Location: Palermo
Top Things to do in Palermo
Things to do in Palermo, Sicily: The Best Sights & Landmarks
Palermo is an urban melting pot characterized by history and culture so diverse that it often feels conflicted. Discover an intriguing range of architectural styles, from Arabian domes to baroque buildings, and enjoy delicious cuisine that spans a variety of origins. Be sure to visit the Palace of the Normans, the Palatine Chapel and the church of St. John of the Hermits. Art and music lovers won’t want to miss the Galleria d’Arte Moderna (the “GAM”), the Salinas or an opera or ballet at the Teatro Massimo.
Restaurants in Palermo
1. Palazzo Conte Federico
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 787 reviews
The palazzo is in the center of the old city only a few steps away from the Norman Palace. the Cathedral and the Market Ballarò. The oldest part of the palace is an Arab-Norman Tower of the 12th century. You can observe verious architectural styles, high painted ceilings of the 15th century, baroque ceiling frescoes by Vito D'Anna and Gaspare Serenario, various collections and original furniture. Since Count Federico's family, which can be followed back to the Hohenstaufen Emperor Friedrich II, has lived in this palace for centuries, the personal atmosphere makes a visit to this historical building a unique experience.
Reviewed By debm224
Small group tours with a member of the Federico family, who have lived in this fascinating historic building for many generations. A Norman tower from the original Palermo city wall is incorporated into the palazzo, and the history of the city is demonstrated with examples from renovations and additions. This is also a family home, with the cat’s climbing frame, portable heaters etc sitting alongside old treasures. We were welcomed by one of the sons, who was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic to share the family history - it was a highlight of our visit to Palermo.
2. Nobile e Monumentale Chiesa dell'Immacolata Concezione al Capo
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 272 reviews
Reviewed By patriciamP6718EZ
I agree with the reviewers who found the baroque beautiful and overwhelming. One feature that I found stunning was the use of Pietra Dure on four side altars. The guides said this was not Florentine artistry, but native Palermitans who executed it, making it all the more remarkable. Realizing it was built in 1622 it is a wonder that it was built directly across the street from the more ancient church of Sant Ippolito, which was the parish seat from 1309. So, don't miss that church if it's opened when you visit.
3. Chiesa Inferiore della Cappella Palatina
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 561 reviews
Reviewed By robinn669 - Farnham, United Kingdom
Housed in the recently reorganised Norman Palace there are few adequate superlatives. You just have to see it- ideally in the winter months when smart phone infection is least prevalent
4. Quattro Canti
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,725 reviews
The traditional center of Palermo called "Quattro Canti" (Four Corners) is located at the intersection of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda, making it the heart of this city's old historic district.
Reviewed By Mairwen1
This central square was a really good starting point for exploring Palermo. We started our day here at the crossroads of Palermo’s two main roads, Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. It is a striking and unusual square. On each corner there are 4 matching concave Baroque buildings, all facing inwards towards the centre. If you stand in the middle and tilt your head right back to look up, they create a circular frame for a blue sky and almost seem to be curving in on you. It’s quite a strange effect. The facades are highly ornate, with curves and flourishes, columns, cherubs and fountains. There is a heavy dose of Baroque theatricality. Why have one cherub, when you can have 20 or more? Each facade has corresponding symbolic features that form a theme. Starting at the ground level, each one has a fountain. Together these represent Palermo's 4 rivers. Above that, is a figure representing one of the 4 seasons. Higher again on the second tier, is one of the Spanish kings. Finally, if you cast your eyes to the top level, each façade has one of Palermo's 4 patron saints (Sant'Oliva, Sant'Agata, Santa Christina, and Santa Ninfa). Read together, the symbolic meaning is to do with hierachy and power. The kings have power over nature but the divine power of God and the saints is the most powerful of all. There are all sorts of interesting detail if you look closely. After a while, we noticed that Spring is a young woman with a bouquet of flowers, whilst winter is an elderly person, nearing the end of their life and carrying an urn. Later in the day, when we came back this way, the square looked different again. The sun had shifted so that it was shining on a different facade giving quite a different effect. Grime and soot from traffic have blackened the buildings over time but it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to consider how stunning they would have looked when new and the stone was gleaming . NEARBY: From the Quattro Canti, we walked 2 minutes around to Pretoria Square, Santa Caterina church and the wonderfully named ‘fountain of shame’.
