Background information on Palermo

Palermo’s history

You might wonder, why does Palermo have such a wide variety and diversity in their culture and architectural styles? The answer in essence, lies in its history. Before the unification of Italy, the region had been under the ruling of not only the Romans, but also several others including the Arabs, Normans and Spanish. In fact, some have even nicknamed Palermo as ‘the most conquered city in the world‘!

Palermo’s districts

While Palermo is divided into eight different districts, the one that is of most interest among tourists is the Historical District. The Historical District itself is also divided into 4 ancient quarters – Kalsa, Albergheria, Il Capo and Castellammare. These 4 quarters literally form 4 quadrants, with Quattro Canti specifically being the centremost point of them all.

Due to the relatively compact size, it is very easy and convenient to explore the historical centre by foot. In fact, each of the quarters is only approximately 1 km in length.

For a start, you may wish to browse some of the activities available* to have an idea of what you’d be interested in for your Palermo itinerary, in case you have any other specific interests.

Planning considerations for a visit to Palermo

Getting to Palermo

By air

The city of Palermo is served by the Palermo Airport (PMO) that is located just about 30 km / 19 miles away from the city centre. There are several direct flights to Palermo, mostly from Italian cities as well as major European cities. These major European cities are mainly London, Paris, Munich and Frankfurt among several others, and are operated by various airlines such as Ryan Air, easyJet and ITA airways.

However, if you are visiting from outside Europe, chances are that you have to transit at one of the other major airports in Italy or other parts of Europe before arriving at Palermo.

Additionally, the other airports you can arrive at are the Trapani Airport or Catania Airport. These will be great options if you intend to visit other parts of Sicily, beginning either from Trapani in the west, or Catania in the east.

By sea

Since Sicily is an island disconnected from the main Italian Peninsula, you can also reach Palermo by ferry. Most of the sea connections to Palermo depart from Italian city ports such as Naples, Genoa and Salerno. There are also sea connections to Palermo that depart from Tunisia. However, a huge downside to taking the ferry to Palermo is the very long travelling time, and very often they stretch more than 10 hours. And don’t expect comfortable luxury ships with cabins! You can read more and search the ferry connections to Palermo here.

On the plus side though, the Port of Palermo is located very close to the city centre. Specifically, this is about a 20-minute walk to the northern end of the Historic District.

By train

Yes, even though Sicily is an island in the Mediterranean, you can reach Palermo by a direct train from Rome or Naples. No, you do not have to disembark because the train will literally get on to a ferry and then get back on tracks upon arrival at Sicily. All these while you remain on board the train!

Having said that though, a train from Rome to Palermo can take you literally half a day. That is 12 entire hours on a train despite this novelty experience and being able to arrive directly at the southern end of the Historic District.

If you still prefer to take the train for the budget or the experience, you can book them with Trenitalia.

Recommended mode 

Just save the time and fly!

Getting Around Palermo

As I have said above, the Historic District is very compact and walkable. And because most of the places of interests are within this area, you don’t really need much public transport to get around. Having said that, there is a network of bus services that can bring you around should you still need them.

Travelling from Palermo airport

The journey that will require travelling on public transport (should you choose to do so) is of course to and from the airport.

Upon arrival, you can choose to take either the bus or the train. Both the bus and train will take you around 50 minutes and costs €6 and €6.80 respectively. Both will take you directly to the Palermo Centrale station, and with a number of stops along the way. The train station can be found at the basement of the airport terminal, while the buses (operated by Prestia e Comandè to Palermo) can be found by turning right on leaving the arrival hall. Both the buses and trains operate on 30 minute intervals.

How long do I need at Palermo

Generally, a full day is enough to see the main sights of the Historical District. Furthermore, the attractions are all within walking distance from each other, which makes it even more convenient.

But if you’d like to include trips to the beaches or day trips to neighbouring towns such as Monreale and its cathedral, add another couple of days to your plan.

This article will focus on how you can get the most out of a full day in the Palermo Historical District.

Where to stay

If you are spending only a day in Palermo, then I strongly suggest to stay within the Historical District. This is because it gives you convenience and saves you time from travelling around, therefore making the most of your 24 hours in the city and fully immersing yourself into the atmosphere.

During my stay, I was just 3 minutes walk away from the most central point of the Historical District (Quattro Canti). Palermo is generally not expensive compared to other major cities in Italy and even western Europe. That is unless you are travelling in the peak of summer!

Food

Palermo is well known for its street food, and good ones as well! Firstly, there is the arancina which essentially is a deep fried rice ball filled with beef ragu or other meat fillings. A single ball is not expensive but it fills you up for sure!

