Palermo, Best 37 Things in the Sicilian Flower

A beauty by the Tyrrhenian Sea, Palermo is a 2,700-year-old city northwest of Sicily. It has a rich history, having lived through the eras of the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Arab Rule, and the Norman Conquest, after which Palermo became the capital of the new kingdom of Sicily.

When you choose Palermo as your next tourist destination, you will be greeted by a hot summer and warm weather all year round. Whether buzzing city life is your jam or artistic and cultural activities are your favourite pastime on vacation, Palermo will satisfy your appetite.

How to get to Palermo?

• Fly in:

Palermo has an international airport, so you can choose to fly over anytime you wish. From there, you can use an Airport Shuttle, with a bus leaving every 30 minutes, all for a ticket of 6 Euros if it’s one way or 10 Euros for a return ticket.

You can use the train for a 60-minute journey. Trains depart every half hour and cost 5.80 Euros per ticket. Taxis are not advisable for transportation since they can be very costly.

• Ferry boat:

Palermo is connected to other major Italian ports. You can get to the Port of Palermo aboard the ferry from Naples, Genoa, Valletta (Malta), or Cagliari (Sardinia).

• By train:

You can catch the train from Rome or Naples via the train ferry across the strait of Messina.

What to do in Palermo?

Palermo is one of the Italian cities where you can get lost wondering which tourist sites to visit and where. The coastal city is decorated with jewels of palaces, castles, churches, theatres, and markets. This city is oozing with history. Here are the fantastic things to do and the must-dos if you’re ever in Palermo.

Best Things to do in Palermo

• Palazzo dei Normanni or the Norman Palace:

It started as the seat of the kings of Sicily during the Norman domination and became the seat for all the subsequent rulers of Sicily. The Norman Palace in Palermo kept its significance as the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly since 1946, housing the Astronomical Observatory of Palermo.

You can marvel at the beauty of the unique mosaics, the delicately wooden roof, and the marble work in the palace embodied in the Cappella Palatina.

• The Zisa:

King William 1 of Sicily ordered the castle to be built, and it is a UNESCO Arab-Norman Palermo World Heritage Site. However, after several modifications to the structure, some of the castle’s original Arabic and Islamic features were washed away. Some rooms still have Islamic art, tools, and artefacts from the Mediterranean area today.

• Palazzo Chiaramonte:

Currently a museum, the palace once served as a prison for the nobles who once rebelled against emperor Charles V, with some of those nobles’ heads discovered during restoration work in the 20^th The palace has a great painted wooden ceiling by Cecco di Naro, Simone da Corleone and Pellegrino Darena.

• Palazzina Cinese:

The formal royal residence of The House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies is now a museum. The three-story palace was initially commissioned by King Ferdinand III of Sicily and is decorated with paintings and frescos by Giuseppe Velazquez and other artists.

• Palazzo Abatellis:

One of many museums in the prosperous city of Palermo, this palace is home to the Gallery of Art for the Sicilian Region. An example of a Gothic-Catalan architecture building was once the residence of Francesco Abatellis and his wife. Still, it was later converted to a monastery, and several modifications were made to adapt it to the new residence and purpose. You can feast your eyes on many wooden works of the 12^th, 14^th and 15^th centuries. The large fresco of the Triumph of Death is exhibited in the former chapel.

• Antonino Salinas Regional Archeological Museum:

As part of the Olivella monumental complex, the museum exhibits some of the richest collections of Punic and Ancient Greek Art in Italy, including the history of Sicily. A famous archaeologist, Antonino Salinas, after whom the museum is named, served as the museum’s director from 1873 to 1914.

In addition to Salinas’ private collection, the oldest collection beside it is the University Museum Collection, acquired in 1814. The third collection you will spot in the museum is the collection of Pietro Bonci Casuccini, the most important Etruscan collection outside of Tuscany.

• Palermo Cathedral:

It is an architectural complex dedicated to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo. The diversity of its keepers throughout history can be seen in the diverse styles of architecture around the church. It was initially built by Walter Ophamil, the Norman archbishop of Palermo and King William II’s minister in 1185.

The Saracens conquered the city in the 9th century and turned it into a mosque. The church contains the final resting place of several royals and imperial characters. King Roger II, his daughter Queen Constance I of Sicily, her husband Emperor Henry VI, and their son Emperor Frederick II are buried in the Palermo Cathedral.

• Church of San Cataldo:

This red-domed church is another excellent example of Arab-Norman architecture, one of numerous signs of how architecture flourished under the Norman rule of Sicily. The church acquired a World Heritage Site status in 2015. Inside, you can see how the trademark of Norman architecture is used in other prestigious churches across Europe, like the Cathedral of Durham in England.

• Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio:

Another of Palermo’s churches, the Church of St. Mary of the Admiral, has World Heritage Site status. It shows the different architectural and artistic styles paralleling the city’s history.

The elements showing the influence of Islamic architecture inside and outside the church have been compared to another magnificent building, the Cappella Palatina, which also exhibits signs of Islamic and Byzantine architectural influence. Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio can be found in the Piazza Bellini in Palermo.

