What to see in Palermo: Milan Bez Mapy’s tips

If I could pick only one thing not to miss in Palermo, it would be a cannolo at the Santa Caterina monastery. Ballarò market comes a close second. What surprised me most was how much Palermo has changed for the better in the four years since I was last here.

Quick factsby Milan Bez Mapy

From the airport

Train to the centre in about 50 to 60 minutes, around €6.80

Tickets

Trenitalia app, no registration needed

Getting around

On foot in the centre; Uber is expensive and there’s no Bolt

Paying

Small shops don’t like taking cards, so cash comes in handy

How many days

One for the main sights, two with a trip to Cefalù

What to see in Palermo? I’m standing in the vaults beneath a Capuchin monastery, and hundreds of dead people in their Sunday best are staring out at me from the niches. Some still have their moustaches, others wear lace on their heads. That’s how my day in Palermo began. It ended a few kilometres away, by the yachts on the pier, as the sun went down.

In between, I ate a spleen sandwich at a noisy market and a cannolo under banana trees in a monastery. I also spent an hour wandering round the botanical garden to birdsong. I’ll walk you through the whole route, including the things that didn’t go to plan.

How to get from Palermo airport to the city centre by train

When I landed, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a direct train runs from Falcone Borsellino airport right into the city. The journey takes about 50 to 60 minutes and a ticket costs around €6.80. Not every train terminates at Palermo Centrale, but they all run through the city, so you can get off wherever you need.

There was a queue at the three ticket machines at the airport. While I waited, I downloaded the Trenitalia app, bought a ticket in a few taps without registering and got a QR code. The price was the same, and I was done before the people ahead of me had finished wrestling with the machine.

Before you travel, check the current trains and fares for your arrival date. Work out which stop you need before you get on: I got it wrong on the underground section and had to go back.

Then came the mistake I’d like to spare you. The train runs under Palermo like a metro, and down there I had no signal, no internet and no GPS. I trusted the electronic display on the train, but it was wrong. By the time I noticed, I was two stops past mine and had to go back. So in the tunnel, look out of the window and count the stops. This is Sicily: a bit muddled, but practical. You just need steady nerves.

I noticed one more thing. For train journeys between stations within Palermo, you can also pay by tapping your card. You just have to tap in when you get on and tap out again when you get off.

If you have two days in Palermo, I’ve split my route around the city into a two-day itinerary.

Getting around Palermo and paying: cash, cards and Uber

I got around Palermo mostly on foot. Uber is expensive and, to my surprise, there’s no Bolt at all. Paying for things is a strange business in Palermo. I’d left my day bag, the one I carry my charger and tripod in, at home, so I went to buy a canvas tote bag for €2.50.

I had no cash, and when I pulled out my card, the shop assistant rolled his eyes and looked at me as if I’d murdered someone. In the end he let me pay by card, though he wasn’t thrilled about it. And yet since 2022, Italian law has required businesses to accept cards for any amount, or they risk a fine.

Plenty of shopkeepers ignore the rule, though. Right after that I took €60 out of a cash machine, because I’d read before the trip that in several places even small admission fees are cash only. Keep an eye on the traffic, too. Italians here drive by their own rules, and motorbikes squeeze in absolutely everywhere.

Where to stay in Palermo: my experience by the Vucciria market

I stayed right by the Vucciria market, so I could walk everywhere. But the area has a wild nightlife, and one night a drunken crowd under my window woke me up. If you’re looking for a place to stay in this area, read the hotel reviews and see whether guests mention noise.

How many days do you need in Palermo?

I had one full day for Palermo itself and fitted in everything I describe below. The next day I went on a trip to Cefalù by train. Quite a few tips from my followers had to wait for next time, though. If you want to see those too, allow two or three days. My two-day Palermo itinerary shows how I’d split two days.

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Things to do in Palermo: Milan Bez Mapy’s picks

The Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo

I started the day at the Capuchin Catacombs. Uber quoted me €15 for 2.2 km, which felt like a lot for a ride across town. On foot it was half an hour, so I walked. Thirty-five minutes later I was at the ticket window buying a €5 ticket. There weren’t many people about and the corridors are spacious, so I could walk around in peace.

