Palermo small tour
Route Details
Route Distance
3.0 km
Route Duration
34.8 m
Route Points
4
Places to visit
1
Places to impress
0
Places to eat
Short guided tour of the historic center of Palermo, designed to discover some of the city's most iconic architectural wonders.
Stage 1 - Palazzo dei Normanni
The Norman Palace is the oldest royal residence in Europe still in use.
Inside, there is the beautiful Palatine Chapel, a jewel of Arab-Norman art, famous for its golden mosaics.
Ticket price: 19,00€ (various reduction options)
Visit duration: 45 minutes
Stage 2 - Porta Nuova
A few steps away, along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, is the monumental entrance to the historic city, built in the 16th century to celebrate the victory of Charles V.
The structure is surmounted by a Renaissance loggia and a pyramidal roof covered with polychrome majolica, on the top of which stands an eagle, emblem of the city.
Stage 3 - Palermo Cathedral
The majestic Cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, is one of the most important monuments in the city and represents an extraordinary example of the fusion of architectural styles, such as Norman, Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical.
It is precisely this mixture of styles that makes its interiors wonderful and unique.
It is also possible to access the Monumental Area, which also includes a visit to the Royal Tombs, the Crypt, the Treasury and the Apses, as well as the opportunity to climb the terraces for a panoramic view of the city.
Ticket price: 12.00€ (various reduction options)
Visit duration: 30 minutes
Stage 4 - The Four Songs
From Piazza Vigliena there is a monumental crossroads in baroque style that divides the city into its four historic commandments.
Built between 1608 and 1620 in baroque style, the concave facades are enriched with columns, statues and fountains and are considered the city's “living room” and a perfect example of scenographic baroque urban planning.
They are also called “Teatro del Sole”, because during the day the sun progressively illuminates each of the four facades.
Stage 5 - Teatro Massimo
The tour ends in front of the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy and one of the largest in Europe.
The construction of the theater began in 1875 on a design by the architect Giovan Battista Filippo Basile and was completed in 1897 by his son Ernesto Basile. The building is an example of a neoclassico-eclectic style, inspired by Greco-Roman architecture, with an impressive Corinthian pronaos, a monumental staircase and two bronze lions that represent Tragedy and Lyric.
Inside you can admire the horseshoe-shaped main hall that can accommodate up to 1,350 spectators and is famous for its exceptional acoustics, considered among the best in the world.
The frescoed dome and the Art Nouveau details give the environment a timeless elegance.
Ticket price: 12.00€ (various reduction options)
Visit duration: 20—30 minutes
Places
Norman Palace
Porta Nuova
Palermo Cathedral
Quattro Canti
Download the app to open this and other exciting routes
