You want to discover Palermo? We show you the top sights and give you info & tips for the capital of Sicily. This way you can easily prepare your unforgettable trip!
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Palermo is located in the northwest of Sicily, directly on the sea. On the satellite image, Italy looks like a boot and Sicily like the football at its top.
This football is the remnant of a land bridge that once connected Italy with Africa. Of course, the proximity to Africa can still be felt in the climate today. Tunisia, for example, is 308 km away.
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When is the best time to travel to Palermo?
The climate is most attractive in spring and autumn. It is pleasantly warm then, you can swim in the sea and it rarely rains. In these southern regions it is very hot in July and August with temperatures around 40 degrees.
In principle, you can travel to Palermo all year round, because it never gets really cold there. In January, the temperatures are rarely below 10 degrees, and the first almond trees begin to blossom at the end of February.
The most expensive travel season is around Easter time. July and August are also high season, despite the heat, because Italian families have their summer holidays during these months.
How much time should you allow for Palermo?
The old town can easily be explored on foot in two days. However, if you want to see some of the most beautiful sights, a weekend is too short. Three to four days would be ideal to see the most interesting highlights. For a combination of city trip and beach holiday, it is recommended to plan a week.
Who is Palermo best suited for?
Palermo is the ideal place for active bon vivants who are life-affirming and optimistic. For whom it is important to enjoy life to the fullest. Who have "pamper and be pampered" as their motto, are often interested in art and culture and like the urban flair and the richness of facets. For these active connoisseurs, Palermo with its mix of art and culture, its culinary delights, its vibrant life and its location on the Mediterranean is the ideal place.
Can you drink tap water in Palermo?
Tap water in Sicily is tested at regular intervals according to EU guidelines. You can drink it, there are no health reasons against it. However, there are regional differences in taste.
Water from the mountains tastes very good, but on the coast the taste leaves much to be desired. For example, the tap water in Palermo tastes of lime, which is why most hotels, restaurants and cafés filter the water.
Do you tip in Palermo?
Throughout Italy, and also in Sicily, it is customary to charge for the coperto, which is the table setting, the obligatory bread on the table and the service.
This amount of about two to three euros per person is listed on the menu and is automatically included on the bill. In principle, this covers the tip.
Since the local waiters earn little, it is a friendly gesture to leave a few euros on the table for the service despite the coperto charged.
How can I pay in Palermo?
You can easily pay without cash in Palermo, both in the supermarket and in restaurants. Either use your German EC card or pay by credit card.
Withdrawing money is also easy, there are banks with ATMs. The withdrawal fee with a German EC card is between two and six euros.
What should you definitely pack?
In Sicily, the sun shines very strongly almost all year round. Therefore, one of the most important tips is to take a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.
You should also pack a sun hat to avoid sunstroke. Mosquito repellent lotion is also worthwhile. It is advisable to buy these products in Germany. On the island, hygiene products such as creams and also shampoos or body lotions are usually more expensive.
It also makes sense to pack a light scarf or coverlet for church visits. On the one hand, it is not allowed to enter sacred buildings with bare arms, and on the other hand, it is often very chilly in the old buildings.
Do I need a travel adapter?
As there are three different systems of sockets in Italy, the German standard plug does not fit into all sockets. If you want to be absolutely sure that your device will work in the hotel, you should think of a universal adapter. It is worth taking this adapter with you from home, in Italy it is not easy to find everywhere.
Are there certain rules of conduct?
In principle, the same rules of conduct apply in Palermo as in other European regions. When visiting a church, however, you should make sure that you are dressed correctly.
Women visiting a church or other sacred building should not have spaghetti straps or bare arms. Skirts that expose the knee are also not welcome. You can throw on a light scarf or borrow a plastic cover-up at the portal.
Do you still have unanswered questions and need tips for your tour?
Then also visit the Information page from Wikipedia, the Wikivoyage page or feel free to contact us. We will be happy to help you.
Palermo is known for its mafia past. Today, the capital of Sicily is considered the safest metropolis in Italy. The criminal structures have been fought by the judiciary and the population since the 1980s.
The turnaround in dealing with the Mafia is due first and foremost to Giovanni Falcone, who as a judge in the early 1980s set up a special commission in Palermo and brought some 400 Mafia members to trial.
The victorious Falcone was then killed with a car bomb on his way from the airport in revenge. The second prosecutor in the trial, Paolo Borsellino, also fell victim to an attack a good two months later.
These two assassinations of the symbolic figures of the resistance triggered a wave of indignation among the civilian population. The Italian state launched a repressive offensive that continues to this day, and the enraged population began to free itself from the influence of the criminal organisation.
Read more:
The national statistics office Istat reported in 2019 that Palermo is the safest metropolis in Italy. More details on this and the current crime data can be found in our Article: How safe is Palermo?
Palermo has more to offer than the typical Italian dishes such as lasagne, pizza or spaghetti, although you can also order these delicacies in top quality at every corner of the city.
Sicilian cuisine is very versatile. One reason for this is
Sicily's turbulent history with its many changes of rule. The Greeks, Romans and Arabs brought many ingredients and new spices to the island.
In addition to the influences of foreign cultures, Sicilian cuisine is characterised by the rich yields of its own agriculture, such as olives, artichokes, tomatoes or aubergines and fishing.
Our restaurant tips:
Palermo has also been synonymous with street food for centuries. Forbes lists the city as the 5th street food capital of the world. It is the only Italian city in the top 10.
We recommend you to experience the street food culture on the three-hour tour of the local markets . You will taste the authentic street food with a guide at your side.
Here is a list of the most popular street food dishes:
Where to get good desserts:
Our tip for further reading: