vegan options. For those intolerant to gluten and lactose, the pizzas are gluten-free and the mozzarella is lactose-free. 2022-05-01
  • Maqueda Bistrot, Via Maqueda, 253, 38.1166212°, 13.3608831°. Great place, very delicious pasta and the bruschetta with the mozarella is tasty. They serve both pasta and great burgers. 2022-05-01
  • Vecchia Trattoria da Totò, Via Coltellieri, 6, 38.1175724°, 13.3635968°. The real Palermo cuisine. Informal trattoria with tables also outdoors. Good mixed fried food, excellent mussels. No English menu. 2022-05-01
  • Bisso Bistrot, Via Maqueda, 172A, 38.1158217°, 13.3613541°. Bistro in the centre of Palermo with a wide choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes. Beautiful restaurant, with retro air, very unique old bookstore. Smiling waitress, very good food, decent waiting time. 2022-05-01
  • Il Proverbio, 38.1152545°, 13.3637990°, +39 091 6173267. Discesa dei Giudici, 24. Close to station and Quattro Canti. Great Sicilian food, most dishes are €4-6.
  • Bangla Fast Food, Via Maqueda, 142, +39 3271475976. 11:30-01:00. Delicious Indian/Bangladeshi food. Great veg curry, daal and rice for €4. A good selection of samosas and pakoras. Excellent chai for €1.

Around the marina

  • 100 Montaditos, Piazza Tarzanà, 38.1189261°, 13.3666730°. Many types of sandwiches, all very good. You have to fill in the order sheet and go to the cashier to pay, then the dishes ordered on the sheet arrive. Each sandwich is €1. 2022-05-01
  • Cala Pollo & Co., Via Cala, 128, 38.1200107°, 13.3664735°. In this deli you will find one of the best chicken that the city can offer. Yummy food. Best Italian style BBQ chicken. 2022-05-01
  • Pani câ Meusa – Porta Carbone, Via Cala, 62, 38.1187269°, 13.3682846°. The best sandwiches. Excellent typical Palermo food. A dining experience to try these local Street food delicacies. 2022-05-01
  • Le Tabarin, Via Chiavettieri, 7, 38.1179585°, 13.3666049°. Magical Palermo atmosphere with a background of 1990s/2000s music. One of the best apericena: tasty limoncello Spritz, tasty fresh food, big amount per person. 2022-05-01
  • Voglia Di Pizza, Via Chiavettieri, 28, 38.1180664°, 13.3662287°. Very tasty and juicy pizza, the dough is just amazing. Inexpensive, plentiful and well stocked with quality ingredients, fast servers. 2022-05-01

Mid-range

  • Osteria dei Vespri, Piazza Croce dei Vespri 6, 38.1146710°, 13.3658519°, +39 091617631. M-Sa 12:00-15:00, 18:00-24:00. This location has a certain charm, with a quite rare calm in Palermo. The service is impeccable. The vegetarian menu was really good. Delicious wines and fantastic food! 2022-05-01
  • Il Cambusone, Sant'Andrea, Piazza Sant'Andrea, 4, 38.1184064°, 13.3634345°. Great fish and very kind, attentive staff. Cozy environment, excellent for tasting the flavors of Sicily. 2022-08-01

Splurge

Sweets

Drink

  • Enoteca Picone, Via Marconi 36, +39 091331300.
  • The Bar Brothers, Via Vittorio Emanuele 118, +39 3285672487. W-Su 18:00-00:00. Great little bar for beers and cocktails. A small number of seats out on the street. Beers from €2.50 to 3.50.
  • dal Barone, Via Alessandro Paternostro 87, +39 3495084347. M-Sa 18:00-00:00. Nice wine bar with a good selection of wines. Good cheeseboards.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

