One day in Palermo

Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel

The seat of the Sicilian Parliament and the former royal residence of the Norman kings, with the Palatine Chapel, the Royal Apartments and the gardens. The chapel is the part most visitors come for.

3 h visitOpen 8:30 am–12:30 pmAdult ticket €14.50

Go as soon as it opens and leave the afternoon for the lanes. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays the Royal Apartments are not included and the ticket is cheaper.

Tickets are sold online and at the ticket office. Online sales stay open until 20 minutes before the last admission of the day. Restoration work in the chapel can change opening times, so check the Foundation page the day before.

The palace opens at 08:30 every day and lists 16:30 (Monday to Saturday) and 12:30 (Sunday) as the last admission. The Palatine Chapel is closed to visitors every Sunday from 09:30 to 11:00. The palace is closed on 25 December and 1 January, and it may close in whole or in part without notice for institutional or religious reasons.

Source: Fondazione Federico II (Palazzo dei Normanni), checked November 2, 2026

Palermo Cathedral

The cathedral of Palermo, with a free nave and a paid monumental area that holds the royal tombs, the treasury, the crypt and the roof.

2 h 30 visitOpen 10:00 am–6:00 pm · last entry 5:30 pm

Start on the roof in the morning, while the light on the domes and the city is good. The nave is free, so you can step in between other visits. Buy tickets only on the official shop or at the cathedral ticket offices, since it does not use outside sellers.

The monumental area opens Monday to Saturday 09:30 to 18:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, with the last admission at 17:30. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January, and opens from 10:00 on 8 December, 26 December and 6 January.

Source: Cattedrale di Palermo, Area Monumentale, checked November 2, 2026

Teatro Massimo

The opera house of Palermo. The guided visit takes in the main hall, the royal box salon and the foyers.

1 h 15 visitOpen 9:30 am–7:00 pm · last entry 6:20 pmAdult ticket €14

The visit fits well between the Quattro Canti and a lunch break. Choose a morning slot online if you want a fixed time.

Open for visits every day from 09:30 to 19:00, with the last visit at 18:20. The theatre may suspend visits on some days and posts notice on its news page.

Source: Fondazione Teatro Massimo, checked November 2, 2026

Quattro Canti

The baroque crossroads where Corso Vittorio Emanuele meets Via Maqueda, with four curved facades in cut stone. It marks the centre of the old city.

45 min visitAlways open

Stand in the middle of the crossing and look up at the three levels of each corner.

Source: Portale del Turismo, Comune di Palermo, checked November 2, 2026

Piazza Pretoria

A square with a large fountain made of marble statues, next to the city hall and the Martorana.

45 min visitAlways open

Look at the fountain from the steps of the city hall, then continue to the Martorana, which is a few steps away.

Source: Portale del Turismo, Comune di Palermo, checked November 2, 2026