Located on the northern coast of Sicily, in the so-called Conca d’Oro, Palermo is a true artistic masterpiece . Perhaps weeks would not be enough to visit it all: its historic center is a treasure chest, a set of contradictions, including churches, museums, squares and large parks. But not only that, here you will find a splendid sea and excellent food! An ideal destination to visit at any time of the year , as it has so much to offer its visitors!
Ready to be amazed
Here is our itinerary of Palermo in one day !
SEE ALSO : What to see in Palermo
One day itinerary in Palermo
The itinerary starts from the wonderfulMercato Ballaro , a mix of scents, colors and flavors! From here you reach the Norman Palace , with the famous Palatine Chapel. Finally, finish the morning by visiting the nearby Cathedral of Palermo.
After a street food lunch, reach the complex of Piazza Pretoria, Quattro Canti and Piazza Bellini and the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (also known as the Martorana Church). Then you reach the Church of the Gesu (or Casa Professa). Finally, go to Piazza Giuseppe Verdi to visit the Massimo Theater and then walk along Via Ruggero Settimo to the Politeama Theater, which you can admire from the outside! End the afternoon with a walk overlooking the sea, between the Cala area (where you can admire the Falcone Borsellino mural) and the Foro Italico.
If you manage to stop in the city even in the evening, there are two nightlife spots: the Vucciria and the Kalsa district !
- Morning : Ballaro Market (free), Norman Palace (€ 14.50), Palermo Cathedral (free / terrace € 2.00)
- Afternoon : Piazza Pretoria, Quattro Canti, Piazza Bellini, Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (free), Church of the Gesu (€ 2.00), Teatro Massimo (€ 8.00), Teatro Politeama (external free), Cala and Foro Italico (free)
- Evening : Vucciria and Kalsa district (free)
- Distance covered : 6 km
- Where to eat: Lunch at Bar Marocco, Via V. Emanuele (Get directions) / Dinner at Ferro di Cavallo, Via Venezia (Get directions)
First time in Palermo
To optimize time and have a first approach to the city, we recommend that you book a free walking tour with a local guide or a tour in a panoramic open-top bus.
1 – Mercato Ballaro
Photo by Benjamin Nunez Gonzalez. Taking as the starting point the Palermo Centrale train station, the first attraction you will find is the Ballaro Market, the oldest market in the city ! Even if you arrive by car, you can take the opportunity to leave it in one of the nearby car parks and always leave from here.
The Ballaro market is a truly unique place, a mix of flavors, colors and scents, a glimpse of life in Palermo. Throughout the neighborhood you will find shops and stalls that come with everything and more, from fruit to vegetables, from meat to fresh fish. But above all, here you can begin to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Palermo street food , including panelle, arancine and much more!
Evaluate a street food tour : if you love good food, Palermo is the right destination for you! And among the many activities that can be done, there are also many tours that combine a visit to the city with the possibility of discovering the most famous dishes and products, not to be missed! Start at 10:30, duration 3 hours. Info and costs here
2 – Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina
Photo by Archaeologist. After a walk among the stalls of the Ballaro market, in 15 minutes on foot you will reachone of the must see par excellence of Palermo : the wonderful Norman Palace, also known for the Palatine Chapel.
Also known as the Royal Palace, it is a wonderful palace that in the past was not only the residence of the royal family, but also of the Spanish Viceroys! Today, however, an area houses the seat of the Regional Assembly of Sicily. The interiors are rich in frescoes and detailed mosaics , and among all the rooms the most famous is certainly the Palatine Chapel, completely decorated with Byzantine mosaics!
Info on the visit : Mon-Sat: 8: 15-17: 40, Sun and holidays from 8: 15-13: 00. Full admission € 14.50, reduced € 12.50. The visit takes on average 1 h 30 min.
SEE ALSO: Visit to the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel: timetables, prices and advice
Cross the Villa Bonanno park : right in front of the palace is this wonderful park, where you can admire the Marmoreo Theater and take a photo under the Porta Nuova, the historic gate of entrance to the city!
3 – Palermo Cathedral
From the Norman Palace in just 5 minutes on foot you can reach one of the most evocative and famous attractions of Palermo : the wonderful Cathedral, overlooking Via Vittorio Emanuele, the oldest street in the city!