  • B&B Palermo A Casa di Amici, Via Dante 57 - Palermo (on the Via Alloro 1 block from Piazza San Francesco), +39 091 7654650, +39 091 584884, info@acasadiamici.com. In the historic centre of Palermo near Al Teatro Massimo. €35-45 per person
  • Al Giardino Dell'Alloro, Vicolo San Carlo 8 (on the Via Alloro 1 block from Piazza San Francesco), +39 091 6176904, giardinodellalloro@katamail.com. On a quiet street. €35-45 per person
  • B&B Il Giardino di Ballarò, Street: Via Porta di Castro 75/77 (centre, near Mercato Ballarò), 38.1118147°, 13.3585676°, +39 091212215, ilgiardinodiballaropalermo@gmail.com. Check-in: after 12:00, check-out: until 10:00. €70 a day for a couple
  • Hotel Casa Giuditta, Via Savona 10 - Piazza Kalsa (in the historical city centre, opposite the sea). Offers rooms and self-catering apartments with 17th-century style decorations. Fully furnished with all mod cons: a/c, washing machines, kitchen with oven, freezer, dishwasher, satellite TV. Children welcome.
  • Palermo Sea Holidays, Via Torretta 7, Sferracavallo, near Mondello (30 m from the sea and 2 km (1.24 miles) from Mondello), +39 349 610 3555. A group of 1- and 2-bedroom self-catering apartments, on Sferracavallo's seafront close to Palermo. Simple but comfortable studios have an outdoor yard, for relaxing during the day and romantic dinners by night. Sferracavallo has good public transport connections to Palermo, and is close to the Capo Gallo nature reserve.
  • Florio Park Hotel, Contrada Magaggiari. First category hotel complex by the sea on a beautiful golden and sandy beach. Inside a 4-hectare park, the hotel has 17 pavilions (1 or 2 floors), surrounded by luxuriant vegetation, that comprise 204 rooms and 6 suites. In the central building you'll find the reception desk and the wide and elegant hall, the restaurant, the excursions office, the American bar, the bazaar and the TV room.
  • Saint Thorn Guest Club, Via Spina Santa 210, Capo Gallo, near Mondello. It's inside the 'Capo Gallo' nature reserve in the hills outside Palermo, offering stunning views across Mondello's beach. Free parking in the nearby private street, or inside the villa for €5; swimming pool; free internet. All rooms have en suite baths, TV, hair dryer, a/c, fridge, own outside access. Two rooms have kitchenette, with minimum stay of 5 days. Downtown Palermo is about 15 min by bus/car, Mondello 10 min, airport 20 min.
  • Hotel Artemisia Palace Palermo, Via Roma, 499, +39 091 6090612. Elegant four-star hotel which has 18 double rooms and suite. All with private bar, satellite TV with Sky channels, internet connection. Also available a free public parking.
  • Hotel Italy, Via Roma 62, 4th floor (100 m from the train station), +39 091 6230656, hotelitalia62@hotmail.com. Good clean rooms with new bathrooms, AC, TV, and balcony with clotheslines. €60, no breakfast.
  • Hotel Joli, Via Michele Amari, 11, +39 091 6111765. Rooms adorned with frescoes and fine decor. Fine service, too. 2018-04-06
  • Villa D'Amato, Via Messina Marine 180, +39 091 6212767, info@hotelvilladamato.it.
  • NH Palermo, Foro Italico. 237, +39 091 6165090. Spacious rooms and a congress centre with 2 meeting rooms, all equipped with natural light, on the picturesque gulf of the city and enjoys breathtaking views across the sea.
  • B&B Porta di Castro, +39 328 263 9433, bebportadicastro@gmail.com. It is an old building restored and well furnished.
  • B&B Lincoln Suite Palermo, Via Lincoln 161 (Centre), +39 091 6177715, info@bedandbreakfastpalermoart.com. Refined, cheap and central, close to the station. €30
  • In Itinera B&B (near the Giardino Inglese and the Notarbartolo Station), via della Libertà 58, 38.1356°, 13.3485°, +39 091 6195783. Bed and breakfast art and design in the heart of Palermo. Rooms with free wifi, minibar, bathroom with shower or bath and Chromotherapy, air conditioning