Then there are also several other street food options as follows:

Panelle – chickpea fritters inside a sesame roll or bun
Stigghiola – lamb or veal intestines seasoned and barbequed on a skewer
Sfincione – similar to pizza or focaccia, thick and fluffy and often with tomatoes, cheese, onions and anchovies
Cannoli – most famous sweet street food of fried tubes filled with cream and comes in many different flavours
Granita – ice slush in many different possible flavours

You’ll easily find these street foods especially in the markets. Even if street food and snacks are not quite your kind of thing, there are still a number of Sicilian main dishes you can get your taste buds to!

Other Sicilian food

With Sicily being on a large island surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, you can expect to find a huge variation of seafood, often served with a pasta or risotto. Particularly, there is the raw red prawns (gambero rosso), a Sicilian delicacy introduced to me by my Sicilian friend. I’m not a big fan of it though, as I don’t take well to raw food. But I am the outlier so make sure to give it a try!

Another dish to highlight is one that comes from Palermo’s neighbour – Trapani. The couscous alla Trapanese is made up of small granules of pasta often served with fish and soaked in a fish broth. Also from Trapani is busiate, which is a cord-like or maybe even worm-like pasta usually served with pesto and seafood. I actually like them both, and especially busiate which has a texture that I like.

During my 24 hours in Palermo, I had lunch at Le Angeliche located in the vicinity of Mercato del Capo, and dinner at Antica Focacceria San Francesco near Via Vittorio Emanuele in the Kalsa historical district.

Both restaurants were found to be featured quite regularly in a number of blog articles I’ve read. Particularly for Antica Focacceria San Francesco but I have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed by this one. You’ll have to tell me if it’s just my taste buds!

Le Angeliche was alright though, and the staff were really nice and friendly.

Siesta

Take note though, that most parts of Sicily practise siesta. Which means that most restaurants will be closed in the late afternoons in between lunch and dinner. So make sure to keep watch of the time and plan your meal times accordingly. Also, dinner tends to begin a little later – usually around 7.30pm or 8pm. Or 7pm at the earliest.

Things to do during your 24 hours in Palermo

24 hours is generally what you need to cover the key attractions within the Historical District. I have ordered the list below in such a way that you can do them in a sequential order, walking from one point to the next.

1. Take a tour of Teatro Massimo

The Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy, and also the the third largest in Europe. It is built in neoclassical architecture and features excellent acoustics, often playing hosts to operas, ballets as well as classical music performances.

While you are free to explore the exterior compounds of the theatre, taking a guided tour is the only way you can get to explore its interior. Other than booking at ticket for one of its performances of course. If there are no performances or rehearsals, you can also have a backstage tour added on to the guided tour.

For €12, you will be taken on a 40-minute guided tour not only to the main auditorium and Royal Box but also the foyer and Pompeian Hall. The Pompeian Hall in particular, features incredible acoustics and produces huge echoes from the softest of sounds at the centre of the room.

And if you are lucky enough like me to do a tour in the middle of a rehearsal, you can get to enjoy the superb acoustics!

The tours operate in various different languages, so I’d suggest that you book a tour online to join the tour that suits you. Otherwise, you can also walk-in to ask for the next available tour.

Additionally, it will cost €5 to include the backstage tour add-on.

2. See Quatto Canti and Fontana Pretoria

As I have said above, Quattro Canti is the most central point in the middle of the four historical quarters. In essence, it is a Baroque square with each of the four corners representing the four historical quarters. On each of the sides, you will be able to see the following from top to bottom: Statues of the four patron saints of Palermo, four Spanish kings who ruled Sicily, four seasons and four fountains.

Just round one of the corners at Quattro Canti is the Fontana Pretoria, which is a Renaissance 16th-century fountain at Piazza Pretoria. It has the nickname ‘Fountain of Shame’ because of the various statues and sculptures depicting nudity, especially in close proximity to a number of religious landmarks.

3. Visit Church of Jesus of Casa Professa

Named ‘Chiesa del Gesù di Casa Professa’ in Italian, this is a 17th-century hidden gem that is strangely not hugely talked about. I didn’t have this Baroque church in my itinerary plans until a local Sicilian friend told me that I had to go visit it. Indeed, its interior was impressive! Entry to the church costs €2, but if you wish to look at its museum and crypt then it is €6. I do think that you can skip the museum and crypt unless you have strong interests in this area.

4. Visit Palermo Cathedral

When the Palermo Cathedral first came into my view, I was in awe by the size and by its architecture. Originally built in 1185 during the Norman rule, the cathedral has undergone several modifications over the years, therefore giving it a blend of different architectural styles including Arabic and neoclassical influences.

While the entry into the main cathedral is free of change, you will need to pay a fee to visit the Royal Tombs, Cathedral Treasury, Roof and the Crypt (together called the Monumental Area). You can pay for any combination of them – read more about them in detail along with the ticket prices.

Unfortunately, I arrived a little too late and so couldn’t get to visit the Monumental Area.

5. Palazzo dei Normanni

While walking to Palazzo dei Normanni on the west side of the historical district, drop by Porta Nuova, a triumphal arch also acting as a city gate into the historical district. The current structure was built during the 17th century and was to commemorate Emperor Charles V’s victorious conquest of Tunis.

