The best Palermo Itinerary in 2023

A beautiful mess is how my friend describes Palermo. She’s not entirely wrong either – imagine Moorish architecture, a grandiose Arab-Norman style cathedral, crumbling palazzi with interiors full of riches from a bygone era,  maze-like streets, bustling markets, all mixed in with people en masse in the streets, kids zooming past on motorbikes sans helmuts, rubbish littered backstreets, elegant furniture left on the streets and covered in blankets, people dragging mattresses on the floor, and all kinds of smells (good and bad) you can think of. A city of so many contrasts. 

Visiting Palermo this year, I was inspired to create this Palermo itinerary to try and help you enjoy the city to its full potential. I’ve had many friends in Australia who’ve visited and been thoroughy shocked at what they’ve seen and consequently haven’t enjoyed it. Let this guide help your Palermo travel adventures get off to the very best start so you can embrace the beautiful chaos with a little bit of a plan.

How to get to Palermo?

The easiest way to get to Palermo is to fly from Rome or Milan. It’s a quick flight just over an hour and then you can jump in a cab or use the train or bus to reach the city centre in around an hour. If you’re planning to stay in Palermo the entire time, you won’t need a car. That said if you want to go further afield into the region, it’s best to opt for a car rental in Palermo Italy and hire it from the airport. 

Best time to visit Palermo

Repeat after me – do not visit Palermo in the summertime unless you have a death wish! All jokes aside, Palermo gets seriously hot and humid in the summertime and airconditioning isn’t the norm. Not only that, but the people really live their lives out and about on the streets which means not only do you need to juggle the heat, but you also have to weave through crowds which makes things even more hot and overwhelming.

The best time to visit is during the shoulder seasons or even winter where the temperatures are still pleasant for exploring!

6 Best Things to do in Palermo

Wondering what to do in Palermo Italy? The good news is that there are so many things to see in Palermo! The bad news is that you might need longer than just that one day you planned to spend. Here are some ideas of the Palermo must-sees and things to do depending on your interests.

1. Head to the markets – Capo or Ballarò

There’s nothing quite like visiting the market in Palermo. The bustling atmosphere is taken up ten-fold as smells and strange sights assault the senses. You may very well walk around the market the whole time with your mouth agape as I did! It’s fascinating, intense and well worth the trip.

The Ballarò market is gritty and fun with locals doing their regular shopping, whilst the Capò market is where most of the food tours go. I’ve been to both but probably prefer the Capoò market atmosphere and street food. 

2. Eat pastries inside a convent

I Segreti Del Chistro is not off-the-beaten-track, but it is fabulous! Imagine devouring ricotta filled cannoli and tiny Cassatella di Sant’Agata (modelled after the martyred saint’s breast – it’s a long story!) Once upon a time, the monastery of Santa Caterina in Palermo was producing delicious sweets which was an imporant source of income for their survival. Today, you can head inside the former monastery’s sweet room and buy your own sweets and sit in the cloister outside to enjoy them in a wonderful garden. 

3. Go on a tour at the Teatro Massimo

The Teatro Massimo is a glorious theatre dedicated to Italy’s former King,  King Victor Emanuel II. A theatre tour might sound boring, but I promise it’s not! There are secrets to be discovered, a ghost who lingers in the stairwell, and a spectacular frescoed ceiling that can open up to the night air during the summertime. The tour only takes 30 minutes and is definitely one of our favorite things to do in Palermo!

4. Join a food tour 

My favorite way to understand any city is through its food. And in a place like Sicily, food is everything! On this tour you’ll enjoy at least 7 different street foods including arancini (from a 1000 year old recipe!), veggie fritters, soft ravazzata with spinach, an offal sandwich, and a seasonal dessert. Yum!

5. See a puppet show

Sicily has a very longstanding tradition of puppet shows and a trip to Palermo wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Opera dei Pupi (eg the puppet theatre!) Dating back to the 18th century, these puppet shows were a way to tell stories from medieval literature as well as ones recounting Sicilian Norman Kings and other historical romance. 

The shows are always in Italian so you won’t understand the words, but they are a real spectacle to lay your eyes on and only last about an hour! 

6. Visit incredible landmark sites

There are really endless things to see in Palermo, so consider laying your eyes on the Norman Palace, the Arabic-Norman style Cathedral, the Quattro Canti and the Church of Saint John of the Hermits. Sicily’s architecture is so different from the rest of Italy which makes it fascinating to wander – a vivid mix of Arabic, Norman and modern Italian like no where else.

Where to stay in Palermo

In my opinion, if you want to be surrounded by history, the best area to stay in Palermo is right in the heart of the historical centre. Step out of your door and you can gaze upon all of Palermo’s main historical sights! It can be chaotic here and a little dirty, so if you prefer somewhere clean and laid-back, try the nearby Politeama/Libertà area. This is the wealthiest neighborhood in Palermo and very safe with a main shopping street and connects easily to the old town.

On our most recent trip in 2023, we stayed in the city center at the gorgeous luxury Palazzo Santamarina and the location is spot-on with lovely rooms and warm staff.

One day in Palermo

Palermo in a day will be intense but give you a tiny taste of what the city offers. Think of it as a double-strength Palermo cocktail, because you’ll pack in a lot! My Palermo 1 day itinerary looks like this: 

AM

• Aim to get the earliest flight out you can manage
• Dump your bags at the hotel (you likely won’t be able to check-in until 2pm)
• Join a food tour with Streaty 

PM:

• Check-in to your hotel and relax a little
• Do a walkby to see the Quattro Canti landmark 
• Join a guided tour of the Teatro Massimo (sounds boring, I promise it’s not!)

Evening:

• Head for aperitivo in the Vuccira market
• Enjoy a fish dinner at Osteria Mercedes 
• Visit the Cathedral by night and climb to to the top for a nighttime view over the city

2 days in Palermo

Two days in Palermo or a weekend in Palermo is a great amount of time to spend provided you aren’t planning on using it as a base for exploring the rest of Sicily. Do everything on day 1 and then on day 2: 

AM: 

• Visit the Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel
• Enjoy a lunch of ‘pane e panelle’

PM:

• Visit the Rooms at the Museum of Majolica Genius 
• Watch a puppet show

Evening

• Local cooking class and dinner

Day trips from Palermo

Palermo makes for a really great base to explore more of wonderful Sicily. Some of the best day trips you can do include: 

• Palermo to Mondello beach: On a hot day, this is a must!
• Cefalu: There’s an easy Cefalu Palermo train you can take there and back
• Monreale Cathedral to see its famous mosaics 
• Erice: A little further afield and you’d need a car, why not visit beautiful Erice perched high on a hill and try the famous Genovese sweets from Maria Grammitico’s store

Looking for more Sicily content? Take a read of my guide to Salina Italy, the Aeolian island now!