The Ultimate 3-Day Palermo Itinerary: The Best of Palermo
If you are planning a trip to Sicily, you must make sure to visit Palermo. It is the capital of the island, and such a unique and vibrant city, it was definitely a highlight of my 8 day trip to Sicily. Like many of the towns and cities in Sicily, Palermo feels very authentic. It has lots of beautiful streets, with washing hanging over balconies, vibrant street food markets and in the evening, the streets are bustling with street-side restaurants, bars, and locals sitting out having drinks with their friends and family. It also has an extremely interesting history, and the buildings reflect this with a stunning mix of architectural styles. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to plan a trip to Palermo, including the best things to do, restaurant and bar recommendations, and how to get there from the airport.
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Table of Contents
Getting to Palermo
There are two airports that you can fly into in Sicily, Palermo and Catania airport. The easiest option is obviously Palermo airport.
You can get to and from the airport by train which is how I got to the city. I used Trainline to book the tickets from Palermo Aeroporto to Palermo Centrale, it takes around 50 minutes and costs £5.95 and they run regularly throughout the day so you can book this on the day once you have arrived.
You can also get the bus to the city centre, these run every 30 minutes and it takes 45 minutes to get there. Tickets cost €6.30 and you can buy the tickets at the ticket office in the airport, on the bus or on the BeAppyBus app.
You could also get a taxi from the Taxi Rank in the airport. When getting in the taxi, make sure it has a meter fitted that is running, and also ask for the price before getting into the taxi to make sure they do not overcharge. It is quite common for taxi’s to try and overcharge here. It should cost around €45.
If you are arriving into Catania airport, you can get the bus. These run regularly throughout the day, cost around £13 and it takes 2 and a half hours. You can book the bus using Omio.
Day 1- Exploring Palermo’s Historic Centre
The first thing to do on my itinerary is to start off your day with a coffee and a traditional Sicilian breakfast- Granita and Brioche. The best granita in Palermo is supposedly at Q-tuppo, and I would recommend getting the pistachio flavour with cream. This cafe opens at 10am so I would aim to get there for that time so you have plenty of time to explore the city afterwards.
Visit the Palatine Chapel
The Palatine Chapel is a UNESCO heritage site, with a mix of different styles including Sicilian, Norman, Arabic and Byzantine, reflecting Sicily’s interesting history. It is one of the most beautiful churches I have been to, with stunning colourful mosaics all over. You can buy tickets from the ticket office in front of the palace; these cost €19, and you get access to both the Palace and the Chapel.
Visit Palermo Cathedral
From Palazzo dei Normanni, it is then just a short walk to Palermo Cathedral. The cathedral is a UNSECO heritage site and a must-visit when in Palermo. It is a stunning building with a mixture of architectural styles reflecting the history of the city. It has gone back and forth between Church and Mosque following the Arab Conquest. For full access to everywhere in the Cathedral, the tickets cost €15 and you can buy them online to avoid queues here.
Lunch at Mercato di Ballaro
Next, I would recommend heading to one of Palermo’s famous street markets to enjoy some Sicilian street food. Mercato di Ballaro is the oldest and largest street market in the city, which dates back to the 10th century. It is a bustling, lively market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh seafood and of course street food.
If the market is a bit hectic for you, I would recommend heading to Arancinando for Arancini. They sell great Arancini, it is reasonably priced, and there are some seats outside you can sit at.
Chiesa della Martorana
After lunch, head over to Chiesa della Martorana which is a unique, medieval church featuring beautiful mosaics. This is also a UNESCO heritage site.
Quattro Canti and Fontana Pretoria
Then, walk to Quattro Canti, which is a beautiful baroque square in Palermo. It is an intersection of two main streets (Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele), and the building here features stunning baroque architecture. It is a beautiful area to wander around, filled with shops, bars and restaurants. There are also often street musicians here. Just off the main street, you will also find Fontana Pretoria, also known as the ‘Fountain of Shame’.
Not far from here is Cappadonia Gelati, which serves amazing gelato if you are ready for an ice cream break after exploring the historic centre. This is one of the best gelato shops in Palermo, and I would recommend trying the lemon ice cream.
Sunset Drinks and Dinner
In the evening, I would definitely recommend heading to Seven Rooftop Bar for drinks as the sun sets. This bar has the most incredible view over the city, it is as beautiful as the viewpoints in Florence. I didn’t book but managed to get a table for drinks on the upper level. I would recommend booking in advance to make sure you do get a table, or even booking for dinner here as the view is that amazing.
After dinner, I would head to Fùnnaco Pizzalab which serves the most amazing pizza. It is located on a charming street with a lovely outdoor area. I would recommend booking but if you do turn up staff will try to accommodate you.