The Cathedral is easily recognizable for the 4 bell towers and its imposing architecture, characterized by different styles. Dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary of the Assumption, its construction dates back to 1185 and in 2015 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site , in relation to the Arab-Norman itinerary of Palermo. After admiring the exterior, go inside, where a Latin cross structure awaits you, with 3 large naves. Here are the imperial and royal tombs and the Treasure Room , which also houses the golden tiara of Constance of Aragon. After the visit, treat yourself to a quick lunch based on street food in one of the bars in front of the Cathedral (we recommend the excellent Morocco bar).
: open Mon-Sat 9: 00-17: 30, Sun 9: 0-13: 00. Free admission, to climb the roofs € 5.00.
Climb the roofs : admission to the Cathedral is free, but with a ticket it is also possible to climb the roofs of the Cathedral, taking part in visits that depart every 30 minutes (Mon-Sat 9: 30-13: 30, € 5, 00). Visits are suspended in case of bad weather. On some days, exceptional evening climbs are also organized, to admire the illuminated city.
4 – Complex of Piazza Pretoria, Quattro Canti and Piazza Bellini
Take the wonderful Via Vittorio Emanuele and in just over 5 minutes on foot you will arrive in one of the most famous places in the city, the crovecia of Piazza Vigliena, known mainly as “Quattro Canti”! Here you can admire 3 orders of Baroque statues, representing the 4 seasons of the year the three Spanish Viceroys with Charles V and the Patron Saints of the Sicilian city! It is also one of the most photographed places in Palermo , not to be missed!
But don’t limit yourself only to the Quattro Canti, visit the whole complex of squares : in fact, a stone’s throw from Piazza Pretoria, where you can admire the wonderful Fontana Pretoria, and then reach Piazza Bellini, where there are two wonderful churches, the Church of San Cataldo and the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio.
Enter the Costa Pastry Shop: 20 m from Piazza Quattro Canti is this small pastry shop, ideal for enjoying some traditional Sicilian sweets, strictly artisanal! Cassate, cannoli, martorana fruit and almond biscuits, but also ice creams and slushes, to try absolutely!
5 – Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio and Chiesa del Gesu
In Piazza Bellini you will find the wonderful Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, also known as “La Martorana”. In reality it is a very small church with a very simple external appearance. The real magic is in fact found inside: it is completely covered with Byzantine mosaics! Furthermore, its history is also very interesting: its name derives in fact from the martorana fruit, which is a typical dessert of Palermo pastry prepared with almond paste!
And just three minutes walk from Piazza Bellini is another church not to be missed, the Chiesa del Gesu, also known as Casa Professa, located in the homonymous Piazza Casa Professa. Declared a National Monument in 1892, this is the most important Baroque church in the city . Also in this case the outside is very simple, while the inside is a real beauty, among frescoes, marbles and decorations!
Discover the history of Via del Ponticello: to go from the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio to the Church of the Gesu you will cross Via del Ponticello. The name is no coincidence: once there was a small bridge that crossed the Kemonia stream, one of the rivers that ran through the city. However, this torrent often creates serious floods and damage in the winter period, thus leading to the decision to build an underground tunnel to convey the waters of the river directly into the sea!
6 – Teatro Massimo
Walk back to Piazza Quattro Canti, walk for less than 10 minutes along Via Maqueda until you reach an internationally known opera : the great and majestic Teatro Massimo!
It is the largest opera house in Italy, as well as being one of the largest and most important in Europe, the third to be exact, after the Paris Opera and the Vienna State Opera. Built in the second half of the 19th century, you will have the opportunity to visit it inside through guided tours , which will lead you to discover the marvelous Great Hall and other spaces, such as the living room attached to the Royal Box, the Pompeian Hall, the Sala of the Coat of Arms and the Foyer. The visit lasts 30 min (open 9: 30-18: 00; full € 8.00, reduced € 5.00).
7 – Via Ruggero Settimo and Teatro Politeama
Finally, enjoy a nice walk along Via Ruggero Settimo, one of the most important streets, also known as the Salotto of Palermo, until you reach what is now a real symbol of the city: the Politeama Theater.
