This Less-visited Italian City Has Been the Mediterranean's Melting Pot for Millennia — Evident in Its Architecture, Food, and Culture

Here’s everything you need to know about planning a trip to Palermo, Italy.

The capital of Sicily, Palermo defies expectations. Big and bustling, it can feel brash at times, but dig a bit deeper and you’ll find the city’s genteel, artistic, and intellectual side. The crossroads of the Mediterranean, it was founded by the Phoenicians and ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, and Spanish before becoming part of Italy during the country’s unification in 1861. All of these different cultures left their mark on the city’s architecture, art, culture, and cuisine, which can still be felt today, making it not only the Mediterranean’s melting pot but also one of the best cities to visit in Italy.

One of the great symbols of the city is the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in Europe (smaller only than the ones in Paris and Vienna). Inaugurated in 1897, this grand classical edifice has had its ups and downs, much like the city itself. It closed in 1974 for a renovation and didn’t reopen until 1997, when the city finally began to free itself from the grip of the mafia. Palermo’s reawakening culminated in it being named Italy’s 2018 Capital of Culture.

Nowadays, a renewed energy can be felt in the streets, with hip new restaurants and bars, boutiques by independent artisans, and small museums and galleries popping up inside historic palaces. On my trips to Palermo, I’ve gaped in awe at the baroque architecture of the Quattro Canti, strolled along Via Maqueda (one of the main thoroughfares), feasted on street food at Vucciria Market, and reveled in the Belle Époque glory of the Villa Igiea — and I’ve only scratched the surface.

I wanted to get more insight from local experts, so I reached out to Salvatore Spatafora, a contributor to Vogue Italia and La Cucina Italiana who was born and raised in Palermo, and Linda Sarris, a Palermo-based private chef, guidebook author, and travel consultant who leads market tours in Palermo and organizes retreats in Sicily. Read on to discover why Palermo is worth a visit and everything you need to know to plan a trip there.

Palermo, Italy

• The elegant Villa Igiea, now run by Rocco Forte Hotels, is the city’s undisputed grand dame and a living testament to the city’s history.

• The Cappella Palatina inside the Palazzo dei Normanni is a resplendent example of architecture that glitters with intricate gold Byzantine mosaics.

• Ceramicando is the perfect place to pick up a unique hand-made ceramic piece to bring home.

• Locals love Corona Trattoria for seafood specialties like pasta with sardines.

• A leisurely stroll along the boardwalk in Mondello, the beach favored by locals, is a must.

Related: 11 Best Cities to Visit in Italy, According to a Local

Best Hotels & Resorts

Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel

Palermo’s most legendary grand dame was the pride and joy of the wealthy Florio family in the early 20th century when it hosted royalty, opera singers, and movie stars. Its revival by Rocco Forte Hotels was celebrated as a triumph for the city. Stepping inside, you can feel the history of this elegant hotel designed in the Liberty style by renowned architect Ernesto Basile.

Palazzo Sovrana

Sarris recommends this modern hotel in the heart of the city center overlooking the Teatro Massimo opera house. “Their rooms, all with balconies overlooking the pedestrian streets below, are extremely spacious and modern,” she says.

Palazzo Planeta

One of Sicily’s most important winemaking families has turned their former residence into a comfortable apartment hotel with nine apartments and four suites. The renovated accommodations have a modern air with some retro touches and eclectic accents, like Suzani wall hangings and local pottery. Well-equipped kitchens and washing machines make them great for families.

Best Things to Do

Visit the Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina.

Also known as the Royal Palace, the Palazzo dei Normanni is the oldest royal residence in Europe. Now home to the Sicilian Parliament and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the palace is a resplendent example of Norman and Spanish architecture. The Cappella Palatina inside it glitters from top to bottom with gold Byzantine mosaics.

Admire the Church of Santa Caterina and sample the nuns’ pastries.

“Climb up to the terrace of the Church of Santa Caterina to admire an unparalleled view of Palermo from above,” suggests Spatafora. “On the ground floor, you’ll find I Segreti del Chiostro, a workshop specializing in sweets prepared according to old recipes by the Sicilian nuns.”

Admire hand-painted tiles at the Museo della Maiolica.

“The Museo delle Maioliche, also known as the Stanze al Genio, is a private-owned collection of around 5,000 pieces of southern Italian hand-painted tiles to be visited with a reservation only,” says Sarris, noting, “It's located on the noble floor of the 16th-century Palazzo Torre Pirajno.”

Explore the city’s legendary outdoor markets.

“My favorite outdoor activity is grocery shopping in my neighborhood at the Mercato di Ballarò for incredibly affordable seasonal Sicilian produce while soaking in the theater of hollering vendors in this wild, multi-cultural labyrinth of stalls owned for generations by local families,” Sarris says. She also leads two-hour tours of the market complete with street food tastings.

See a performance at the Teatro Massimo.

Plan an unforgettable evening by purchasing tickets to see a performance at the Teatro Massimo, which appeared in the final scene of "The Godfather III." The opera and ballet season kicks off in late November and performances run through June before taking a summer break. Alternatively, you could take a guided tour and get a behind-the-scenes peek backstage.

Best Shopping

Ponticello Acquerello

“Ponticello Acquerello is a newly opened artisan shop where you can pick up paper goods like postcards, notebooks, prints, and bags with original designs painted by the owners,” Sarris explains. “They are a family of eccentric artists who went from selling watercolors from a bench across from the cathedral to their own brick-and-mortar shop near Casa Professa. Giorgio, Peppa, and their children each contribute pieces with their own unique styles including a series of Palermo's highly praised patron saint, Santa Rosalia, doing normal everyday tasks like the rest of us.”

