Palermo in a Day Guide

It's often said that the further south in Italy you travel, the richer and more intense the experience gets. And the same can be said about Palermo. Look, I get it, Palermo has a reputation. But I will say that there is an international airport, a really great beach nearby, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and a lot more. So it's time to get to the nitty gritty about Palermo. If you're looking for an island with deep cultural roots, delicious unique food, UNESCO World Heritage sites and incredible beaches, then Sicily is the place to visit. In today's episode, I'll give you the formula of how to have an epic day in Palermo, the unavoidable capital of the island. Our ideal day will start with a food tour to dive deep into the local culture, experience UNESCO World Heritage sites, spend some time at a nearby beach, take a hike up to the best viewpoint in the city, and stay until the very end because we'll conclude our day with a phenomenal dinner at one of the best restaurants in the city. Like most places in Italy, Sicily is often best experienced first with a local guide. Check out the variety of tours available throughout the island on our website. Also, don't forget to like this video and subscribe to keep up with all our great content on this channel. Floating just off the toe of Italy's boot, Sicily is almost 10 square miles, slightly smaller than the US state of Indiana. It's the biggest island in the Mediterranean with more than one airport. Sicily is a triangular island with three capes on the corners forming the iconic Trinacria symbol. In the heart of captivating Sicily, nestled on the northwest coast, you'll find Palermo, which is just a 45-minute drive from Falcone Borsellino International Airport. Palermo Airport has regular connections to the rest of Italy and Europe. Palermo was founded in 734 BC and has been at the crossroads of history ever since. Today, it's the largest city in Sicily with a population of about 675,000 and also its capital. With that said, it's pretty easy to get around. While there are buses and taxis, if you stay in the historic center, all of the main sites are within walking distance. Most of what we will see today can be done on foot. So we're kicking off our morning right by starting with a food tour. That's right. First thing, out the gate, we're starting with a food tour here at one of the world famous markets in Palermo. Because that's just the best time to visit the market, to be honest. First of all, we start exploring the market. Which market is this? Capo Market. We go straight to Mama Piera. She will be making arancini for us. Oh, okay. Also, the food we offer on tour is different. In July, for example, there are these two weeks when we traditionally eat snails uncooked with garlic and olive oil. That way we never miss the chance to offer the travelers. Okay. The desserts in Sicily change every season. Okay. So there's a season for a cannoli, a season for a granita, a season for a gelato, a season for other stuff with ricotta creams, jams, watermelon creams in summertime. So we always follow the seasonality. So food is very seasonal here, just like it is in Rome, like it is in Florence. Yeah. Okay. Now I'm a rich man. I have the gold of Palermo. This is like the best tater tot you've ever had in your life. In school, we would be served these at lunch, and they were called tater tots. But this is 1,000 times better than the tater tots at Durfee School, I'll tell you that. We are really appreciating the best parts of an arancino. An arancino should be crunchy, you should feel the saffron, and then you should feel the meat. Okay, these are words. Most of places, they don't fry the arancino at the moment like our place here. So the crunchiness is one of the keys, and you got it right. Bravo, Angelo Castellano. This is not soggy whatsoever. The crunch is amazing. All right, so I'm at the Vucidia Market, which is the next stop on the food tour. And my boy Angelo back there, along with his uncle Massimo, have a great little barbecue stand. And it is barbecue time here in Palermo. I'm going to have barbecued lamb intestines. You heard that right, barbecued lamb intestines at 10.30 in the morning. So let's get it done. Salute. Chewy. So I got some mangi e bevi. I got bacon wrapped spring onions. So you eat the bacon, and then you have the beautiful, watery spring onion. All on the grill, right? That's an unhealthy way to drink water. Oh yeah. Buonissimo. Mm, bello. The bianco. Huh? What? That is so good. You want more? Yeah, a little bit more. Yeah? I never tasted anything like this. There you go. This is incredible. What is in this? Same story. Anchovies, onion, aged cheese, oregano, without tomato. So we call it sfincione bianco, sfincione rosso. So just without the tomato, it's essentially a white pizza. It's the aged cheese, the oregano, the anchovies, and then you have this beautiful bread here on top. So good. Sfincione. Only in Palermo, right? And I'm going to take this with me. A portare. Bravo. Marco, thanks so much, brother. If you love food as much as we do, join this tour or any of our other Palermo food tours. Palermo has nine impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Palazzo dei Normani, the Cappella Palatina, and the Cathedral of Palermo. These three sites are all located in the heart of Palermo and offer a fascinating glimpse into the city's rich and varied history and culture, from its Arab-Norman period to the Renaissance. In 1071, the Normans arrived here in Palermo, and by 1185, they built this exquisite cathedral right on top of a former mosque, and the exterior is a nice combination of different architectural styles. Inside, you can check out the remains of the patron saint of Palermo, Santa Rosalia. So viva Palermo, viva Santa Rosalia. One of the top things that you have to check out when you're here in Palermo, if not all of Sicily, is this royal palace behind me. Now, this was originally a Phoenician settlement, started in the 10th century BC, eventually became a royal palace in the 11th century, and we're going to step inside and see the royal palace, but also see a very special chapel called the Palatine Chapel. Again, UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's part of Palermo in a day. Let's check it out. The Palazzo dei Normani is the oldest royal palace in Europe and is home to the Cappella Palatina. Built in the 11th century, it was the seat of the Norman kings of Sicily. Today, it's still a