One Day in Palermo | Best of Palermo in 24 Hours

Planning a trip to Sicily and only have one day in Palermo?

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is one of the largest cities in Italy. It is famous for its churches, its vibrant nightlife, and seaside setting. With its nearby international airport, it is also makes it a popular starting and/or ending point for a trip to Sicily, so there’s a good chance you will end up here at some point.

The list of things to do in Palermo is long and you could easily spend a few days here. However, there is also quite a bit to see and do throughout Sicily, and unless you have lots of time, its best to keep a visit to Palermo short, so that you have time to explore the other wonderful treasures throughout Sicily.

In this guide, we will share what we have learned to help you plan the perfect trip to Palermo. This one day Palermo itinerary includes our favorite experiences, complete with walking directions, where to eat along the way, and where to stay.

One Day in Palermo: On a Map

Below are the best things to do in Palermo in one day and a walking route through the city.

Best Things to Do in Palermo in One Day

• Palermo Cathedral
• The Palatine Chapel in the Norman Palace
• Quattro Canti
• Fontana Pretoria
• Visit more of Palermo’s important churches
• Have a cannolo or two
• Tour Teatro Massimo
• Visit the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo

Taking a food tour, a walking tour of the city, or even an afternoon day trip to Monreale are also options.

One Day in Palermo Itinerary

IMPORTANT: The times listed are rough estimates, just to give you an idea about timing throughout the day. Some churches close midday and reopen in the afternoon, or close completely for the day at 1:00 pm, so to get to everything as we list it, you will have to move rather quickly. If you prefer to go slower, you may have to skip a few sites.

I do my best to keep the hours updated, but since these can change at any time, and since some sites close midday and reopen in the afternoon, I recommend that you confirm hours for your dates of travel. The links to the official websites are provided throughout the itinerary.

9:00 am: Norman Palace & Palatine Chapel

The Norman Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni or Royal Palace of Palermo) was the main seat of the Kings of Sicily. This building is the oldest royal residence in Europe.

There are several things to see at the Norman Palace, the most important and most memorable being the Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina). This chapel is a mix of Norman, Byzantine, and Fatimid architectural styles. It dates back to 1132.

The Palatine Chapel is awe-inspiring, with its intricate gold mosaics, muqarnas ceiling, Arabic arches, and Byzantine dome. Seeing this chapel is one of the best things to do in Palermo.

Norman Palace

Palatine Chapel | Best things to do in Palermo

The palace sits atop Punic Walls, which can be seen if you visit the basement area (there can be temporary exhibitions held here as well). The ticket to the palace also includes the Royal Gardens and the Royal Apartments (these were closed during our visit and hours tend to vary quite a bit throughout the year, so check hours on the official website before your visit).

Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the entrance.

Our visit was rather quick (about 30 minutes), with a visit to the Palatine Chapel, the Punic Walls, and the Thesaurus, which was the temporary exhibit when we were here.

9:45 am: Porta Nuova & Walk to the Palermo Cathedral

This elaborate city gate sits beside the Norman Palace and marks the entrance of the Cassaro, the main street that runs through Palermo (this street also goes by the name Via Vittorio Emanuele).

After taking a few photos, walk along the Cassaro to the Palermo Cathedral (about a 6-minute walk).

10:00 am: Palermo Cathedral

This cathedral was originally built in 1185, but additions and alterations were made over the past several centuries. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale.

Portico of the Palermo Cathedral

On a visit here, things to see include the portico (the main entrance into the cathedral), the nave, the royal tombs, the crypt, the treasury, the Diocesan Museum, and the rooftop terraces. The nave is free to visit and everything else listed requires a paid ticket.

Inside the Palermo Cathedral

Visiting the rooftop terraces was the highlight for us. The terraces opened at 10:00 am and it helps to be one of the first in line, if you want to take some photos without other people in them. Not only is this a great photo spot, but you get a nice view overlooking Palermo.

