Palermo Tours & Holidays 2022 | Newmarket Holidays

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JOIN US ON A HOLIDAY TO PALERMO

Located in southern Sicily, where the weather is stunning year-round, Palermo is an Italian masterpiece. As Sicily’s premier cultural and tourism destination, it also is an important centre for the region’s identity, offering hundreds of unique things to see and do.

Architecture lovers can meander through winding streets that pass Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and even Art Nouveau edifices. There are dozens of ancient churches to stand in awe at, as well as other religious structures featured in the UNESCO World Heritage Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalu and Monreale. Then there’s the awe-inspiring palaces, the squares, and the remains of the city walls. Palermo tours can help you plot a route through the denseness of the city’s attractions, so you can see the best of it all.

Despite this wondrous past the area’s residents are very forward-thinking. Interspersed between the striking buildings and parks are lively bars, unique restaurants, and museums and galleries that show off the best of contemporary Sicily. Palermo escorted tours allow you to see amazing sights like the opera house, taking the stress out of your Italian holiday.

Things to see in Palermo

Many parts of the former city walls survive from Roman times, and are dotted throughout the city. Have a look at where the eastern edge used to be to see the most intact walls, complete with inscriptions.

Going palace hopping in Sicily is the best way to get through the illustrious list of structures to see. Our favourites include Palazzo dei Normanni, Zisa and Cuba, and Palazzo Chiaramonte, but each have their own charm.

A bit more of a modern build but no less amazing to look at, Massimo Theatre is the 18th century Opera House that dominates the piazza it’s in. Even if you don’t get to see a performance, the building is an architectural marvel.

Things to do in Palermo

Palermo Cathedral is a mixture of architectural styles, but one of the most intriguing parts about it is the heliometer (solar observatory) that’s homed there. It was one of the first attempts to standardise time, and an early example of a sophisticated, time-telling and calendar device.

The Orto botanico di Palermo (Palermo Botanical Gardens) is the largest in Italy, and home to some incredible flora as well as interesting statues and other serene natural features.

Food and Drink in Palermo

What’s better than creamy, delicious risotto? Shaping it into balls, dipping it in batter, and deep-frying it!

Arancini is a Sicilian specialty that you’ll have to control yourself not to gorge on – but definitely allow yourself a few over the course of your trip!

While many believe the best of Italian food is impossible to make without meat or dairy, the much-loved caponata – a vegetable medley dish that is defined by smoky aubergine – is a Palermo specialty that eschews animal-based products.

Enoteca Picone is a wine shop that somehow manages to be the best in a city known for its love of the nectar of gods. With over 7,000 labels to choose from, a peruse through here is a wine-lover’s paradise. Make sure to try the Alcamo Rosso, a local flavour.