government office. The Cappella Palatina is a small chapel located within the Palazzo Normani. It was built in the 12th century and is one of the most beautiful examples of Norman Arab architecture in the world. The chapel is decorated with beautiful mosaics, which depicts scenes from the Bible and the life of Christ. To skip the lines, do yourself a favor and book tickets well in advance. Better yet, book a tour to make better memories and make history come to life. So one of the first things the Phoenicians did when they settled here in Palermo in the 10th century is build a road, and they called it a casero, and it connected their original settlement all the way to the sea. And that's still a street here today in Palermo. It's called Via Vittorio Emanuele. And right behind me is the Porta Nuova gate, and it was built in the 17th century. It's right next to the royal palace, and you should check it out, because it was built to commemorate the victory of Charles V over the Ottomans. And you see the royal symbol, the eagle, right on that gate, which is still one of the important symbols of Palermo. An easy day trip from Palermo is to come to the picturesque hill town of Monreale. And the star attraction here is the 12th century UNESCO World Heritage Site cathedral, which is right behind me. This is something that you can't miss. It only took me about 30 minutes to drive from downtown Palermo, but if you want to make things easy for yourself and if you don't have a car, book one of our day trips, because we got you covered. So Monreale actually means royal mountain, and King William II, or William the Good, actually had this cathedral built in just two years. And what makes this absolutely spectacular is the combination of different cultures and workers who built this place. And you can see their influence, and that's why it's called Norman Arab. You see the Arabic influence, you see the Byzantine influence as well. And at the centerpiece, above the altar, is Christ the Protectorate, who is proclaiming that he is the light of the world. And throughout the walls, you have over 6,000 gold mosaics covering the walls here. Absolutely incredible. Back in central Palermo, it's finally time to try one of the most beloved Sicilian treats before heading to the beach. So as you're walking down Via Vittorio Emanuele, you definitely want to stop here at I Cucci, because in my opinion, they have the best canolo in Palermo, if not the whole world, because they bring the special ricotta from Piano di Albanessi, which is up in the hills of Palermo. And this is super special stuff. They fill it upon ordering, and you have to try this. Okay guys, I'm going in for the win, because this is, trust me, the real deal Holyfield. And you have a nice little cherry here, a nice little candied orange, true Sicilian style. Let's do this. This is so good. It's so rich and creamy that it's undeniably amazing. Some of the top things to see in Palermo are in the historic center and are located just minutes from each other, like the Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria, and historic churches like La Chiesa di Gesù. Quattro Canti, or the Four Corners, is a mesmerizing crossroads where four grand Baroque facades converge. Built in the early 17th century, this historic square symbolizes the city's rich cultural past and architectural splendor, making it a must-see. Piazza Pretoria is a captivating square renowned for its stunning Renaissance fountain. Dating back to the 16th century, this square, surrounded by impressive architecture, offers a glimpse into the city's artistic and historical significance. La Chiesa di Gesù is a magnificent example of Sicilian Baroque architecture. Built in the 16th century, the opulent interior and intricate details reflect both religious devotion and artistic brilliance. A visit here immerses you in Palermo's rich Baroque heritage and spiritual grandeur. Just 20 to 30 minutes by car outside of the city center is one of the best beaches in Sicily. Taxis can be pretty expensive, so if you don't have a car, you can reach Bondello in one hour by bus. Check your favorite mapping app for more details. So if you're driving in Sicily, you've got to pay attention to parking, and typically when you have blue lines like this, that means you can park there, but you have to read the sign and make sure that you pay for your ticket. So in this case, I had to go into a local shop and scratch off the time. Each one of these tickets is valid for one hour. Welcome to Mondello Beach. It's only 30 to 40 minutes away from Palermo. It's a local beach here. And lucky for us, it's also one of the best beaches in all of Sicily. The water is super shallow, so it's really great for families. You have beach clubs that go right along the beach, and also you have plenty of restaurants, plenty of places for aperitivo, gelato, a great place to really escape the nitty-gritty nature of Palermo. On the way back to Palermo, I decided to hike up the iconic Monte Pellegrino. This majestic mountain has epic views of the city and a deep spiritual connection to the people. Situated on the historic Piazza Bologna, under the shadows of the statue of Charles V, is one of the best dining experiences you can have in Palermo. Tonight, I'm joining my friends Francesco and Nicola for a dinner at E. Fucci. I'm having Piazza Bologna gin here in Piazza Bologna, only in Palermo. This is so beautiful, I don't even know if I want to eat it. It's pasta catunina season, which is pasta with a tuna ragu. It is dessert time here, and of course I have a tiramisu made in the only way possible here in Palermo, with pistachios. One of the best things that can happen to you in travel is to get invited into somebody's home, and today Nicola invited me into his home, his restaurant, E. Fucci, and not only did I get to have dinner with him, but all of his friends, who have quickly become my friends here in Palermo. What a fantastic dinner. Well, that's it for our time in Palermo. It's incredible to think of how much we covered in a city that's about 2,700 years old. The vibrant markets, epic food culture, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and nearby beach make Palermo an easy choice to begin or end any Sicilian adventure. But more importantly, our time with the Sicilian people will help us bring those stories home. I'm Angel Castellanos for the Tour Guide. Don't forget to comment, like, and subscribe, and smash that bell so you can find our next video. Viva Sicilia!