We didn’t think the Diocesan Museum itself was all that interesting, but the views of the cathedral and the square from the windows are amazing.

Inside the Diocesan Museum

The view of the Palermo Cathedral from the Diocesan Museum

If you visit the nave, the rooftop terraces, and the Diocesan Museum, a visit to the cathedral takes about 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

11:00 am: Church of San Guiseppe dei Padri Teatini

The main reason to visit this church is for its rooftop view of Palermo. It is located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, just a short but scenic walk from the cathedral.

It is free to visit to the nave (the ceiling is gorgeous) and the crypt, and there is a small fee to visit the rooftop terraces. From the rooftop (Tim counted 139 steps to the roof), you get 360° views of Palermo and its other famous churches, plus a bird’s eye view of Fontana Pretoria.

Rooftop view of Palermo

The dome of the church

The view of the Church of San Cataldo

The church opens at 9 am, closes at 1 pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (later on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) and is closed on Sunday. Confirm hours before you go on the official website.

11:15 am: Quattro Canti & Fontana Pretorio

These next two sights are located adjacent to the Church of San Guiseppe dei Padri Teatini.

Quattro Canti is a Baroque square that sits at the intersection of Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele. At this spot, all four corners of Palermo converge. Midday this becomes a busy place, with tourists taking selfies, road traffic, and sometimes even live music performances.

Quattro Canti

Just around the corner is Piazza Pretoria. Fontana Pretoria is a fountain that was originally built in Florence and then transferred here in 1574. It is famous for its nude statues of the Twelve Olympians, earning the square the nickname “Piazza della Vergogna,” aka the Square of Shame.

Aerial view of Piazza Pretoria from the Church of San Guiseppe dei Padri Teatini

11:30 am: Church of San Cataldo

The next three churches are all located very close to one another. Even for those who aren’t thrilled about visiting a list of churches, this is worth it. Each one is a bit different and at the final church you get to dine on some of the best cannoli in Palermo.

This ancient Catholic church is famous for its Arab-Norman architecture. It was founded in 1160, used as a post office in the 18^th century, and restored in the 19^th century.

Get hours on Google Maps before your visit.

Church of San Cataldo

The Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nine buildings are included in this one UNESCO World Heritage Site. This list includes the Church of San Cataldo, the Palermo Cathedral, the Norman Palace, La Zisa (Palermo), the Church of the Martorana, Admiral’s Bridge (Palermo), the Monreale Cathedral, and the Cefalú Cathedral.

11:45 am: Church of the Martorana

This church, which also goes by the names Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio and the Church of St. Mary of the Admiral, has a mix of architectural styles. It has a Baroque façade, a Byzantine dome, and a Romanesque belltower. Inside, it is amazing, with its colorful frescoes and gold mosaics on the dome.

Get hours on Google Maps before your visit.

Bell tower of La Martorana

The amazing mosaics inside of the Church of the Martorana

12:00 pm: Church and Monastery of St. Catherine of Alexandria & Cannoli

The Church of St. Caterina d’Alessandria sits across Piazza Bellini from the other two churches. There are several reasons why this church is worth the visit: to visit its astonishing interior, for more rooftop views, and to have a cannolo or another sweet treat.

It may not look like much on the outside, but inside it is breathtaking. Intricate frescos, stunning paintings, colored marble, and exquisite statues come together to make this one of Palermo’s most magnificent churches.

From the church, you will also walk through the monastery and then onto the rooftop terraces. This is a gorgeous rooftop view of Palermo, with views overlooking Piazza Bellini and Fontana Pretoria (on our visit, scaffolding blocked the view of the fountain but that should hopefully be gone on your trip) and the Church of San Cataldo.

View from the rooftop terrace of the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria

Rooftop view of La Martorano and San Cataldo

The cloister

For some, the best part of this visit is ‘The Secrets of the Cloister.’ This pastry shop (I Segreti del Chiostro in Italian) is where cakes, biscuits, cookies, and cannoli were made, to raise money to support the monastery. The tradition continues today. We had a cannolo, the best cannolo we had in Palermo.

