Hotels near Palermo

Palermo is Sicily's chaotic, food-obsessed capital, founded by the Phoenicians around 734 BC and shaped most spectacularly by Norman and Arab rulers between 1072 and 1194. UNESCO listed nine of the city's Arab-Norman monuments together in 2015, including the Cappella Palatina inside the Norman Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni) - a small chapel covered floor to ceiling in Byzantine gold mosaics that even rivals Ravenna.

Walking tours start at the Quattro Canti baroque crossroads, then past Piazza Pretoria, the Palermo Cathedral on Via Vittorio Emanuele (free entry, 7 EUR for the rooftop), and the Teatro Massimo - Italy's largest opera house. The street-food markets are the city's beating heart: Ballarò operates Tuesday to Saturday around Piazza del Carmine, Capo runs daily near Porta Carini, and Vucciria has the late-evening drinking scene around Piazza Caracciolo. Try a panino con la milza at Antica Focacceria San Francesco, arancina at Bar Touring, and pane e panelle from any street cart.

Pro Tip: Order arancina (the rounded Palermo version) at Bar Touring or I Cuochini before 10:00 AM, then walk the Capo market - it has fewer cruise tourists than Vucciria. For the Cappella Palatina, book the morning slot online to avoid the queue and to see the gold mosaics in their best natural light before midday.