• The Church of the Gesù (Casa Professa):

This Jesuit architecturally built church is one of Palermo and Sicily’s most important baroque churches. It was declared a national monument in 1888. During the Second World War, a bomb destroyed the church’s dome, most surrounding walls, and most paintings in the chancel and transepts. The church reopened after a two-year restoration plan on 24 February 2009.

• The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi:

Located in the historic centre of Palermo, this church is named Minor Basilica. While walking around this vital church, you can explore the beauty of Gothic and Sicilian Baroque. It suffered several damaging events, including an earthquake in 1823 and air raids in the Second World War, but the church was restored in the recent decade.

• San Giovanni degli Eremiti:

Dating back to the 6^th century, St. John of the Hermits church underwent several restorations, one of which attempted to restore its original medieval appearance. Distinguishable by red domes, Frances Elliot described it in her 1882 Diary of an Idle Woman in Sicily as “….totally oriental, it would fit well in Baghdad or Damascus…”

• Santa Caterina (The Church of Saint Catherine):

It is located between Piazza Bellini and Piazza Pretoria, in the heart of the historic centre, in the same area where other landmarks exist. Founded as a female monastery under the direction of the Dominican Order, the monastery was dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. On several occasions, though, the church suffered continuous damage.

• Santa Maria della Catena:

The signature style of this church is late Renaissance and Gothic-Catalan architectural style. Connected to the church is the current house of State Archive, which once was a convent house in 1602.

• San Giuseppe dei Teatini:

Perceived as one of the most unique examples of Sicilian Baroque in Palermo. The church began in the 17^th century, though the unique frescos inside were severely damaged during the Second World War. Apart from beautiful frescos by Filippo Tancredi, Giuseppe Velasquez and other artists, the church’s most important piece of art is a wood crucifix by Fra’ Umile of Petralia.

• San Domenico:

Located in Piazza San Domenico, the Church of Saint Dominic is known as the Pantheon of Illustrious Sicilians because it serves as a burial ground for many Sicilian historical and cultural figures. Francesco Ferrara, an Italian economist and political scientist, and Giovanni Meli, an Italian poet, are the esteemed characters buried in this church.

• Oratory of Saint Lorenzo:

Founded in the late 16^th century, the Oratory of Saint Lawrence is located in the historical centre of Palermo, near the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.

• San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi:

It is believed that the architects responsible for dei Lebbrosi were Fatimid because of the significant influence of Arabic architecture, such as the Kufic script, on some of the internal columns of the church. The church’s title comes from a leprosarium built to care for King Roger II’s brother, who died from leprosy. The church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

• Santa Maria della Gancia:

Also known as Santa Maria degli Angeli, it is located on Via Alloro #27 in central Palermo. Some believe that the name La Gancia comes from the incident where a monk from the adjacent Convent of the Gancia fished an icon of the Child Jesus from the sea.

The church’s interior is decorated using the Baroque style with a façade mixed between a late Spanish Gothic portal and awkward Renaissance windows. An act of oppressing the revolution took place outside of the church, where Bavarian mercenaries outside its walls killed several patriots and monks.

On the other hand, two Italian patriots hid among the tombs and later escaped through a small opening in the wall, which is still marked on Via Alloro.

• Santa Maria dello Spasimo:

Also known as Lo Spasimo, it is an unfinished Catholic church in the Kalsa neighbourhood in Palermo. Currently, the church is opening its arms to open-air musical, theatrical, and cultural events, but it lacks a roof. The church’s construction was never finished because the resources allocated to it were diverted to reinforce the defensive power of the city against the rising Turkish threats.

• Church of the Magione:

Officially known as the Church of the Holy Trinity, it was built in the Norman style in 1191 by Matteo d’Ajello, who donated it to the Cistercian monks.

 Alternative things to do in Palermo

What if palaces and historical religious buildings are not your cup of tea? No problem at all. If you still desire to have a great time in Palermo, all you have to do is ask, and the city will fulfil your wishes.

There are many other public monuments, squares, markets, and opera houses in Palermo. If you’re interested in mummies, there are even the Capuchin Catacombs.

• Kalsa:

Or Mandamento Tribunali is a historical quarter in the city of Palermo. Who would believe that the entire place known as La Kalsa was underwater? It is said that Hamilcar and Hannibal used to dock their ships as they prepared their attacks on the Greek city of Himera. The once-described Kalsa as the Arab ghetto by Sicilian American novelist Dodici Azpadu now plays host to art galleries, restored churches and palaces.

• Quattro Canti:

A beautiful Baroque-style square in Palermo was laid at the crossing of two main streets in the city: the Via Maqueda and the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The piazza is octagonal, with four sides being the streets and the other four sides being all Baroque buildings. The façades of the buildings contain fountains and statues of the four seasons, the four Spanish kings of Sicily, and the Patronesses of Palermo: Christina, Ninfa, Olivia, and Agata.

