How to spend one day in Palermo – best things to do

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, can be loud and sometimes chaotic, but it’s also full of charm and character. It’s a place where you can still see real Sicilian life, as it’s not overrun by tourists yet, unlike many other cities on the island.

With its crumbling facades and raw atmosphere, Palermo can at first appear a bit rough around the edges, but as you get to know it better, you’ll discover a fantastic city with unique Arab-Norman architecture, an amazing food scene, bustling markets and many layers of history.

I spent one day in Palermo during my 7-day Sicily road trip and tried to see as much as I could with my limited time. In this post, I’ve rounded up the top things to do in Palermo if you only have 24 hours, so you can enjoy your time here to the fullest. At the end of the post, you’ll also find my suggestions on where to stay in Palermo.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links from which I may make a commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase.

One day in Palermo: 6 best things to do

All of the places I cover below can be reached on foot if you’re up for walking a few kilometers. Just remember to wear sunscreen and stay hydrated if you’re visiting Palermo in the summer, since the midday heat is brutal.

If you don’t feel like walking around the entire day, you might want to check out this hop-on hop-off bus tour option, which stops near all the places in this article.

1) Indulge in street food

Palermo is known for its street food, so you should definitely try some local staples even if you just have one day in Palermo. Three of the most famous items which you can find all over the city are arancini, granita and cannoli.

• Arancini, or arancino in singular, is a deep-fried ball of rice with a savory filling like cheese or ham in the middle. They are golden and crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside.
• Cannoli, or cannolo in singular, is the queen of pastries in Sicily. These crispy pastry rolls with sweet ricotta filling not only look adorable, but they will also send your taste buds to heaven.
• Brioche con granita is a Sicilian twist on an ice-cream sandwich. This delicious frozen dessert can be found in pretty much any flavor you could ask for, ranging from the most traditional lemon all the way to coffee, pistachio and peach.

Other classic dishes you should try are sfincione (Sicilian-style pizza), pane e panelle (a chickpea fritter sandwich) and crocche (potato croquettes).

Are you a vegan? Then check out this vegan guide to Sicily for tips on the best vegan-friendly street food to try.

2) Visit Palermo Cathedral

Another one of the top things to do in Palermo is to visit the beautiful Palermo Cathedral. Constructed and renovated over hundreds of years under the rule of different nations, the cathedral has a unique appearance with elements from Arabic, Western and Byzantine origins.

While the cathedral is truly impressive on the outside, the interior is not quite as exciting but still worth a visit, since it’s free to enter the cathedral. However, keep in mind that your shoulders and knees should be covered before you enter. Otherwise, they’ll make you wear a paper poncho.

Accessing the cathedral’s treasury, the roof terrace, and the tombs of royals and emperors requires purchasing a ticket, which costs 13 euros for adults.

3) Visit Palermo’s markets

To get a glimpse of authentic Sicilian life, head to one of Palermo’s open-air markets. The three main ones are Vucciria, Capo and Ballaro, the latter being the biggest and busiest of them all, and the one I recommend that you visit.

Be ready to have your senses stimulated because Ballaro market is loud, colorful, and full of unusual (and not always pleasant) smells. 

Here you’ll discover a labyrinth of stalls with boxes full of various types of fish, strings of sausages hanging above you, piles of strange-looking vegetables, baskets full of snails, and huge swordfish heads staring at you. 

On top of that, you’ll hear the loud shouts of vendors promoting their products and trying to catch your attention. These are just a few of the experiences you might have at the markets! 

While the conditions for selling meat and fish didn’t look particularly hygienic, these kinds of markets are the perfect place to buy fresh fruits, nuts and veggies. You’ll get delicious, affordable, unpackaged food while supporting local farmers.

Related post: The perfect one-week Sicily itinerary

4) Marvel at Teatro Massimo

Right in the center of Palermo, you’ll find the gigantic Teatro Massimo (Massimo Theater), one of the most iconic landmarks of the city. Opened in 1897, it’s the largest opera house in Italy and the third-largest in Europe.

The architecture of the theater was inspired by Greek temples, which you can clearly see from the massive columns guarding the main entrance. 

It’s free to roam around outside the theater but if you want to have a look inside, you have to take a guided tour. Alternatively, you can purchase a ticket to see a play, which is probably well worth the money as the theater is famous for its perfect acoustics. 

5) Admire Fontana Pretoria

Just next to Quattro Canti, a little square marking the center of Palermo’s historic quarter, you’ll find Piazza Pretoria with its magnificent marble fountain.

This intricate masterpiece was actually built in Florence and then shipped to Palermo in the 16th century. Once reassembled in its current location, many locals were outraged by the nudity of the sculptures surrounding the fountain, especially because it’s located right next to a church. Due to all the naked statues, people referred to Pretoria Square as the Square of Shame (Piazza Della Vergogna).

Today, Pretoria Fountain is a must-see attraction in Palermo and one of the most photographed spots in the city.

When we visited, it was still possible to walk up to the central fountain, as you can see in the photos above. Unfortunately, now (in 2026), you can only observe the fountain from behind a fence, and a part of the fountain is currently under renovation.

To get a better view of the fountain, visit the rooftop terrace of the neighboring Santa Caterina d’Alessandria church.

6) Finish your day in Antica Focacceria San Francesco

There’s no better way to wrap up your day in Palermo than to relax in one of its charming outdoor restaurants with a glass of Sicilian wine in your hand and local delicacies on your plate. We had dinner at Antica Focacceria San Francesco, a famous restaurant open since 1834 in the heart of Palermo. It’s fairly inexpensive and offers traditional Sicilian and Palermitan food.

The main dining area of the restaurant is located on a little piazza surrounded by lovely old buildings. This, combined with dim lights and a gentle summer breeze, created an incredibly romantic ambience. As if the setting wasn’t idyllic enough, a duo of elderly men started singing Italian ballads on the restaurant’s balcony, giving us a truly memorable dining experience. 

Bonus tip: what not to do

Since I love being surrounded by nature, we decided to visit the Botanical Garden of Palermo to admire some Mediterranean flora and wander among exotic trees. However, it seemed like the entire gardening staff had gone on a long summer holiday because this place looked completely abandoned.

Fields of dead plants and brown grass, a layer of algae swallowing the ponds, and weeds overtaking the walking paths – it could almost be a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie. We had never seen a botanical garden in such condition. 

However, I’ve also read some reviews where people say that the gardens were very well maintained, so perhaps we were just unlucky with the timing of our visit.

Where to stay in Palermo?

If you only have 24 hours in Palermo, I recommend staying in the city center, also known as the Centro Storico, where all the top attractions of Palermo are located. Below are my picks for the best places to stay in Palermo, depending on your budget:

How long to stay in Palermo?

One day is enough to visit the highlights of Palermo, but if you want to delve a bit deeper, you can definitely find enough activities for an additional day. Some of the places you could visit on the second day include Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel), Palazzo dei Normanni, the Capuchin Catacombs and Mondello Beach. Another activity worth considering is this highly-rated ‘No mafia’ walking tour, where you’ll learn about the history of the Mafia in Sicily and the role it still has in society.

Map of the top attractions in Palermo

To get an overview of where all of the above-mentioned places are located in Palermo, take a look at the interactive map below. To view this map in the Google Maps app, click on the rectangle icon in the top right corner.