Palermo: A Great Base for Adventure
If you’re looking for must-see attractions and day trips from Palermo, we’ve got you covered. Lively Palermo stirs up strong feelings in visitors and locals. Furthermore its busy streets, dirty side walks, and old buildings drive people crazy at times.
Palermo moves fast, acts bold, stays messy, and seems crazy. Moreover unique Arabic domes sit above flashy Baroque faces on buildings. Additionally high-end shops neighbour street markets. Graffitied walls lean against collapsing old mansions growing prickly pears.
But Palermo’s problems fade when you enter a church glowing with pretty Byzantine mosaics. Or walk down a street of fancy Baroque buildings. Or see the friendly bargaining between smart market sellers and housewives hunting for deals. Exploring feels tiring, but very worth it.
Palermo also makes a great base to visit top nearby places. Indeed like the magnificent mosaics at Monreale. The beach town of Mondello. The island Ustica with its unspoiled sea preserve. And inland Corleone, known for its groundbreaking Mafia museum.
Getting Around Palermo
Walking lets you best experience central Palermo’s markets and buildings. Traffic and limited parking make driving hard. Great public transportation reaches the town from the airport. Palermo’s port lies a 10-minute walk from Piazza Politeama, the new city’s heart. Therefore local buses zoom down Via Roma and Via Maqueda to Palermo Centrale. Finally trains there connect to destinations near and far.
The Best Time To Visit Palermo
Palermo, grows extremely uncomfortable when hot Scirocco winds gust in from Africa in high summer. In July and August, you’ll bake alongside tens of thousands of other tourists. Fewer hotel rooms exist and prices often rise.
If you want the heat without crowds, visit in May, June or September. Spring serves as peak time in Palermo, coming early. Almond trees bloom lovely flowers in early February. Sweet strawberries appear by April.
Autumn also charms visitors with mild weather. Plus events like opera at the Massimo theatre starting in October. As winter nears, rainy days outnumber sunny ones.
But clouds part for bright blue skies too on occasion. While chilly at times, sightseeing stays pleasant without summer’s sizzling factor. Christmas lights glitter through January 6 for Epiphany. So shoulder seasons prove prime times for enjoying Palermo’s vibrant culture without roasting or rubbing elbows excessively.
8 Ideas For Day Trips From Palermo
From key landmarks to tasty street eats, Palermo, Sicily gives a lovely diverse Mediterranean escape. Let’s check out the top things to enjoy in this charming Sicilian jewel. Wander Arabic-influenced quadrangles and Baroque buildings. Feast alfresco on fresh seafood, fruity wine, and perfect pasta. Uncover dusty treasures at outdoor markets. Gaze at Byzantine church mosaics glittering gold.
Day Trips From Palermo 1:
Cappella Palatina
The star room inside Palazzo dei Normanni’s Royal Apartments awes as the Sala di Ruggero. It stands as one of the palace’s oldest sections richly covered in 12th century hunting scene mosaics.
However, the true highlight shines as the exquisite Cappella Palatina private royal chapel. Roger II constructed it between 1132 and 1143. This undisputed artistic treasure of central Palermo completely glitters in premium quality mosaics blanketing its cupola, three apses, and nave.
Day Trips From Palermo 2:
Walk Among Preserved Bodies
The Catacombe dei Cappuccini has around eight thousand mummified dead bodies. This creepy place draws fans of scary movies. The corpses were prepared by drying and chemicals. Then they got dressed up and set into wall spaces along underground hallways.
There are different caves for different types of people – men, women, religious, jobs. Some bodies lost form and others still have skin, hair, and eyes. Many glass coffins are piled high. It’s chilling to wander there.
In one cavern, you may spot clergy together. The next has layers of lawyers. Sicilians from eras ago frozen in death to fascinate.
Day Trips From Palermo 3:
The Cattedrale DI Palermo
A visit to Cattedrale di Palermo, Sicily is another must and if you climb up to the roof, you will be rewarded with some of the longest, clearest views in the entire city.
The triple-apse eastern end and graceful matching towers date from 1185. Despite the Catalan-Gothic facade and arches, there’s enough Norman carving and detail to rescue the exterior from mere curiosity value.
There’s also a treasury to the right of the choir. The highlights of which are a jewel and pearl-encrusted skullcap, and three simple, precious rings, all enterprisingly removed from the tomb of Constance in the eighteenth century.
