The capital of the Italian island of Sicily isn’t very spread out and is packed with great sights, making it an ideal location for an independent walking tour. For travelers arriving by cruise ship and wanting to make the most of their day, it’s relatively easy to see all the highlights in three or four hours, with enough time for a typically Sicilian snack at one of the city’s historical markets, so don’t bother booking an expensive tour via the cruise line. The cruise ship terminal is very close to the historic center so you can walk everywhere, and even come back to the ship for a quick break — there’s no need for a shuttle or a taxi.
Mercato di Ballaró. Photo: Alex Segre/Shutterstock
How to See All of Palermo’s Highlights on a One-Day Walking Tour
A free walking tour of Palermo to see all the highlights
Unlike walking tour of Rome, where time is of the essence and you can’t afford to linger for too long at each location, in Palermo, you can relax. There’s plenty of time to sit in churches to admire their artful architecture, stop for a glass of juice at the market, and wander around the narrow residential streets, where you’ll notice that the locals’ balconies are all covered in white-and-green-striped curtains to keep the year-round heat out of their homes. This is especially important for cruisers who need to make the all-aboard time if they don’t want to be left behind.
The map and walking tour below offer suggestions made from my personal experience in Palermo; but you can tailor it to your schedule, preferences, budget, and walking abilities.
For the purpose of this walking tour, meant to help those with very little time in Palermo to see as much as possible, which include a lot of cruisers, the starting point is the cruise ship terminal, very close to the center of town. You may, of course, start from any other points on the map and follow the circuit from there.
Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, Teatro Massimo, and Palermo Cathedral
Less than one mile (20 minutes on foot) from the cruise terminal, you’ll walk by the 19th-century Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, a large circular Neoclassical opera house. Home to the Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra, the theatre, with its huge entry arch and colonnades, is as impressive from the outside as it is inside, but getting in very straightforward. I accidentally sneaked in for a few minutes as people were entering the hall for a performance — nobody asked me for a ticket — but your best bet is to ask people at reception if you can take a walk around.
From the Garibaldi Theatre to Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in Europe (after Paris’ Palais Garnier and Vienna’s K. K. Hof-Opernhaus), is only a 12-minute walk. You can admire the huge 19th-century edifice from the outside or take a guided tour for $12.70 (€12). Teatro Massimo is open daily from 9:30 AM to 7 PM.
On the rooftop of the Palermo Cathedral. Photo: ecstk22/Shutterstock
Half a mile from Teatro Massimo is the mixed-style Palermo Cathedral which dates back from the 12th century. It’s free to enter to see the main part of the cathedral but you have to pay $7.40 (€7) to climb the narrow staircase to the roofs. It’s very much worth it for the spectacular views of the city you get from up there.
Porta Nova and the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo
On your way to the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, you’ll go through Porta Nova, a 17th-century ornate stone gate that will lead you to the western part of the city. Take a few minutes to admire both sides of the gate which as built as triumphal arch.
Terrifying mummified remains at the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo. Photo: MarcelClemens/Shutterstock
from Porta Nova to the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo is 20-minute walk on busy streets with narrow, bumpy, or non-existent sidewalks. While it’s not a pleasant stroll, it’s worth it if you’re a fan of macabre tourist sites. If not, skip it altogether and move on to the next sight. The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, home to the largest collections of mummies in the world, consists of dark underground tunnels filled with hundreds of mummified bodies that date back a few centuries, including that of infants and children. The site is open from 9 AM to 12:30 PM and from 3 PM and 5:30 PM, so don’t plan to visit during lunch or in the early afternoon. Admission is $5.30 (€5).
Norman Palace Complex (Palatine Chapel) and Mercato di Ballarò
The journey back from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo to the historic city center involves the same awful 20-minute itinerary and another walk under Porta Nova, but it’s the easiest and most straight forward way.
Inside Palermo’s Palatine Chapel. Photo: faber1893/Shutterstock
The Norman Palace Complex (AKA the Royal Palace) is one of many beautiful palaces in Palermo, but it’s certainly the most worthwhile. Home to the Sicilian Regional Parliament, it can be visited for $12.70 (€12). The most striking part of the complex is the extraordinary 12th-century Palatine Chapel, covered in golden mosaics, and located on the first floor of the Norman Palace. If you visit only one sacred Christian site in Palermo, which you shouldn’t considering the treasures on display, make it this one.
After visiting the Palatine Chapel, walk for 10 minutes to reach Mercato di Ballarò, the oldest and largest market in the city, to see what meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables the locals eat, and to grab a snack of your own. Arancini and cannoli, both Sicilian specialties, are always a good idea, especially when washed down with a glass of freshly pressed pomegranate juice.
Chiesa del Gesù di Casa Professa and chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio
Visiting three churches back to back might feel like a lot, but all are so incredible and cheap to access that you’d be remiss to pass on them during your short stay in Palermo.
Inside the magnificent Chiesa del Gesù di Casa Professa. Photo: jackbolla/Shutterstock
Three minutes on foot from the market, Chiesa del Gesù di Casa Professa, also known as the church of Gesù, is one of the most breathtaking churches you’ll ever see anywhere, and it costs only $2.10 (€2) to access it. The walls of this 17th-century church are covered in intricate multicolored marble inlay and there are dizzying marble carvings everywhere you look. The church isn’t large so it’s a quick visit, but sitting in one of the pews is a good way to take it all in.
Four minutes away from the church of Gesù is the huge Chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio or Martorana). Part of the UNESCO Heritage Site known as “Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale” along with the Palermo cathedral and the Norman Palace Complex & Palatine Chapel, the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio dates back from the 12th century. The interior is vast with tall, vaulted ceilings, and covered in gold mosaics and colorful paintings. It costs $2.10 (€2) to enter.
Quattro Conti, La Vucciria, and Mercato Antico
On your way back to the cruise ship terminal, there are three sights you shouldn’t miss, all of which are free.
Quattro Conti, just two minutes away from the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, refers to the four ornate Baroque corners of Piazza Vigliena, considered the very heart of the historic center. Each corner represents one of the four seasons with different sculptures and fountains.
La Vucciria market in Palermo. Photo: Fotokon/Shutterstock
Five minutes away from Quattro Conti is La Vucciria, an old lively market where you’ll see locals shopping for vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat. And six minutes further is Mercato Antico, where you’ll find all sort of old-fashioned knick-knacks alongside paintings, beautiful hand-painted tiles, books, furniture, books, and more. It’s a great place to get a small vintage souvenir from your time in Palermo.
The cruise ship terminal is 19 minutes away on foot from Mercato Antico so don’t purchase any heavy antics or you’ll have to haul them a little ways. 