Must See~£6
Palermo Cathedral
Centro
A striking cathedral mixing Norman, Arab, Gothic and baroque styles, with royal tombs.
- Suggested time: 1h 15m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 9:00–17:30
Palermo
A vivid, sun-baked capital of Norman palaces, street markets and street food.
Plan your Palermo trip
- Flight + Hotel PackageRecommended Best option if you want the trip arranged together. View Packages Packages
- Hotels Prefer to book accommodation separately? View Hotels Hotels
- Flights Already have accommodation? View Flights Flights
- Things To Do Tours, attractions and experiences. View Activities Activities
Overview
Why go to Palermo
Palermo is intense and richly layered: Arab-Norman churches, grand baroque squares and some of Europe’s liveliest street food. It is a bit rough at the edges but rewards curiosity.
- Where
- Sicily, Italy
- Recommended stay
- 2–4 nights
- Best time to go
- April–June and September–October; summers are hot.
- Approx. daily budget
- £50–100 a dayPer person, excluding flights. Indicative.
What does Palermo cost?
Full cost guide- Budget traveller£45–65a day
- Mid-range traveller£90–130a day
- Luxury traveller£180+a day
Approximate per person per day, including a share of a twin room, and excluding flights. Not live prices.
Things To Do
See all 16 Top picks in Palermo
Must See~£15
Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel
Centro
A royal palace with a glittering Byzantine-style chapel of gold mosaics.
- Suggested time: 2 hrs
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 8:30–17:40; chapel closed during services
Must See~£10
Teatro Massimo
Politeama
One of Europe’s biggest opera houses, made famous by The Godfather Part III.
- Suggested time: 1 hr
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Culture lovers
Guided visits daily; performances vary
Day Trips~£6
Monreale Cathedral
Monreale (8 km)
A cathedral covered in golden mosaics, a short bus ride from the city.
- Suggested time: 3 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers · Photographers
Daily, roughly 9:00–18:30
Hidden Gems
See all 4 Beyond the checklist
Hidden Gems~£3
Capuchin Catacombs
Cuba
A macabre underground gallery of preserved bodies, a unique piece of Sicilian history.
- Suggested time: 45 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 9:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00
Hidden Gems~£6
La Zisa
Zisa
A Norman-Arab summer palace with a cool, mosaic-lined hall and a fountain, built in the 12th century.
- Suggested time: 1 hr
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Closed some Mondays
Hidden Gems~£5
Palermo Botanical Garden
Kalsa
A 19th-century botanical garden of huge trees and glasshouses, a peaceful escape from the busy centre.
- Suggested time: 1h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Outdoor lovers
Daily
Hidden GemsFree
Cefalù
Cefalù
A pretty seaside town with a Norman cathedral, a sandy beach and a pretty old harbour, an hour east of Palermo by train.
- Suggested time: Full day
- No booking needed
- Suits: Beach lovers
Open all day
Hotels
All 3 hotels Best-value hotels in Palermo
Well reviewed and fairly priced for what you get: not simply the cheapest.
Best ValueBest Luxury Value
Example listingPalazzo Normanno
Centro, Palermo
Excellent valueValue score 89 out of 100
Rated 9.0/10, priced in line with similar 5★ hotels in Palermo, in a central location.
From £130 per night · check current availability
Best Budget Choice
Example listingBallarò Market Rooms
Ballarò, Palermo
Very good valueValue score 72 out of 100
Rated 8.6/10, priced in line with similar 3★ hotels in Palermo, in a central location.
From £55 per night · check current availability
Example listing
Mondello Beach Hotel
Mondello, Palermo
Good valueValue score 60 out of 100
Rated 8.3/10, priced in line with similar 4★ hotels in Palermo, right by the beach.
From £95 per night · check current availability
Food & Restaurants
See all 5 Where to eat
Antica Focacceria San Francesco
A historic eatery since 1834 on the square of San Francesco, famous for pani ca’ meusa, a spleen sandwich.
Known for: Pani ca’ meusa, arancine
About £16–30 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Ke Palle
A tiny stand for arancine, Sicilian fried rice balls, in many flavours.
Known for: Arancine
Under about £16 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Pasticceria Cappello
A famed pastry shop known for the setteveli cake and other Sicilian sweets.
Known for: Setteveli, cannoli, cassata
Under about £16 per person
Local favourite Good for Couples · Families
Trattoria Ai Cascinari
A friendly trattoria serving Sicilian classics such as pasta con le sarde.
Known for: Pasta con le sarde
About £16–30 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
A suggested Palermo itinerary
3 nights Couple
Palermo · Highlights
Palermo in 3 nights
A balanced first-visit plan built from our Palermo picks: the headline sights, a local favourite or two and time to breathe.
- Day 1 · Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel, Ballarò Market, Palermo Cathedral, Teatro Massimo
- Day 2 · Monreale Cathedral, Kalsa Nightlife
- Day 3 · Mondello Beach
Plan Palermo your way
Tell us your dates, who’s travelling and what you enjoy. We’ll build a first draft you can edit.