Planning a trip to Sicily’s captivating capital? You’re in for a treat!
Palermo is where ancient history meets modern Italian charm, and trust me, this city will steal your heart faster than you can say “arancini.”
With over 2,700 years of history packed into every cobblestone street, Palermo offers an incredible mix of Norman palaces, bustling markets, and some of the best street food in all of Italy.
Whether you’re drawn to the stunning mosaics of the Palatine Chapel or the chaotic energy of Ballarò Market, this guide will help you make the most of your Palermo adventure.
By the end of this article you will know 7 best things to do in Palermo Sicily.
Palermo Cathedral: A Masterpiece of Norman Architecture
Location: Via Vittorio Emanuele, 90134 Palermo, Sicily
Hours: Monday-Saturday 7am-7pm, Sunday 8am-7pm (main cathedral)
Special Areas: Crypt, roof & tombs: Mon-Sat 9am-5:30pm, Sun 10am-6pm
Cost: Free entry to main cathedral, €7 for crypt, treasury, royal tombs & roof access
Palermo Cathedral – I literally stopped dead in my tracks.
Built in 1185, this cathedral is like a history book written in stone.
You’ve got Norman, Moorish, Gothic, and Baroque elements all dancing together in perfect harmony.
The exterior alone will keep your camera busy for an hour – those geometric patterns and soaring arches are pure Instagram gold.
But here’s what most tourists miss: the real treasures are inside. The royal tombs house some of Sicily’s most important rulers, including Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.
Pro tip from someone who learned the hard way – visit early morning or late afternoon.
The lighting is phenomenal for photos, and you’ll avoid the cruise ship crowds that descend around midday.
Also, dress modestly because it’s still an active church, and the staff will turn you away if you’re showing too much skin.
Some pieces date back to the 12th century, and you can practically feel the weight of history in your hands.
Don’t leave without climbing to the roof terraces if they’re open – the views over Palermo’s terracotta rooftops toward the Mediterranean are absolutely stunning.
Palazzo dei Normanni and Palatine Chapel
Location: Piazza del Parlamento, 1, 90129 Palermo, Sicily
Website: www.federicosecondo.org
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm (last entry), Sunday & holidays 8:30am-12:30pm
Cost: €16 adults, €12 reduced rate
Booking: Advance online booking strongly recommended
Okay, I’m going to be completely honest here – I thought I was prepared for the Palatine Chapel, but nothing could have ready me for that moment when I walked inside and looked up.
This isn’t just any palace; it’s Europe’s oldest royal residence that’s still in use today.
The Norman kings knew what they were doing when they built this place in the 9th century.
The Palatine Chapel is the absolute star of the show.
Those Byzantine mosaics tell biblical stories in glittering gold and vibrant colors that have survived nearly 900 years.
I spent over an hour just staring at the ceiling, trying to take in every detail.
The Arab-inspired wooden ceiling (called a muqarnas) is like nothing I’d ever seen in Europe – it’s pure architectural poetry.
The Royal Apartments are often overlooked, but they shouldn’t be. The Hall of Hercules where the Sicilian Parliament still meets today gives you this amazing sense of continuity – imagine, people have been making important decisions in this room for over a millennium.
Teatro Massimo: Europe’s Third Largest Opera House
Location: Piazza Verdi, 90138 Palermo, Sicily
Website: www.teatromassimo.it
Tours: Daily tours available, typically 9:30am-5:30pm
Performance Season: October to June
Cost: Tours €8-10, performance tickets vary widely
Walking up to Teatro Massimo for the first time gave me goosebumps – and I’m not even a huge opera fan!
This neoclassical beast dominates the Piazza Verdi like some ancient temple dedicated to the arts. When it opened in 1897, it was supposed to represent the new unified Italy’s cultural ambitions, and man, did they nail it.
The numbers alone are impressive: it seats 1,387 people and has a stage that’s one of the largest in Europe. But what really gets you is the craftsmanship.
Every detail, from the bronze lions flanking the entrance to the stunning frescoed ceiling, screams Italian excellence.
I’ll admit, I was initially more interested in the Godfather connection than the opera itself.
Remember that final scene in The Godfather Part III? Yep, filmed right here on these very steps where Michael Corleone’s daughter gets shot.
The theater staff are used to tourists asking about it, and they’re pretty good sports about sharing filming stories.
The architecture tour takes you backstage and up to areas usually off-limits to the public.
Seeing the massive stage machinery and learning about how they create those elaborate sets was like getting a peek behind the curtain of theatrical magic.
Plus, the views from the upper levels over Palermo are pretty spectacular.
Ballarò Market: Palermo’s Most Authentic Street Market
Location: Via Ballarò and surrounding streets, Historic Center
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday mornings only
Best Time to Visit: 9am-1pm for freshest produce and most activity
Getting There: Walking distance from Quattro Canti, near Palazzo dei Normanni
If you want to experience the real Palermo, forget the touristy restaurants and head straight to Ballarò Market.
This place is organized chaos at its finest, and I mean that in the best possible way.
It’s loud, it’s crowded, it smells incredible, and it’s absolutely essential to understanding this city’s soul.
The market has been operating in some form for over 1,000 years, which is pretty mind-blowing when you think about it.
Generations of Palermitani have been buying their daily groceries from these same narrow streets. You’re not just shopping; you’re participating in living history.
Let’s talk about the food because, honestly, that’s why you’re really here.
The panelle (chickpea fritters) and crocchè (potato croquettes) are absolutely addictive.
The arancini here are next-level good.
I tried probably a dozen different versions across Palermo, but the ones from the little stall near the Via Ballarò entrance were consistently the best.
They’re huge, perfectly crispy outside, and the filling combinations are creative without being weird.