Inaugurated in 1974, today the theater is the seat of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra . Just think that it was once open, like the Verona Arena, but a metal roof was added just three years after its inauguration. It is also open to the public for visits, but in reduced hours (Tue-Sun 9: 30-14: 00; full € 5.00, reduced € 3.00) compared to the Teatro Massimo, so there is not enough time to visit it inside, but it is impossible not to stop here to admire all its beauty even from the outside!
Enjoy a walk between Cala and Foro Italico: if time permits and you are not tired of walking, take via Maqueda again towards the sea to the Cala-Foro Italico area, where you can admire the Mural dedicated to Falcone and Borsellino and enjoy an aperitif.
Activities and ideas for alternative itineraries
Palermo is a city full of things to do and see, a month would not be enough! If you love to visit museums and palaces , among the most important you will find the Antonio Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum (€ 4.00), Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri (€ 5.00) and, slightly outside the historic center, the Zisa Castle (€ 6 , 00), once a summer royal residence. For these visits, you have to calculate half a day!
The city is also full of wonderful churches! In addition to those mentioned, among the most beautiful you will find the Church of Spasimo (€ 2.00), the medieval Norman church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti (€ 6.00) and the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia on Monte Pellegrino (free). The Serpottian Oratories are scattered throughout the city, full of hidden treasures!
Among the most particular places , not recommended to everyone, we certainly find the Catacombs of the Capuchins (€ 3.00), a real journey into the afterlife (average visit duration 1 h).
Finally, if you are traveling with children , you cannot miss the wonderful Botanical Garden (€ 5.00) with Villa Giulia (free), the oldest garden in Palermo, and the Parco d’Orleans (free), the city’s zoological park. . In the summerunmissable an afternoon in the wonderful Mondello beach (12 km from the historic center).
SEE ALSO : Palermo: the best attractions and practical tips about the city
- City tour with the family : morning visit to the International Puppet Museum and the Marina of Palermo. Afternoon Botanical Garden and Villa Giulia, Quattro Canti and walk along Via Roma (possibility to attend a show at Mimmo Cuticchio’s Puppet Theater according to the timetable). Evening Salotto di Palermo, between the Massimo Theater and the Politeama Theater
- Itinerary of unknown and unusual places : morning visit to the underground Palermo and the Qanat. Afternoon visit to the Capuchin Catacombs, then walk in the historic center. Evening La Kalsa neighborhood
- Free attractions itinerary : Ballaro morning market, Palermo Cathedral, Quattro Canti and La Kalsa district, with Vucciria market. Afternoon Villa Giulia, then walk along Via Roma, with an aperitif on the terrace of the Rinascente Palermo, from the outside Teatro Massimo and Teatro Politeama. Evening Castelnuovo square
- Itinerary between attractions and good food : morning walking tour of the food and history of Palermo (3 h). Afternoon visit to the Cathedral, the Quattro Canti, the Massimo Theater and the Politeama Theater from the outside. Sera Vucciria / Alternatively cooking lesson and market tour
- Day among museums : first morning Ballaro market, then visit to the Norman Palace and the Cathedral. Afternoon Quattro Canti and visit to the Antonio Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum. Evening La Kalsa and Marina di Palermo
- Summer day in Palermo : morning walk in the center, with Ballaro market, Cathedral, Quattro Canti and from the outside Teatro Massimo and Teatro Politeama. Afternoon relaxation and fun at the Mondello beach
Before leaving: useful tips
- Get around on foot : the best way to visit the historic center and absolutely by moving on foot, among ancient buildings, markets, wonderful squares and unmissable attractions. If you are short on time, you can opt for a visit with a local guide. Info and costs here
- Avoid the car : the historic center is a ZTL and the traffic, especially during rush hours, is high. The best solution is to look for an underground or multi-storey car park (from € 1.60 / h) – find out more
- You are in the realm of street food : panelle, arancine, rotisserie, sfincione pizza and much more! In order not to miss any delicacies, we recommend that you join a street food walking tour! Info and costs here
- Plan your itinerary well : Palermo has many things to see, one more beautiful than the other! To avoid wasting precious time, plan a well-researched itinerary in advance and buy tickets online or skip the line where possible
- Evaluate the afternoon in Mondello : in summer you certainly can’t miss a few hours of relaxation in one of the most beautiful beaches in the area! In this case, don’t forget your bathing suit, towel and sunscreen