After dinner, I would recommend having a stroll around some of the nearby streets. Palermo has such a vibrant atmosphere at night, with people sitting out eating and having drinks. Kalsa area is a lovely area to wander, near Giardino Garibaldi there were some pretty streets with lights hanging between the buildings. Zammù is a great place to go for drinks. La Vucciria market is a popular place to go for drinks there in the evening, Ai Bagnoli is a great bar in the market.
Day 2- Day Trip to Cefalù
After a full day of exploring the historic centre of Palermo, I would suggest heading to Cefalù for a relaxing beach day on day 2. This is a beautiful seaside town with a large sandy beach, colourful buildings and a beautiful Cathedral that is a UNESCO heritage site. You can easily get to Cefalù from Palermo by train. It takes around an hour to get there. tickets cost €6.50, and you can book these online on the trainline app. The train runs around every hour so it is easy to get there and back.
Once you are in Cefalù, I would head to Tatiana Melfa Bakery Garden for breakfast and then have a wander around the town in the morning.
Then, head to the beach. There are beach bars you can rent sun loungers from or areas where you can just put your towel down. The sea here is nice and calm so it is good for swimming and for families. For lunch, I would recommend Al Chiosco, which is a lovely casual beach bar serving great food and cocktails.
Before you leave Cefalù, I would also recommend heading to Cannoli. This is a lovely little cafe serving Cannoli and Gelato with a pretty little balcony overlooking the sea.
For dinner in Palermo, I would recommend heading to Sikulo – Umori & Sapori. This is a great restaurant serving amazing typical Sicilian dishes, it’s a little bit of a walk out of the main area but worth it for the great food!
After dinner, I would recommend going for cocktails at Mak Mixology bar. This is a great bar serving amazing cocktails, located in an old shopping gallery. It has such a nice vibe, live music, and the decor is really beautiful.
Day 3 in Palermo
For your final morning in Palermo, head to Brioscia for granita and brioche. This cafe serves amazing brioche and lots of flavours of granita to choose from.
It is then just a short walk to Teatro Massimo. This is the largest Opera House in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. It has a stunning Neoclassical design, inspired by Greek temples. To go inside the Opera House, you will need to book a guided tour. This tour costs €12 and takes around 30 minutes.
After this, I would recommend heading to Il Bar which is a relaxing rooftop bar with a chilled atmosphere that’s open all day. I went for a coffee and it was a lovely bit of peace away from the hustle and bustle of Palermo.
The next stop is going to be Market Il Capo, another one of Palermo’s famous street markets, well known for its fresh produce and street food. There are several street market tours and market tours and cooking classes which is a great way to visit the market and find the best spots to eat.
After lunch, it’s time to find the best Cannoli in Palermo. There are a few highly rated cafes serving Cannoli (including- I Segreti del Chiostro, Pasticceria Cappello and Pasticceria Costa); however, Cannoli & Co is only a short walk from Il Capo.
In the early evening, head down to the harbour. This is a nice area to have a walk around, see the sea and look at the boats. I would then recommend having a sunset drink at NAUTOscopio. This is a relaxing bar with seats on the beach, which is the perfect place to watch the sunset over the sea. It is reasonably priced and has such a nice, calm atmosphere.
Finally, head over to dinner at CiCala, which is a restaurant popular with locals. serve traditional Sicilian dishes and amazing local wines. Then, I would head back to the more central area for some final drinks in Palermo. Dal Barone, Goccio – L’arte del Miscelare and Botteghe Colleti are all great bars that are close together if you want to do some bar hopping on your final evening.
Other things to do in Palermo
- Day trip to Monreale– this is a beautiful little town near Palermo, with a stunning Cathedral that is another UNSECO heritage site. You can get the bus (line 389P) here and back it takes around an hour
- Spend the day at Mondello Beach- this is the closest beach to Palermo, and you can get the bus (line 806) here from the city centre. It takes around 30 minutes to get there.
- A cooking class in a locals home
Where to Stay in Palermo
Bastione Spasimo Boutique Hotel- a beautiful hotel within a 10-15 minute walk from the historical centre, with a tranquil garden featuring a pool and jacuzzi, perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle of Palermo.
Casa Nostra Boutique Hotel & Spa– a luxurious hotel, located centrally in Palermo, with a stunning outdoor pool area, and a spa for relaxing after exploring the city.
Palazzo Cartari– a beautiful, modern hotel right in the centre of Palermo.
About Amelia
Hi! I’m Amelia, a travel content creator and blogger who loves exploring new destinations, experiencing new cultures, and ticking off as much of my bucket list as possible!
I love to find the best things to do, best places to eat, drink and explore so I have created this blog to share my experiences and recommendations so that I can hopefully help you plan your perfect next trip away.
