Palermo flights and travel guide

Southern Italy is very different to the North: this is the place where life is lived to the full, at full pelt and at full volume.

Most visitors to Palermo fall in love with the city. It has a stunning location on the west of Sicily, with access to some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, and enjoys warm weather almost year-round. 

As with most of Italy, the city has a host of museums and galleries and spectacular churches, with architecture that dates back many centuries and has influences from Roman, Arab and Greek civilisations. And many tourists book flights to Palermo for the cuisine. The food here is exquisite: all local produce that grows on the island’s hills or is caught in the sea.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Palermo

Back to top

Palermo climate

Palermo has a mild Mediterranean climate. July and August are hot with temperatures in the 30s (Celsius) and humid. Winters are mild and it rarely drops below freezing. January and December are the coldest months with temperatures in the teens. November through January have the most rainfall.

Back to top

When to fly to Palermo

Peak season:

As with the rest of Italy, Palermo’s main tourist season is April to mid-October. The largest festival, Festino di Santa Rosalia, honours the city’s patron saint and is celebrated 9-15 July with shows, concerts, a religious procession, and fireworks. Hotel rooms for the festival period must be booked well in advance.

The city is also very busy with tourists at Easter and school children March through May.

Off season:

Autumn to early spring is considered the low season with cooler temperatures, more rain, fewer crowds, and unhurried enjoyment of the sights. This is the time to find a discounted flight to Palermo.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Palermo

Back to top

Getting around Palermo

The best way to see Palermo’s medieval centre is on foot. All the sights are close enough that you won’t need more than your own two feet. The rest of the city is another story, and you’ll need to travel via bus or taxi. Buy bus tickets at tobacco shops before you board, and the bus will take you anywhere you need to go, including as far out as Monreale or Mondello. Trips made within a set time period cost a flat fare, or you can buy an all-day pass. For major sights and attractions, you may want to take the Giro Citta tourist bus. The bus travels in a loop, so you’ll get on and get off at Teatro Politeama. Buy your tickets on board. Buses are very convenient, but they can be slow. For a faster trip, call for a taxi or pick one up at a stand. You can also rent a taxi for an entire day.

Back to top

Palermo insider information

• The Teatro Massimo is one of Europe's largest theatres. Dating from the 19th century, it was restored recently and stages opera and ballet.
• The Antonio Pasqualino International Marionette Museum contains about 3500 puppets, marionettes and hand puppets from around the world, including Punch and Judy. There is an annual Festival di Morgana, children's workshops and regular performances of the Opera dei Pupi.
• Quattro Canti, the square, is the centre of the old city, between Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda. There are four 17th-century palaces on the square with facades illustrating different themes such as Spanish kings and the four seasons. 
• Kalsa is Palermo’s Arabic quarter. The Porta dei Greci is also known as Porta d’Africa. It is possible to spot the sea from the gateway.
• The Palermo Cathedral, Saint Mary of the Assumption, is built on the site of a pagan temple and, later, mosque, and was worked upon until relatively recently so it has a mix of architectural styles. The chapel is known for its royal tombs and the Cathedral Treasury houses the 12th-century Crown of Constance, which has Byzantine, Arabic and Western elements.
• Visit Monreale about 7km (about five miles) south of Palermo's centre. Monreale overlooks the "Conca d'Oro," the beautiful valley beyond Palermo. The mosaics in Monreale Cathedral are said to be one of the world's largest displays of this art.
• The catacombs under the Capuchins Monastery are in the Piazza Cappuccini. In 1599, the monks discovered that the catacombs had a preservative that helped mummify the dead, a discovery that made the grottos very popular with the locals. The oldest corpses date from the late 16th century and the last corpse is two-year-old Rosalia Lombaro, who died in 1920. Visitors can wander through the catacombs' corridors among the mummified bodies.

Back to top

Palermo airports

Back to top