Get hours and pricing on the official website before your visit.

12:30 pm: Lunch

In Palermo, many sites close temporarily for lunch (starting between 12:30 and 1:00 pm and lasting until 2:30 pm, but these times can vary quite a bit from site to site). That makes this the perfect time to take a break from sightseeing and have lunch.

It’s also a great time to do any shopping that you want to do. There are lots of shops (both local and souvenir) along Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele.

Via Maqueda

Ballaro Market

Ballaro Market is one of Sicily’s famous food markets and it comes up on a lot of lists. It’s just a short walk from Piazza Bellini and you could easily spend an hour or two here sampling Sicilian food. Fresh seafood, arancini, and pasta are the main things you will see for sale in this market.

We love visiting food markets but we weren’t fans of this one. We sampled food from several places and everything was just so-so.

Some of the smaller restaurants tucked away in this market get terrible reviews (be sure to check review scores on Google before sitting down in any of these restaurants). We didn’t have a ‘terrible’ experience, but don’t go into this market with big expectations. It’s still interesting to see and photograph, and afterwards you can also have lunch at one of many Palermo’s fantastic restaurants (this is what I wished we did).

Restaurants for Lunch

BIGA Genio e Farina. This pizza restaurant gets rave reviews and is a great cheap eat in Palermo. It is located on Via Maqueda, a few blocks from Quattro Canti.

Taverna dei Canti. This restaurant is also on Via Maqueda, just a few steps from Quattro Canti. On the menu are pasta dishes, arancini, and seafood.

Ke Palle. This small shop on Via Maqueda serves many different flavors of arancini. Arancini is a Sicilian street food, basically a big ball of rice that has a filling (ragu, cheese, spinach, ham), breaded, and then fried. They are usually eaten as a snack but two or three of them could be a meal.

Afternoon: Take Your Pick

There are a few more fantastic places to visit, and depending on what you choose, you can visit one or two of these:

Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo

This macabre site is one of the most popular things to do in Palermo. In the 16^th century, the monks of the Church of Santa Maria della Pace were buried in a mass grave. When they were later exhumed, 45 of the monks were found to have been naturally mummified. Instead of burying the monks, they were put the display in the newly created catacombs.

The catacombs are located west of the city center. We walked here, a 1.6 km (1 mile) walk from the Norman Palace along busy roads, and in some places there weren’t any sidewalks. It’s not a very pleasant walk, and you can skip it by hiring a taxi to take you to and from the catacombs.

Photography is not allowed in the catacombs, so we have no photos to share, although you can see some on the official website. Get hours and pricing on the official website before you go. The catacombs close midday and reopen around 3 pm. We waited in line for about 15 minutes to get our ticket (midday in October).

Teatro Massimo

Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy and one of the largest in Europe (Palais Garnier in Paris and the Vienna Opera House are larger). Taking a tour of this opera house is another very popular thing to do in Palermo.

If you have toured Palais Garnier or the Vienna Opera House, this is not a must-see, in our opinion. This opera house is not as beautiful as we were led to believe, and in fact, it looks as if it could use some renovating.

Guided tours are offered frequently throughout the day, with the last one starting around 5 pm, so it is possible to visit Teatro Massimo and one other site in Palermo this afternoon.

Get hours, pricing, and reserve your tour time in advance on the official website.

Palazzo Conte Federico

Palazzo Conte Federico is one of the oldest and most prestigious palaces in Palermo, Sicily. Located in the historic center of the city, near Ballaro Market and a short walk from the Palermo Cathedral, it offers a fascinating look into the city’s rich history and aristocratic heritage.

Visits are by guided tour. Check the official website for tour times and depending on availability, you may have to adjust this itinerary a bit to fit in a palace tour.

Monreale

Monreale is a tiny town located in the hills above Palermo. It is notable for its amazing cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with several of the churches already mentioned in this itinerary.