There are about 8,000 mummified people down here. I’d expected something creepy, but it struck me as surreal more than anything, at times even funny. They’re dressed in suits and wear jewellery, lace and name tags. Several still have skin on their faces and look as if they’re glaring at me. Where their clothes are torn, you can see they’ve been stuffed with straw or paper. Many hang on the walls, so their heads often droop, and there are a lot of children among them.

Mummification was expensive, so most of the people here were wealthier Palermitans. The best known is two-year-old Rosalia Lombardo, whose father had her embalmed in 1920. A hundred years on, she looks almost intact. Photography isn’t allowed inside, so the only place you’ll take it home is in your memory. Right next door is a large cemetery with mausoleums and old photographs, where nobody checked my ticket. For me the mummies were one of the highlights of the day. I wouldn’t take my mum here, though. It’s a long way from the centre, and the sight of the dead isn’t for everyone. If underground cemeteries appeal to you, I’ve also written about the Paris catacombs.

Palazzo dei Normanni and the Cappella Palatina

From the catacombs I carried on through the Porta Nuova gate to the royal palace. Palazzo dei Normanni is considered the oldest royal residence in Europe, and today the Sicilian parliament sits here. But I was there mainly for the Cappella Palatina. King Roger II had it built as his private chapel, and it was consecrated in 1140. Golden Byzantine mosaics meet an Arab-style ceiling, and on an outside wall there’s an inscription in Latin, Greek and Arabic side by side.

I bought my ticket for €10 from a machine three minutes before going in. That price applies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. From Thursday to Monday a ticket costs €14.50 and also covers the Royal Apartments. The machine warned me that shorts weren’t allowed inside. I was wearing them, but nobody was being turned away at the entrance, so in I went. There’s an airport-style security check at the door. Signs say no drones, but my tripod got through in my bag without any trouble.

Then came the queue. I queued for about 45 minutes for the chapel and spent a minute and a half inside. The mosaics are beautiful, but be ready for that ratio, and this was in the second half of October. I’d rather not imagine the crowds in summer. Also worth knowing: the mosaics catch the morning light from the windows on the south side, so they’re brighter before noon. I was there around midday.

The royal gardens, included in the ticket, are small and nothing special, but at least there’s a toilet. In front of the palace, Villa Bonanno is a pretty park with palms, cacti and statues.

Ballarò market in Palermo: street food, arancine and a spleen sandwich

From the royal palace I walked to Ballarò market. On the way I nearly walked straight past Antonello on Via Porta di Castro, an unassuming stall that’s easy to miss. The arancine are huge and there are a few plastic chairs at the back. When I ordered two for €4, the man behind the counter threw in a glass of Spritz for free.

Then I turned into the market lanes and, honestly, I hadn’t expected this in central Palermo. Narrow lanes under awnings, noise, music, fresh seafood and street food at every turn. At Macelleria Pupetto, which I’d struggle to call a restaurant, I had pani ca’ meusa, a bun filled with spleen and lung. I’m not big on offal, but I liked this one, although that may have been mostly because it was very salty. With a bottle of water it came to €5. If I were taking someone out for lunch in Palermo, this is where I’d bring them.

Tradition has it that Jewish butchers invented pani ca’ meusa more than a thousand years ago, keeping the offal as payment for their work. Without cheese it’s called schietta; with ricotta or caciocavallo, it’s maritata. And when you order at Antonello’s, remember that in Palermo the word is feminine, arancina, while in Catania it’s masculine, arancino.

You’ll find guided tours and trips around Palermo here:

But the market isn’t only about food. People buy souvenirs, octopus, spices and sweets here, and I even saw Chinese-made shoes. I walked through again in the evening and the lanes were completely empty, so Ballarò is a lunchtime place, not an evening one. That’s why my two-day itinerary has it at lunchtime on day one.

Cannoli at the Santa Caterina monastery, Fontana Pretoria and the Martorana

If I could pick just one experience in Palermo, this would be it. The I Segreti del Chiostro pastry shop is right inside the Santa Caterina monastery and a little tucked away. You go in from a side street, at Via Discesa dei Giudici 33. I walked through the monastery first and then up a flight of stairs. I only found the pastry shop thanks to people who pointed me in the right direction. At the door I took a queue number, ordered when it was called, and then all that was left was to eat.

