Photo: Berthold Werner · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Palermo
Street-food markets and Arab-Norman gold mosaics.
Sicily's big, chaotic, glorious capital, where Arab, Norman and baroque worlds collide: golden mosaics, red-domed churches, crumbling palaces and Italy's best street-food markets. Rough at the edges and full of life.
Places to see
Quattro CantiSight · The crossroads at the heart of the old city, its four corners curved into baroque fronts…Free
MartoranaChurch · A small church glowing with Byzantine gold mosaics, including Christ crowning the Norman…≈ A$4- Palermo CathedralChurch · A huge, patchwork cathedral of Arab-Norman, Gothic and baroque parts, with royal tombs…Free
When to go
- Jan15° / 9°Often wetQuiet
- Feb16° / 9°Often wetQuiet
- Mar17° / 10°Some rainQuiet
- Apr20° / 12°Some rainBusy
- May24° / 15°Mostly dryBusy
- Jun28° / 19°Mostly dryBusy
- Jul31° / 22°Mostly dryVery busy
- Aug32° / 23°Mostly dryBusy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Quattro Canti. The baroque crossroads at the heart of the old town, with the fountain square and the Norman churches.
Cassaro and Ballarò. The cathedral, the Norman palace and the Ballarò street market; lively, cheap and gritty.
Kalsa. The old Arab quarter by the sea: palaces, galleries and the waterfront.
Via Maqueda and the Massimo. The opera house end of town, with the archaeological museum and the Vucciria market.
Flying in
Palermo Falcone-Borsellino (PMO): Bus to Palermo Centrale, about 50 min, ≈ A$11. The Trinacria Express train takes about an hour for a similar fare.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Palermo; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$2. The old town is best on foot. Buses cost about €1.40 (check) and are slow in traffic; the 806 runs out to the beach at Mondello.
Tourist tax
Palermo's city tax: usually about €1.50–2.50 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels, for the first nights; under-12s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