Splurge

Stay safe

Palermo is a quite safe city during the day but it can be an intimidating city at night, especially on week days in the winter, when there are not many students, visitors and locals around. Even if crimes against visitors are quite rare, just remember that:

  • Use common sense all day but especially after dark, especially outside the main streets and if you are a woman
  • You should book an hotel/B&B in the city centre (the areas around Piazza Ruggero Settimo, Fontana della Ninfa and Piazza Giuseppe Verdi are fine), both for security reasons and also because public transportation between the city centre and suburbs is not reliable at night. Accommodation in Palermo is quite cheap compared to Italian and European standards, even in the best areas.

During the day just remember to be aware of pickpockets on the streets and city buses as well as motorcycle-riding snatch thieves targeting handbags, wallets and mobile phones.

In summer the city centre of Palermo is safe even during the night, as there are hundreds of bars and pubs open all night and many people around. However don't forget to use common sense.

Driving and crossing the streets in Palermo is quite dangerous as the rules of the road are not followed. Also remember that vehicle theft is a major problem in Italy, but, as evinced by latest figures made available by Italian Police, Palermo is safer than Rome, Naples, Milan, Bari, Catania and Turin, but if you want avoid any risk so the use of private, secure car parks is to be preferred. If you've rented a car, your insurance may not be valid if you do not park in a secure car park.

Connect

As of Sept 2021, Palermo has 4G from Iliad, TIM and Wind Tre, and 5G from Vodafone.

Cope

Palermo's main APT Tourist Office is located at Piazza Castelnuovo 35, open M-F 08:00-20:00 and Sa 08:00-14:00. English spoken. A branch of the tourist office also exists at the airport. Get a free map from one of the blue information booths.

Go next

Nearby

  • Bagheria. A small town east of Palermo. There are a handful a beautiful villas there and a museum of renowned painter Renato Guttuso. 2017-03-19
  • The Greek Ruins of Solunto, Via Collegio Romano, 90017 Solanto PA (Get a train from Palermo Central to Santa Flavia (S.Flavia on the TrenItalia system). The ride takes about 20 minutes. The ruins are a 20-30 minute walk up the hill outside the town.), 38.09171°, 13.5323°. Ruins of a Greek settlement on a hillside overlooking the sea and the current settlement of Santa Flavia. Very quiet and relatively unvisited. There are beautiful views out to see and of the distant hills from across the site. Although the ruins are not in great condition and have not been extensively restored, there are still a number of beautiful mosaic floors and columns standing. There is also a small museum containing finds from the site, entry to which is included in your ticket. 4 euro
  • Villa Palagonia, Piazza Garibaldi, 3-90011 Bagheria (PA), 38.079692°, 13.511467°, +39 091 932 088, villapalagonia@villapalagonia.it. Nov-Mar: 09:00-13:00, 15:30-17:30; Apr-Oct: 09:00-13:00, 16:00-19.00. A splendid richly decorated 18th century villa. Perhaps it's most known for numerous grotesque statues that adorn the garden and its wall. Through them the villa earned its nickname Villa dei Mostri (the Villa of Monsters). 2017-03-19

Further afield

Train

Catania - ~ 3 hours

Agrigento - 2h 4min

Syracuse - ~ 4h 30min

Other places easily reached by train are Cefalù, Milazzo (for the Aeolian Islands), Messina, Trapani and Enna.

Bus

Taormina a beautiful hilltop town near Mount Etna with beautiful Greek ruins and beaches nearby.

Palermo

comune.palermo.it
Postal code:9012190122901239012490125901269012790128901299013190133901349013590136901389013990141901429014390144901459014690147901489014990151Date Time:Please wait...Timezone:Europe/RomePopulation:668,405Coordinates:38.12, 13.36

Province of Palermo

2nd-order administrative division

Sicily

Primary administrative division

Italy

italia.it
Population:60.4 MDial code:+39Currency:Euro (EUR)Voltage:230 V, 50 Hz