Ordering felt a bit chaotic, but the cannolo was huge and excellent. With an espresso it came to €6. What I liked most was that I could sit with it on a terrace under banana trees, looking out at the fountain. The sun was shining and it felt completely authentic. According to Google they close at 5.30pm, so don’t leave it until the evening.

Below the monastery stands the Fontana Pretoria. It was originally carved for a villa in Florence and only later bought by Palermo, and people call the square the Square of Shame. Right next to it, by Piazza Bellini, stand the Martorana and San Cataldo with its three red domes. I didn’t go in, but I got some nice shots from outside. King Roger II’s admiral had the Martorana built in the 12th century, which is why it’s also called Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio. Tickets cost €2 for the Martorana and €2.50 for San Cataldo.

Palermo’s botanical garden: the Orto Botanico, an oasis of calm

Whenever I’m abroad, I visit the botanical garden. I’ve seen the ones in New York, Sydney and Buenos Aires, and I once had a part-time job at the one in Bratislava. My favourite so far is Kirstenbosch in Cape Town. One of the worst, on the other hand, is in Buenos Aires, even though the city is one of my favourite places in the world. Palermo’s garden completely won me over.

I arrived an hour before closing, as the sun was slowly setting. I paid about €6 to get in, there were hardly any people and it was surprisingly green. I wandered between the glasshouses, around a large pond with water lilies and along avenues of palms that are extremely photogenic.

They also have a big collection of cacti, which I love. What impressed me most was a giant ficus brought here in 1845 from Norfolk Island near Australia. It looks like something out of a rainforest, and I wasn’t even sure it was a single tree. I only managed to fit the whole thing in a photo with the 0.5x lens on my phone.

Locals clearly come here just to pass the time. A young couple was playing chess on a bench, flowers were blooming everywhere and birds were singing. After hectic Palermo it was an unexpected contrast, an oasis of quiet and green. Strange as it sounds, the garden was laid out on the spot where the Inquisition once burned people at the stake. The Gymnasium building by the entrance is Palermo’s first neoclassical building. There’s also a café inside where you can have a coffee and a piece of cake. Allow at least an hour for your visit. The garden is open until 6pm in October, only until 5pm from November to February, and as late as 8pm from May to August.

La Cala and Molo Trapezoidale: where to watch the sunset in Palermo

Before sunset I walked round La Cala harbour and saw a completely different Palermo again. First busy, dirty streets, then a green garden, and now luxury yachts. A promenade runs along the water all the way round the marina. In the evening people jog here and sit on the lawn, and fishermen stand at the water’s edge. It feels upmarket and clean, but not snobbish.

Later, on Google’s satellite images, I found out that until recently this was a building site full of cranes. Molo Trapezoidale reopened after redevelopment in October 2023, and today it’s called Palermo Marina Yachting. Before that, derelict buildings stood here, and they came down during the works. There are plenty of restaurants on the pier, such as Morettino and Ciurma, as well as shops. If I came here on a date, or with my mum like when we were in Trapani together, this is where I’d take them for dinner.

Vucciria in the evening: is the night market worth it?

In the evening I strolled over to the Vucciria market. The narrow street full of restaurants reminded me of Trastevere in Rome. I’d read about evening grilling right in the street, but on the Wednesday I was there, those stalls were closed. I don’t know whether they only grill at weekends, so it’s worth checking before you go. In my two-day itinerary, Vucciria comes at the end of day two, after sunset at La Cala harbour.

What to eat in Palermo and where: my street food tips

The best food I had in Palermo came from a street stall, a market and a monastery. Not once did I pay more than €6. Palermo is a city for eating on the go, not for sitting in a restaurant all day.

My first stop was an arancina, a fried rice ball you’ll find on every corner in Palermo. I had mine at the unassuming Antonello stall on Via Porta di Castro, between the royal palace and Ballarò market. The arancine here are huge and really filling. I paid €4 for two, and the man behind the counter threw in a glass of Spritz for free.

At Ballarò market I tried pani ca’ meusa, a bun filled with spleen and lung, at Macelleria Pupetto. It’s food for the brave, and I’m not big on offal, but I liked this one. With a bottle of water it cost €5.

