2 days in Palermo

Day by day

1. Day 1: Palazzo dei Normanni and the Palatine Chapel and Ballarò market

   Palazzo dei Normanni and the Palatine Chapel, Ballarò market, San Giovanni degli Eremiti and Palermo Cathedral, then Quattro Canti in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Palazzo dei Normanni and the Palatine Chapel

      The visit can also include the royal apartments and the mosaic-covered Sala di Re Ruggero when the assembly is not in use.

   2. Late morning

      Ballarò market

      Street-food counters fry panelle and grill octopus and meats along the way.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Arancine

      Bars, rosticcerie and street stalls everywhere; ask for 'accarne' or 'abburro'.

   4. Afternoon

      San Giovanni degli Eremiti

      The bare interior matters less than the small cloister and garden, one of the most peaceful spots in central Palermo.

   5. Late afternoon

      Palermo Cathedral

      Inside are the porphyry tombs of Emperor Frederick II and the Norman king Roger II, a treasury with the jewelled crown of Constance of Aragon and a chapel of Santa Rosalia; a separate ticket opens the roof terraces.

   6. Evening

      Quattro Canti

      Pass by early in the morning and again after dark, when the facades are lit and the traffic eases.

2. Day 2: Monreale Cathedral and Cloister and Teatro Massimo

   Monreale Cathedral and Cloister, Teatro Massimo, Mondello beach and Fontana Pretoria, then Opera dei Pupi puppet theatre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Monreale Cathedral and Cloister

      The adjoining Benedictine cloister has more than 200 paired columns, many inlaid with mosaic and topped by carved capitals, and a rooftop walk looks over the Conca d'Oro valley to the sea.

   2. Late morning

      Teatro Massimo

      Guided tours show the horseshoe auditorium and the royal box, and the season includes opera, ballet and concerts.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pane e panelle

      Market stalls at Ballarò and the Capo and friggitorie across the old town.

   4. Afternoon

      Mondello beach

      Much of it is lined with beach clubs, but there are free public sections, and an Art Nouveau bathing pavilion stands on piles over the water at its centre.

   5. Late afternoon

      Fontana Pretoria

      Its many nude statues earned it the nickname 'Fountain of Shame' from scandalised churchgoers.

   6. Evening

      Opera dei Pupi puppet theatre

      Shows last about an hour and are easy to follow without Italian; children love the battle scenes.

Before you go

• Palazzo dei Normanni and the Palatine Chapel: Queues can be long in high season; buy a timed ticket online before you go.

If it rains

• Swap in La Martorana and San Cataldo (Via Maqueda and Quattro Canti): Visit San Cataldo first; its bare stone interior makes the Martorana's gold all the more striking.
• Swap in Capuchin Catacombs (Cappuccini): It is macabre and not suitable for young children or the squeamish; photography is not allowed.
• Swap in Palazzo Abatellis (Galleria Regionale della Sicilia) (Kalsa): Combine it with a walk through the Kalsa to Piazza Magione and the Foro Italico seafront.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.5 hours in December to 14.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Most sights, from the Norman Palace to the Kalsa, are within a 20–30-minute walk of the Quattro Canti along pedestrian Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele.

More or fewer days

• One day in Palermo
• 3 days in Palermo
• 5 days in Palermo

Questions travellers ask