Safety-wise, it’s actually pretty safe during daylight hours, but keep your valuables secure and don’t flash expensive electronics around.
It’s not that it’s dangerous, but it’s a busy place and pickpockets do operate in crowded markets everywhere in Italy.
Quattro Canti: The Heart of Historic Palermo
Location: Piazza Vigliena, intersection of Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Historic Center
Hours: Open 24/7 (public square)
Getting There: Easily accessible on foot from Palermo Cathedral, Teatro Massimo, and Ballarò Market
Standing in the middle of Quattro Canti feels like being at the crossroads of Palermo’s entire history.
This octagonal baroque square is where the city’s two main streets intersect, and honestly, it’s one of those places that looks almost too perfect to be real.
Each of the four corners represents a different season, a Spanish king, and a patron saint of Palermo.
It’s like an outdoor baroque museum that you can walk through and touch.
I spent way more time here than I planned on my first visit, just trying to spot all the symbolic details carved into each facade.
The best part about Quattro Canti is that it’s this natural starting point for exploring the historic center.
From here, you can walk to pretty much every major attraction in the old city.
It’s also this perfect landmark when you inevitably get lost in the winding medieval streets – just look for the baroque facades and you’ll find your way back.
One thing that struck me was how this intersection is still very much part of daily life for locals.
It’s not just a tourist attraction – people meet here, kids play in the square, and there’s always this gentle buzz of conversation in Sicilian dialect that creates this authentic soundtrack to your visit.
The street performers here are usually pretty talented too.
I saw this incredible classical guitarist who played near the southern corner, and his music echoing off the baroque facades created this magical atmosphere that felt like stepping back in time.
Catacombe dei Cappuccini: Europe’s Most Famous Catacombs
Location: Piazza Cappuccini 1, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Hours: Open daily:
- Morning: 9:00 – 12:30 (last entry at 12:10)
- Afternoon: 15:00 – 17:30 (last entry at 17:10)
Best Time to Visit: Early morning for a quieter experience and better lighting.
Getting There:
- Public Transport: From Palermo Central Station, take bus 109 to Piazza Indipendenza. From there, walk 15 minutes along Via Cappuccini, turn right onto Via Pindemonte, and continue to Piazza Cappuccini.
I’ll be straight with you – visiting the Capuchin Catacombs isn’t for everyone.
If you’re squeamish about mummified bodies, skip this section and head to one of Palermo’s beautiful beaches instead.
But if you can handle it, this is one of the most unique and historically significant sites in Europe.
These catacombs house about 8,000 mummified bodies dating from the 16th to 20th centuries.
What makes this place different from other catacombs is that these aren’t ancient burial sites – families were paying to have their relatives preserved and displayed as recently as the 1920s.
The preservation techniques used here were incredibly effective.
Many of the bodies still have hair, clothing, and facial features intact. It’s simultaneously creepy and scientifically fascinating.
What really got to me was the children’s section.
There’s something deeply moving about seeing these tiny preserved figures, especially little Rosalia Lombardo, whose preservation is so perfect she’s called “Sleeping Beauty.”
The emotional impact is intense, and I saw several visitors leave that section pretty shaken up.
From a practical standpoint, no photography is allowed inside, which is absolutely the right call from both respect and preservation perspectives. The tour is self-guided, but there are information placards in multiple languages that provide good historical context.
Monte Pellegrino and Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia
Location: Monte Pellegrino, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Hours: Open daily; Sanctuary’s chapel within the mountain is accessible during daylight hours.
Getting There:
- By Car: Drive via Via Monte Ercta for direct access; free parking available at the sanctuary.
- On Foot: Hike from the base via Scala Vecchia (approx. 1.5 hours) or a paved road (approx. 2 hours).
Saving the best for last! Monte Pellegrino offers hands-down the most spectacular views of Palermo and the entire Conca d’Oro valley.
This mountain has been called “the most beautiful promontory in the world” by Goethe, and honestly, I think he might have been underselling it.
The hike to the top is moderate but totally doable for most fitness levels.
It takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on your pace and how many photo stops you make (spoiler alert: you’ll make a lot).
The trail winds through Mediterranean scrubland, and the views get progressively more amazing as you climb higher.
But here’s the thing most people don’t realize – you can also drive or take a bus most of the way up.
There’s a road that takes you to within about 15 minutes of the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia.
The sanctuary itself is built into a natural cave where Santa Rosalia supposedly lived as a hermit in the 12th century.
She’s credited with ending a plague that was devastating Palermo in the 1620s, and she’s been the city’s patron saint ever since.
The spiritual atmosphere inside the cave chapel is pretty intense, regardless of your religious beliefs.
There’s also a small museum dedicated to Santa Rosalia and the history of Monte Pellegrino that’s worth a quick visit.
It helps put the site into historical context and explains why this mountain is so important to Palermitani identity.
Final Thoughts about Things to do in Palermo Sicily
Palermo isn’t just a destination – it’s an experience that engages all your senses and challenges your preconceptions about what a Mediterranean city can be.
These seven attractions represent the heart and soul of this remarkable city, but remember, Palermo rewards those who venture beyond the obvious tourist spots.
Take time to get lost in the narrow streets of the Kalsa neighborhood, stop for an espresso at a corner bar where no one speaks English, and say yes when locals invite you to join their evening passeggiata.
Each of these experiences offers something different – architectural marvels, cultural immersion, spiritual moments, and natural beauty.
But what makes them special is how they work together to create a complete picture of what makes Palermo so captivating. Your Palermo visit will completely worth it for those place.
The city’s complexity is its greatest strength, and these seven stops give you the tools to understand and appreciate that complexity.