And then came my best experience in all of Palermo: a cannolo at the Santa Caterina monastery. At the I Segreti del Chiostro pastry shop they filled it for me once my number was called. A huge cannolo with an espresso came to €6, and I ate it on the terrace under banana trees, looking out at the fountain.

Where to eat in Palermo next time: tips from my followers

I didn’t get round to several places my followers recommended or that Palermo is known for. I haven’t tried them, but if you have time, these are the ones I’d go for next time:

• Ke Palle on Via Maqueda, which makes arancine with a big choice of fillings. One follower told me to wash them down with Messina, a Sicilian beer made with sea salt.
• Pasticceria Cappello, a short walk from the catacombs, known for its seven-layer chocolate cake, the setteveli. According to Google, it was closed on the Wednesday I was in Palermo.
• Pani ca’ meusa Porta Carbone on Via Cala by the harbour, and Antica Focacceria San Francesco, which has been going since 1834.
• I Pastari on Via Roma, which makes its own pasta. One follower raved about the busiate with pistachio pesto and guanciale.
• Farmacia Alcolica, a cocktail bar in a former pharmacy where the drinks are named after medicines.

I’ve fitted the arancine, the pani ca’ meusa and the cannolo into my two-day itinerary so that they’re all on your route.

More things to see in Palermo that I didn’t get to

Before the trip, my followers sent me dozens of tips. I didn’t have time for some of them, so I’m not writing about them from my own experience. I didn’t make it to:

• The cathedral and a walk on its roof
• Teatro Massimo
• Monreale
• Monte Pellegrino and the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia
• Mondello beach
• The Chiesa del Gesù
• The Chiesa del Carmine Maggiore, with its majolica dome above Ballarò market

Castello Utveggio, on the hill above the city, only opens for tours from Thursday to Sunday, so plan your visit around that.

Is Palermo worth visiting? How it has changed in four years

I first saw Palermo four years ago, when my mum and I were staying in Trapani and came over for the day. Back then it didn’t do much for me: it felt too wild, dirty and ugly. Since then I’ve been to Naples, and as far as I’m concerned, nothing is ‘worse’ than Naples.

This time Palermo felt cleaner and more orderly. There are new marinas and plenty of other new additions. It’s still hectic, but compared with my first visit it’s a real step up. Prices are reasonable, and nothing struck me as needlessly overpriced.

My Palermo itinerary and prices at a glance

I did this whole route in one day. If you have two days in Palermo, I’d split it after lunch at Ballarò market. The order of the stops stays the same, and you won’t be criss-crossing the city. You’ll spend the first day in the west of the city, the second in the centre and by the sea.

Palermo in two days, day 1: the catacombs, the royal palace and Ballarò market

1. Capuchin Catacombs: morning, about an hour, admission €5, a 35-minute walk from the centre
2. Palazzo dei Normanni and the Cappella Palatina: 1.5 hours including the queue, admission €10 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, otherwise €14.50. The mosaics get more light before noon.
3. Arancine at Antonello on Via Porta di Castro: on the way from the palace to the market, two for €4
4. Ballarò market: lunch, a spleen sandwich and water for €5

Palermo in two days, day 2: a cannolo, the botanical garden and sunset by the sea

1. I Segreti del Chiostro: a cannolo with espresso for €6, then Fontana Pretoria and the Martorana from outside. According to Google, the pastry shop closes at 5.30pm.
2. Orto Botanico: at least an hour, admission about €6, open until 6pm in October and until 5pm from November to February
3. La Cala and Molo Trapezoidale: sunset and dinner
4. Vucciria: an evening stroll

That leaves your first afternoon and second morning free. I’d use them for the places I didn’t get to, such as the cathedral or Teatro Massimo.

The train from the airport to the centre costs around €6.80, and Uber quoted me €15 to the catacombs.

A day trip from Palermo to Cefalù, and more tips for Sicily

The next day I took the train to Cefalù. What I fitted in there is in my article on what to see in Cefalù. A single ticket from Palermo Centrale cost €7.10, and the journey took about an hour. If you want to explore western Sicily as well, have a look at my guide to what to see in Trapani and my article on a trip to the Egadi Islands.

Happy travels!