5. Church of San Cataldo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 978 reviews
This small church of San Cataldo was built in 1160, during the Norman occupation of Palermo.
Reviewed By AndrewC5362 - London, United Kingdom
Although small, this is a building of such historic importance that no traveller to Palermo should miss it. The fabric has been very sensitively restored by the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, whose chapel it is.
6. Piazza Pretoria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,016 reviews
This grand square features a splendid fountain, erected during the heyday of the Spanish Inquisition, which features sixteen statues that are nudes of nymphs, humans, mermaids and satyrs; truly a surprise that this type of art was permitted during that dark time in history.
Reviewed By Mairwen1
The star attraction of the piazza is the wonderfully named, Fountain of Shame. Built in the 1500s as an extravagant feature for a nobleman’s garden in Florence, it features racy marble sculptures of naked gods and goddesses, mermen, sirens and tritons. After the nobleman’s death, it was brought to Palermo in 644 pieces and re-assembled here. Remarkably, someone decided that the best spot for the newly acquired fountain was right outside the windows of the Santa Caterina Church and Convent. This was always going to cause problems (surely, they could have predicted that). The nuns were appalled but rather than cower behind their windows, they took matters into their own hands and went out to throw clothing over the statues. They weren’t alone in the outrage. The general population was also dismayed and regarded the fountain as scandalous and immoral, hence the nickname. The fountain is fenced off and we couldn't see any signs for opening hours but the gate was open when we passed by in the morning and we could walk around both tiers of the fountain. It’s free to enter. The piazza is ringed by several significant buildings. These are: i) the Town Hall – It’s the one with the flags and the marble eagle just below the central balcony. It was built in the mid-1400s and has had several additions and changes over the centuries. ii) Palazzo Bonocore – a 16th century building with 3 large arched doorways and open to the public iii) Palazzo Bordonaro – this has sadly fallen into disrepair and is quite derelict iv) Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini with the colourful yellow & green dome v) Church of Santa Caterina - Dominican nuns lived and worked here from 1311 to 2014. The bakery is still there. NEARBY – From the fountain, we went along the narrow passageway beside the town hall to Piazza Bellini to look at the 3 churches of Santa Caterina, Martorana and San Cataldo. In the other direction, it is only 2 minutes away from Quattro Canti.
7. Norman Palace
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,972 reviews
Reviewed By Sunshine631869
I didn't bother with the full visit. Just focused on the Capella Palatina which is enough, to be honest, because every inch is covered in lavish Byzantine mosaics illustrating biblical scenes. There's also plenty of Arabic influence, particularly in the geometric patterning of floor and wall tiles. You could study it for hours and you wouldn't begin to take it all in. Absolutely glorious! There's also an exhibition about the history of the Kingdom of Sicily and the Norman Palace on the ground floor. It's a bit haphazard and the English translations on the interpretation boards are absolutely shocking. It's almost impossible to follow them. You'd think they'd get native speakers to approve them but no, they just print up nonsense. Get what you can out of it but go for the mosaics. They are the real deal.
8. Fontana della Vergogna (Fontana Pretoria)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,268 reviews
Reviewed By AlexSwallow - Sheffield, United Kingdom
Loved this amazing fountain, the animal sculptures were particularly interesting. It is great that you can walk right up and over it- and as it is so central in the city it is very easy to get there as a tourist or regularly walk past it if you live there. The square it is situated in, is just by the Four Corners and there are lots of beautiful churches very close.
9. Chiesa di San Domenico
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 352 reviews
This baroque church, built in 1640, is noted for its bell-tower decorated with Maiolica ceramic tiles from Caltagirone.
Reviewed By 873AmyB873 - London, United Kingdom
This church in a small square is simply stunning to look at. It’s also got the tomb of one of the anti-Mafia judges who was assassination by the mob, which is very interesting and also moving.
10. Palazzo Steri - Chiaramonte - Carcere dei penitenziati
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 716 reviews
Reviewed By nelliebly722018 - Sicily, Italy
Guided tour, some given in English, of the Palazzo of one if the most important families in Sicily as well as graffiti by prisoners held there afterwards when it was used as a prison by the Spanish Inquisition. The tour is very informative - great way to learn more about the very layered history of Palermo - originally the center when it was an active Arab trading port, a ruling family’s palazzo with a private chapel, then repurposed as a prison. Restoration design was started/planned by Carlo Scarpa and completed by others after his death.
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