Palermo

Join the Hipporoller Challenge

Help the Travel Guide reach 20,000,000 characters and we'll donate 63 hipporollers worth over $6000. Read more.

On Travellerspoint

• 7 Palermo Apartments
• 49 Palermo Guesthouses
• 5 Palermo Hostels
• 19 Palermo Hotels

Contributors

• davidx (50%)
• Utrecht (50%)
  from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com

Help contribute to this article to share the ad revenue.

Introduction

Palermo is the capital of the autonomous region of Sicily.

Neighbourhoods

• Monreale - technically separate but only a very short trip by bus.

Sights and Activities

• Cathedral.
• Palazzo dei Normanni - Yes, the Normans did get right down here! The building houses the Siciliann Parliament and only a small part is open to the public but some excellent msaics can be seen.
• Convento di Cappuccini - Catacombs full of skeletons, lcothed and arranged by sex, profession and status. One is a young girl who was embalmed by a secret process that died with the embalmer. She looks remarkably lifelike, as opposed to the majority. Children will be exhilarated or terrified and if in doubt, you are advised not to take them.
• San Giovanni dei Eremeti - a deconsecrated church built over an earlier mosque with numerous arabic features.
• La Martorana and San Catoldo churches adjacent churches slap in the centre. The Martorana is very ornate with some fine mosaics; San Catoldo is very simple but has a great atmosphere - and red cupolas!
• La Zisa A palace dating from the 12th century with Arabic features. Claims that it bares comparison with the great Andalusian Moorish remains is absurd but it's quite striking.
• Monte Pellegrino - reached by a wonderful bus ride with great views of the coast - taking a path to the top might seem more appealing than visiting the shrine!
• Archaeological Museum - the mosaic of orpheus playing an instrument to the animals is very good indeed.

Monreale

[quote][/the most extraordinary and extensive area of Christian medieval mosaicwork in the world, the apex of Sicilian-Roman art] - The Rough Guide to Sicily. Hype? not a bit of it! This is one of the real MUST-sees of a visit to Sicily. This refers to the Basilica but don't miss the cloisters as well, through a separate entrance.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Palermo has a mediterranean climate with warm summers and mild wet winters. Summers last from June to September when average daytime temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius, though sometimes rise to more than 40 degrees. Nights are around 21 degrees, though with warm winds from the south also these can stay above 30 degrees in some rarer occasions!
Winters last from December to March and are around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius during the day and just under 10 at night with an absolute low of zero degrees. Winter days of over 25 degrees are rare but possible!
Most of the rain falls during winter and June and July are almost completely dry.

Getting There

By Plane

Palermo has an international airport. From some places it may be easier/cheaper to fly to Catania and complete the journey by train or bus.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Tunesia

• GNV has ferries from Palermo to Tunis.
• Grimaldi Lines offers the same route.

Mainland Italy and Sardinia

• Grandi Navi Veloci between Genoa and Palermo, Civitavecchia (port of Rome) and Palermo.
• SNAV Ferries between Civitavecchia and Palermo, Napels and Palermo.
• Grimaldi Lines between Salerno and Palermo.
• Tirrenia Ferries between Napels and Palermo, Cagliari and Palermo.

Neighbouring smaller islands

• Traghetti Siremar between Palermo and Ustica Island.

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post