We visited Monreale on our last day in Sicily and this cathedral absolutely amazed us. We have visited a lot of cathedrals in Europe and this one is awe-inspiring.

Intricate golden mosaics that illustrate biblical scenes cover the walls, archways, and the apse of the cathedral. These mosaics cover 6,340 square meters of the cathedral, making it the largest mosaic decoration in Italy.

In Monreale, you can also visit the Benedictine Cloister, which is almost as beautiful as the cathedral.

Two to three hours is really all you need in Monreale, so you can spend the afternoon here. You’ll be skipping the opera house and the palace, but I think Monreale is well worth the time, if you don’t already have plans to visit it in your Sicily itinerary.

From Palermo, get here by bus, shuttle, or by car, if you have one. Take bus 109 from the Palermo Central Railway Station to Piazza Indipendenza. Change to bus 389. Learn more here. You can also book this round-trip shuttle van to get you to and from Monreale.

If you have a rental car, the best place to park is at Parcheggi Pubblici Monreale.

Take a Walking Tour of Palermo

The NO Mafia Walking Tour is one of the most popular experiences in Palermo. On this tour, you will learn about the Mafia’s influences in Palermo and the civil anti-mafia movement.

This street food and walking tour includes many places already covered in this Palermo itinerary, but if you like the idea of doing this with a guide, this tour is for you.

Learn how to make pizza and gelato, all while enjoying a glass or two of wine. This cooking class is offered in the evening, so it gives you plenty of time in the afternoon for more exploration of Sicily.

Take a street food tour at sunset. Or take a 3-hour private tour of Palermo, custom made to fit your interests.

Evening: Rooftop Bars & Dinner

One of our favorite things to do is to find a rooftop bar with a view, have a drink, and watch the sunset. In Palermo, we have two to recommend. Afterwards, have dinner.

Rooftop Bars

Sicilò Food & View 360

This small, casual rooftop bar is located on top of the Rinascente Palermo department store. Counter to its name, it really does not offer a 360° view, but you do get a very nice view over Piazza San Domenico. We enjoyed our time here, but we like the next one more. Make a reservation in advance.

Piazza San Domenico

Seven Restaurant Palermo

This rooftop bar and restaurant has more of an upscale feel to it. The view is also better, with the rooftops of Palermo and the distant mountains in view.

Aperitifs are offered first and the restaurant opens about an hour later. With music and more attentive service, this is our #1 pick if you only go to one rooftop bar. You can even stay here and have dinner (we went elsewhere, just to sample as many places as possible).

Make a reservation in advance on the official website.

Restaurants

La Galleria

This was our favorite restaurant in Palermo and where we had one of our best meals in Sicily. It’s a busy spot but the food is excellent. They offer indoor and outdoor dining. If you can get a reservation for an outdoor table, the setting on a quiet street is superb. We ate inside, since rain was expected the night we were here, but the outside tables are the way to go. I recommend the linguine with clams…yum!!

Reservations are made by email: lagalleriapalermo2@gmail.com.

Ristorante Ferro

This small restaurant is where we had our very first meal in Sicily. Again, it was very good. An assortment of fresh seafood and fish dishes are on the menu. We recommend the mezze maniche with calamari ragu (first course) and the sea bass fillet (second course).

Cannoli and Co.

This chain sells cannoli and has several locations throughout Palermo. The cannoli are very good and something to have at least once while in Sicily (but every day is ok, too…).

With More Time in Palermo

If you have more than one day in Palermo, here are a few more things to do in Palermo.

The Church of the Gesù

The Church of Jesus, also known as Casa Professa, is another important church in Palermo. It has a similar interior as the Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, although photos inside of this church are not permitted. The ticket also includes a visit to the museum and sacristy.

To see the full church, you will need to take a guided tour. After seeing the Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and the other churches in Palermo, this one did not seem worth it to us.

