Sicily Tourist Guide

Palermo Tourist Information

Palermo is busy, hectic, intimidating and interesting by turns. It's the city which most encapsulates Sicily, and it is the home to some of the region's most important tourist attractions.

Palermo is Sicily's regional capital, and is a busy port city situated on the north-western coast of the island. In the Middle Ages, Palermo was one of Europe's leading cities, but nowadays the town is still trying to recover from twentieth-century years of blight. With a reputation as a hotbed for both petty and organised crime, Palermo's attractions as a tourist destination are frequently overlooked. There is some fine architecture to be admired, as well as good museums, churches, markets and restaurants.

Among the most important tourist attractions of Palermo are the city's Norman Cattedrale and the Saracen-Norman-Spanish Palazzo Reale (or Palazzo dei Normanni), a former royal palace added to and altered over the centuries, and now the seat of the local parliament. You can visit parts of the latter building, including the Cappella Palatina, an exquisite chapel containing rich mosaics. Other sights include La Martorana, a splendid Norman church with a Baroque facade ,the imposing Teatro Massimo and Vucciria market (which features heavily in Peter Robb's Midnight in Sicily). Plays acted by marionettes are a local tradition, and you can visit the Puppet Museum (Museo delle Marionette) to learn more about the history of the art - and see a performance if you can.

Museums include the Galleria Regionale in Palazzo Abatellis, and the fine Museo Archeologico Regionale, which contains archaeological exhibits from from the famous sites in western Sicily.

For those with more specialist interests (and strong nerves) it's worth making a trip to the macabre Convento dei Cappuccini's catacombs lined with the dead.

Palermo's tourist information offices are located at the airport, Stazione Centrale, and Piazza Castelnuovo 35.

Travel to Palermo

Direct trains run to Palermo from Rome (see the Transport section). The city's main station is Stazione Centrale. Ferries from Genoa, Naples, Sardinia (Cagliari) arrive and depart from the docks of the Stazione Marittima. Bus services from Palermo serve the neighbouring towns and countryside. It's best to avoid driving in the chaotic city. Palermo's airport is easily reachable by bus from the city centre

Palermo Accommodation

Palermo accommodation covers a wide range of prices, although you shouldn't expect the same standard you might find in a quieter and more 'touristy' resort. However there are some good deals, and if you're in Palermo you're likely to be using your hotel as a base for exploring anyway.
> Palermo hotel availability

Massimo Plaza Hotel de Charme ****

In an excellent location, close to the Teatro Massimo in the heart of town. Although prices are higher than the competition, this hotel has comfortable, well-equipped rooms, and even boasts noise insulation.

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Hotel Ambasciatori ***

This popular three-star hotel is right in the heart of Palermo, close to the railway station. Hotel bedrooms have double-glazing - useful in noisy Palermo - and breakfast is served on a panoramic roof terrace.

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Hotel Bel 3 ***

A three-star hotel outside Palermo for those who don't mind travelling to get into the city. Cheap, with free internet access, and good reviews from past guests.

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Giorgio's House Bed and Breakfast

Extremely helpful service at this budget bed and breakfast option, which is ideal for young people, and has a friendly host who organises tours. Excellent reviews from past guests who recount the new friendships they've forged here.

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> Palermo accommodation search, with guest reviews and location maps.