Then continue on to Palazzo dei Normanni, which is a historic palace and considered the oldest royal residence in Europe. It used to be inhabited by the various rulers of Sicily and presently houses the Sicilian Regional Assembly (the law-making body for Sicily).

A visit includes a self-guided tour into its offices and halls, the Royal Apartments as well as the Palatine Chapel. Particularly, the Palatine Chapel is famous for its golden mosaics that blend Byzantine and Islamic elements. You may have to queue for a bit to enter the Palatine Chapel due to the limited space inside.

The full ticket including visits to the Royal Apartments and Palatine Chapel costs €19 and can be purchased online. You can also purchase tickets on the spot but because this is one of the most popular attractions of Palermo, you may find a long queue at the ticketing counter. This was the case even though I was visiting in October. But even if you do see a long line, you can still purchase your tickets on the spot online and avoid the queue.

Other things to do in Palermo

After covering the 5 activities listed above, you can probably still slot 1 or 2 of the items below to round up your visit to Palermo.

a. Visit one of the markets

If visiting markets is your thing, then you should visit one or two of the markets in Palermo. There are four main markets (mercato in Italian) – specifically Ballaro, Capo, Vucciria and Borgo Vecchio. Ballaro and Capo are the two larger ones and both are definitely the busier and more touristy ones. Vucciria and Borgo Vecchio are much smaller but have less crowds, with Borgo Vecchio located further away from the historical district.

You can expect some chaos especially in Mercato Ballaro and Capo. You can find mainly fresh produce as well as street food in the markets. So if you want to try some of the street food mentioned above, make sure not to miss the markets.

Mercato Ballaro is located near to the Church of Jesus of Casa Professa in the south, while Mercato Capo near to Teatro Massimo in the north.

b. Visit more churches

Italian churches are some of the most beautiful I have visited, and those in Palermo are definitely no exception.

The Church of San Guiseppe dei Padri Teatini is located near Quattro Canti and very annoyingly, despite having my accommodation right opposite it, I’ve not been able to catch its opening hours during my stay. Opening hours can vary, but generally that is from 9am to 1pm, and 6pm to 7.30pm.

The other churches you can consider are Church of San Cataldo (10am-2pm and 2.30pm-5.45pm), Church of St. Mary of the Admiral (10am-1pm, closed on Sundays) as well as the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria (10am-5.15pm). All three are located in very close proximity to the Fontana Pretoria.

I also visited the Church of Saint John of the Hermits (9am-6.30pm except Sundays 9am-1pm), located near the Palazzo dei Normanni. But in all truth, this was a disappointing visit.

c. Go street shopping along Via Vittorio Emanuele

Via Vittorio Emanuele is the main street in the historical district and connects Porta Nuova in the west to Palermo Cathedral, Quattro Canti and then to the waterfront in the east. Along this street, there are a number of shops, restaurants as well as museums that you can visit.

d. Take a tour

One good way to understand a bit more about the history and culture of Palermo, is of course to take a guided walking tour. Whether it is a highlights walking tour or a street food walking tour, you can take your pick from the Get Your Guide* links below. In particular, if you are interested in the mafia influences and anti-mafia movements in Palermo, you should also look at the No Mafia Walking Tour.

If you have more than 24 hours in Palermo

Then you can consider taking a day trip to explore the other towns in Sicily near Palermo. Definitely one you should consider is a half day trip to Monreale and Cefalù, and in particular the Monreale cathedral.

Or if you are into some history and beaches, you can also go to Agrigento visiting the Greek temples and beautiful beaches.

You can also view other options available at Get Your Guide*.

My 24 Hours in Palermo

The above activities almost entirely reflect what I did during my 24 hours in Palermo.

Firstly, I walked to Teatro Massimo, passing by Mercato del Capo along the way. I didn’t linger round much at the market though, as I wasn’t really into them. I booked a guided tour of Teatro Massimo on the spot and did the 40-minute tour, before heading to Palermo Cathedral.

Then I walked past Porta Nuova to arrive at Palazzo dei Normanni which was unfortunately closed by the time I arrived. So I went to visit the Church of Saint John of the Hermits instead, but was very much disappointed by how little there is to see.

Following that, I walked down Via Vittorio Emanuele and popped into some souvenir shops along the way, ending off at Quattro Canti and Fontana Pretoria.

Finally, the next morning I ended off the Palermo visit at the Church of Jesus of Casa Professa and Palazzo dei Normanni.

My thoughts on Palermo

I had actually enjoyed Palermo much more than I had expected. The city was so easy to get around and it also felt really safe being alone.

And there are so many different facades to the city, from the beautiful open spaces and cleaned up tourist spots to the rustic old buildings in the smaller streets. Plus also the rich history evidently shown by the blend of architecture of historic buildings.

So if you are visiting Sicily, it is worth at least spending some time in its capital city.