Day Trips From Palermo 4:
Hit Mondello Beach When it Gets Hot
When Palermo’s summer heat grows oppressive, the beach at Mondello makes the perfect 11km escape north. This small seaside resort snugs under Monte Pellegrino’s bluff. A 2km long sandy beach fronts the town, plus a tiny working harbour. Stroll the jetty trying your luck fishing. Or explore remnants of a medieval tower.
In July and August like most Sicilian resorts, Mondello turns into a zoo. Tacky souvenir stalls, hot dog and burger vans, pizza joints, and packed pool clubs abound.
At night, bars fill in the main square while cruising cars and preening teens jam surrounding roads. But cooler months keep charm intact with fewer crowds if missing summer’s sizzle.
Day Trips From Palermo 5:
Check Out the Art
Palermo has great art for visitors. The Galleria d’Arte Moderna is a top place to see modern creations. This gallery is in a nicely restored old convent called Convento di Sant’Anna.
It holds Sicilian art from the 1800s and 1900s. The works create neat themes as you walk through. There’s also a nice cafe to eat in the courtyard.
The Museo Archeologico Regionale shows ancient things but has been closed for fixing up. Sometimes parts reopen for temporary shows. This lets people see some of its great Greek, Roman, and Phoenician items while waiting for the full museum to reopen. These artefacts span thousands of years on the island.
Day Trips From Palermo 6:
Stroll Palermo’s Historic Street
Taking a walk down Via Emanuele lets you soak up history in Palermo, Sicily. This main street has awesome architecture. One top site is Palazzo dei Normanni, or Norman Palace, from medieval times.
Going down the road you’ll also see pretty churches.
These include San Cataldo and Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, also called Martorana. Both churches have stunning Byzantine mosaics inside from centuries ago. These colorful tiles show off Palermo’s old art talents.
Wandering Via Emanuele gives a taste of the city’s past through its landmarks spanning eras. It’s a great way to feel the heritage.
Day Trips From Palermo 7:
Giardino Garibaldi Tropical Park
Giardino Garibaldi is a big tropical park inside Piazza Marina square. It’s famous for huge banyan trees that feel out of place in Sicily. Locals, especially older folks, meet up at the park. They play cards all afternoon at green tables.
The square itself has changed over time too. Way back around the year 1000, land was taken back from the sea to create this open area. Later on, knights held jousting competitions here. There were also public punishments long ago.
Now citizens and tourists relax together under the park’s jungle-like trees. But the site still echoes with history from Sicily’s past eras blending together.
Day Trips From Palermo 8:
Explore Palermo’s Fresh Markets
Palermo has awesome street food vendors all over. The top morning spot is Ballarò market with crammed noisy streets. Butcher counters spill over with meat. Produce stalls overflow with fruits and veggies. When you get hungry, Ballarò is the place to go.
Another classic market is Vucciria, tucked between two main roads. It was once Palermo’s most packed market ever. Now it’s smaller but still has basic bars and fish restaurants that are great.
Both markets let you soak up the city’s love for fresh ingredients. And you can grab tasty snacks as you explore the stands and energy. It’s a fun breakfast before city adventures.
Is Palermo Worth Visiting?
To wrap up – is Sicily’s capital Palermo worth a visit or not? This city lets you do everything. Tons of history and small towns await exploring. Plus you eat creative food until stuffed, party all night, or kick back at the beach.
Downsides do exist too. Buses outside the main area come rarely, on their own funky schedules. The ageing city isn’t modern or always organized either. But tourists skip past most issues faced more by locals daily.
If you want your travel to run perfectly on time with an app directing each minute, Palermo may frustrate you. If you seek a touristy location filled with only resorts and no character, also pass.
But if you crave charm, delicious unexpected foods, and rich culture, Palermo should excite you. It has character in spades – see for yourself!
Our Guides to Sicily
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Travel Insurance for Your Trip to Sicily
Buying insurance is always valuable when travelling abroad. Therefore, enjoy your holiday in Sicily stress-free with one of my favourite providers, Visitors Coverage Insurance.
Renting a Car in Sicily
Indeed, renting a car in Sicily is easy and is a great way to explore Tuscany or Sicily freely. Consequently, I recommend booking yours with Rentalcars.com – they offer a variety of operators for all budgets.
Finding the Perfect Accommodation
The best way to book your accommodation in the best towns In Sicily is with Booking.com. In fact, it’s my favourite platform to compare and reserve places to stay each night, from affordable guesthouses to luxury hotels.
Booking Flights to Sicily
Lastly, for air travel, I recommend booking your plane with Omio. Moreover, it has been my favourite platform for years, as it allows me to book the cheapest flights.