• Piazza Pretoria:

The Square of Shame, also known as the Square of Shame, is located within the district of Kalsa. As the name suggests, the sixteen statues in the middle of the fountain are said to represent corrupt municipalities.

• Charles V Monument:

The statue, designed to be placed at the centre of the Quattro Canti, represents Charles V as a triumphant Roman Emperor. It was erected to refer to Charles V’s frequent stops in Sicily and Palermo. Scipione Li Volsi of the Li Volsi Family of Sicilian sculptors created the statue.

• Teatro Massimo (From October to May):

The Teatro Massimo is an opera house and company that is the biggest in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. Over the past decades, the Teatro has suffered much neglect, not due to the in-appreciation of its cultural value but political feuds and corruption. You can enjoy these beautiful atmospheres during the Teatro Massimo season, which opens in October and includes ballet, opera, and concerts by international artists.

• Teatro Politeama:

Considered to be the second most crucial theatre after Teatro Massimo. It is located in the Piazza Ruggero and has been home to the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana since 2001.

• Teatro di Verdura (From June to September):

During the summer days, Teatro Massimo closes its doors and transfers its shows to Teatro di Verdura in Viale del Fante, which is in the open air.

• Festino di Santa Rosalia (From 9 July to 15th):

As suggested by the name, the people of Palermo have celebrated Santa Rosalia each year for four centuries. After saving the city from a dangerous plague in 1600, Santa Rosalia became the city’s patron saint.

During this festival, which extends for a week, the city welcomes all visitors to celebrate the patron saint, including travelling theatrical and musical shows giving performances with relevance to the life of the saint. The highlight of the festivities is the procession of the monumental cart that crosses the Cassaro as far as the Marina. All festivities end with a breathtaking fireworks show, which marks the end of the festival.

• Palermo Estate – from June to September (A must-do in Palermo):

During the summer season, which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of September, Palermo livens up and opens its squares and streets to musical shows of all kinds, travelling theatre shows, folklore events and many other events.

• Orto botanico di Palermo (Palermo Botanical Garden):

A visit to the Palermo Botanical Garden is one of the family things to do in the city. It’s the most extensive botanical garden in Italy and a research and educational institution of the Department of Botany of the University of Palermo. The Orto includes greenhouses, the Aquarium, the Bio-ecological and Geographic Zone, the Experimental and Research Zone, Engler’s Zone, The Herbarium and a Gene Bank.

• Festival di Morgana (November):

Since 1985, the Festival di Morgana has been organized to celebrate puppets. Known as the Opera dei Pupi, various artists practice this beautiful art form around Palermo. The International Puppet Museum organises this festival through the Association for the Preservation of Folk Traditions.

During the festival, historical Sicilian Pupari families participate in several puppet shows. UNESCO deemed this festival the first Italian Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

• Capuchin Catacombs:

In this emotional building, you will find the mummies of more than 8,000 people with some intricately preserved; they seem very much alive. The corpses in these catacombs belong to people of different backgrounds. The Capuchins were representatives of noble families and representatives of the clergy. This one-of-a-kind place to visit is home to the beautiful, reserved corpse of a young girl called Rosalia. Visiting the Capuchin Catacombs is one of the top things to do in Palermo.

• The Heliometer of the Cathedral:

This heliometer is very simple. A tiny hole in one of the minor domes acts as a pinhole camera, projecting an image of the sun onto the floor at noon. The purpose of the heliometer is to standardize the measurement of time and the calendar.

• Mount Pellegrino:

Mount Pellegrino is a hill facing east in the bay of Palermo. It offers the most panoramic view of the city, its surrounding mountains, and the sea.

• Monte Gallo near Mondello Beach:

This mountain gives another panoramic view of the sea. You are guaranteed to have a good time, whichever you choose to do, on the beach of Mondello. The Square or the seaside village can help you with whichever you need. Your appetite will be satisfied from cafes and restaurants to takeaway seafood and sandwiches. The wonderful beach of Mondello opens its arms to all world-famous windsurfing champions who participate in the Merit Cup Windsurf World Festival in May of each year.

• Street food and ancient markets:

The American network Virtual Tourist ranked Palermo fifth among the best street food producers in the world. A street food tour is inexpensive and a must, along with tours of the ancient markets.

You can take a tour during the day or the night, where you will find everything among the stalls full of colourful merchandise. Panelle e chilli, bread with spleen, Arancine, Sfinciuni, Stigghiole, and Boiled Octopus are some of the specialities that have made Palermo one of the world’s street food capitals. You can go shopping or eat dishes cooked according to the recipes of the local tradition. One of the markets worth a visit is the San Lorenzo Market.

If you’re planning your next trip, you should consider coming to Palermo, where you can enjoy different festivities all year round. Go sightseeing, sunbathe on the shores of the sea, walk and breathe in the deep fragrances of the street markets, and grab bites to eat as Palermitans do.

To escape your busy life, you must visit a palace, a castle, or both, followed by a solemn walk through one of the city’s majestic churches and places of worship.

Welcome to Palermo!