Mount Pellegrino

Mount Pellegrino is a rocky promontory that offers views over Palermo and Mondello Beach. To get here, take a bus from Palermo to the Sanctuary of Saint Rosalia and then it is a 1.4 km walk to the belvedere (viewpoint).

Mondello Beach

If you want to get in some beach time, head over to Mondello Beach. Get here on bus 806, by car, or by taxi.

Day Trips from Palermo

Monreale, with its nearby location and amazing cathedral, is one of the top day trips from Palermo. You can visit it independently, traveling here by bus, taxi, or rental car, or by taking this shuttle service.

This day trip tour combines Monreale with Cefalù, a beautiful seaside town with a historic cathedral, wide sandy beach, and hiking trail to a hilltop castle for incredible views of Cefalù.

Cefalù

This day trip visits the town of Corleone, the Anti-Mafia Museum, and Monreale.

If you are on a quick visit to Sicily and using Palermo as your home base, it could be worth taking this day trip to Taormina and Mount Etna, or this tour to the Valley of the Temples. They will be long days, but these are must-sees on a visit to Sicily.

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Best Time to Visit Palermo

The best time to visit Palermo is in the spring and fall, when the weather is warm and crowds are not at peak levels. Here is a brief overview of what to expect by season.

SPRING: Spring is a beautiful time to visit Palermo, especially late spring (May), when the weather is warm and rainfall is low. In early spring, the high temperature averages 16°C/61°F and by May, the high temperature averages 23°C/74°F. However, during heat waves it can be much warmer than this. Spring starts off wet and rainy but by May, is relatively dry.

SUMMER: Summer is hot and dry. The average high is 30°C/85°F, but on many days, it can get much warmer than this. Summer is the driest time to visit Palermo, with July being the driest month of the year.

FALL: Fall is the reverse of spring. Falls starts off warm and dry and ends cool and wet. Our visit was towards the end of October. We had mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures, but heavy rain fell on the three days right before our visit (talk about getting lucky with our timing!).

WINTER: Palermo remains relatively mild through the winter, with temperatures averaging 15°C/59°F but this is the wettest time to visit Sicily. Some restaurants and hotels will close in the winter, since it is the off season.

VERDICT: May is a gorgeous time to visit Sicily, with warm weather, relatively dry conditions, and lower crowds than the summer. Mid-September into early November is also a good time to visit Palermo, if you don’t mind taking a chance with a few rainy days. Our trip to Sicily started in late October and went through early November and in general, we had clear skies and very nice, warm weather.

How to Get Around Palermo

For the most part, everything listed in our Palermo itinerary is located in the city center and easy to walk to. The Capuchin Catacombs are the biggest outlier. It’s possible to walk there and back to the city center (we did this) but it’s not a pleasant walk, since it is along busy streets that sometimes have little to no sidewalks. If you wanted to skip this walk, consider taking a taxi. There is also Uber in Palermo.

To get to places outside of the city center, take a bus, taxi, or Uber.

Cruise Ships in Palermo

When planning your itinerary, check the cruise ship schedule. During our visit we had a 6,000+ passenger cruise ship in port the day we planned to explore the historic area of Palermo. It’s good to know, because the city sites could be more crowded and tickets are limited. Teatro Massimo tickets were very limited on our visit, so if a cruise ship is in town, be sure to make your reservations in advance.

Where to Stay in Palermo

Hotel Trinacria is a mid-range hotel that gets wonderful reviews and is located in the city center. B&B Angolo83 is a bed and breakfast that also has a prime location. If you prefer an apartment (great for families and small groups), check out THE VIEW and Casa Vacanze Antico Cassaro.

Peonia Boutique Apartments is a 4-star property that offers a variety of apartment types. It gets exceptional reviews and is located in the city center.

For those on a budget, Ariston Petit Hotel is located in the city center and gets excellent reviews.

If you want a 5-star experience, Grand Hotel Et Des Palmes is located inside of a beautiful Art Noveau building in the city center of Palermo.

If you have any questions about how to spend one day in Palermo, let us know in the comment section below.

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