Vali Boutique

“Valentina Margiotta is a young Palermitan designer who proposes pieces by her brand, Vali Boutique, such as clothes and accessories for women, in her shop in the historic center,” Spatafora says. “The bestseller is the chenisier, a shirt dress in pure silk.”

Ceramicando

Sicily is famous for ceramics, and at this little shop, Elisabetta Castagnetta creates beautiful hand-painted dishes, serving platters, pinecones (a good luck symbol), and Moor’s heads, the ubiquitous figures tied to a dark Sicilian legend. Her work is inspired by traditional Sicilian motifs and colors, but with a modern twist.

A’ Putia Grocery

“For gourmet shopping, you must go to A’ Putìa, where you can find an excellent selection of cheeses, charcuterie, preserves, and Sicilian wines to bring home,” Spatafora notes. The family-run shop has been around since the 1940s and focuses on small local producers that adhere to the Slow Food movement.

Best Nightlife

Ferramenta

“Palermo’s cool kids gather for an aperitivo in the piazza at Ferramenta with meat and cheese boards and glasses of wine,” says Spatafora. The name refers to the fact that this used to be a family-run hardware store.

Locale

“After dinner (and not only), there are excellent cocktails at Locale, a must-visit spot in the city’s nightlife scene,” Spatafora continues. Mismatched vintage chairs, neon lights, and eclectic decorations give this place quirky, bohemian vibes.

Sigillo

“The new spot this year is Sigillo, the first wine club in Palermo, where tastings are enhanced by the WineEmotion dispensing machine, which uses nitrogen to keep the wine at the optimal temperature and preserves its integrity,” Spatafora says, calling it “a true paradise for wine lovers.”

OJDÅ

“My latest obsession is OJDÅ, a Swedish-Sicilian natural wine bar with innovative small plate snacks and a chic micro-boutique highlighting local fashion designers,” Sarris says. Check their Instagram for announcements about pop-ups with artists and makers.

Best Restaurants

Corona Trattoria

Spatafora and Sarris both recommend this family-run trattoria for seafood, great service, and a curated Sicilian wine list. “Always listen to the recommendations from the staff; the specials of the day are often the best dishes, like pasta with cured tuna bottarga, lathered with super rich, black cuttlefish ink,” Sarris says. “Leave the wine pairings to Orazio Corona,” Spatafora adds.

Le Angeliche

“My favorite lunch spot is Le Angeliche, a female-owned restaurant with a secret garden, tucked away in the middle of the Capo Market,” says Sarris. Ask for a table outside and enjoy beautifully presented pastas, fish, and other dishes made with fresh vegetables and herbs from the market.

Charleston

“For a gourmet dinner, the right place is Charleston, a historic restaurant run by Chef Gaetano Verde, a promising young chef under 30,” Spatafora says. Established in 1967, it became the first restaurant in Sicily to earn a Michelin star and has hosted illustrious guests, including Prince Tomasi di Lampedusa (author of "The Leopard"), singer Maria Callas, and actors like Marcello Mastroianni and Al Pacino.

Florio Restaurant

For an elegant but unfussy dinner, book a table at the signature restaurant inside Villa Igiea. Renowned Chef Fulvio Pierangelini has curated a menu featuring some of his greatest hits, like his sublime spaghetti with tomato sauce, and found inspiration in Sicily’s abundant natural resources. The linguine with tenerumi (a local vegetable), candied tomatoes, lemon, and Sciacca prawn tartare is a standout.

Best Time to Visit

According to Sarris, Palermo is worth visiting in any season, but her personal favorite time of year is the fall. “October is my favorite since Palermo will be less crowded, the weather is still perfect, hotel prices drop after summertime, and we have a few special annual events in the city including the Zagara festival at the botanic gardens, Ballarò Buskers weekend of street art performances, and Le Vie dei Tesori which opens up to the public inaccessible treasures.”

How to Get There

Palermo is served by Falcone Borsellino Airport, which is about 45 minutes from the city center by car. There’s also a train operated by Trenitalia (Italy’s national rail carrier) from the airport to Palermo Centrale train station. If you’re coming from elsewhere in Italy, you can take a Trenitalia train that boards a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Traveling Italy by Train — From the Best Routes to Local Tips

Neighborhoods to Visit

Kalsa

“For a quiet wander around photogenic backstreets, head to the Kalsa district, which includes highlights like the Foro Italico waterfront, street art murals, Palermo's botanic gardens and the Villa Giulia park, the international marionette museum, Mura delle Cattive, the Porta Felice city gate, and the Giardino Garibaldi, which has the largest and oldest ficus tree in Europe,” Sarris says.

Mondello

“My favorite neighborhood is without a doubt Mondello, where I was born and raised, above all in the off-season, when this beach beloved by the locals reveals all its beauty,” says Spatafora, adding, “A stroll along the boardwalk among the Liberty villas, up to the piazza of the old fisherman’s village, is not to be missed.”

How to Get Around

The historic center of Palermo is very walkable, with many pedestrianized areas and limited traffic zones. If you decide to visit as part of a road trip around Sicily, park your car at your hotel and don’t touch it again until you leave.

Public transit: AMAT Palermo runs the city’s buses and trams, as well as bike and car sharing. Tickets on the buses and trams cost €1.40 and are valid for 90 minutes. Palermo also has a metro operated by Trenitalia with stops near the Palazzo dei Normanni and Mondello. Tickets cost €1.70 and are valid for 90 minutes, but cannot be used on AMAT buses and trams.

Taxi: There are two taxi companies in Palermo: Radio Taxi Trinacria (+39 0916878) and Autoradio Taxi Palermo (+39 0918481). Expect a taxi from the airport to cost around €50 plus possible surcharges for luggage. You can also use the ItTaxi app to hail a taxi.