Palermo, Sicily

One of the most breathtaking rooms in all of Europe — a 12th-century Norman chapel encrusted floor-to-ceiling in Byzantine gold mosaics depicting Biblical scenes with extraordinary precision. Located inside Palazzo dei Normanni, this is unmissable.

A stunning architectural patchwork spanning Norman, Arab, Gothic, and Baroque styles — the exterior is one of Sicily's most photographed landmarks. The rooftop terrace (ticketed) offers panoramic views over the city.

Sicily's oldest royal palace, a stunning layered monument built by Arab emirs and later expanded by Norman kings. The building houses the Palatine Chapel and the Sala di Re Ruggero, a royal chamber covered in Norman hunting mosaics.

An extraordinary and slightly macabre underground cemetery where over 8,000 mummified bodies of Palermitan citizens, monks, and nobles are displayed in niches and corridors dating from the 16th to 20th centuries.

Palermo's magnificent Baroque crossroads — four curved, symmetrical façades forming an octagonal piazza at the intersection of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda. Each corner features a different Sicilian season, Spanish king, and patron saint.

Often described as the finest example of Norman architecture in the world — a 12th-century cathedral whose interior is covered in 6,340 square metres of gold Byzantine mosaics. The cloister garden with its 228 twin columns is equally stunning.

Italy's largest opera house and one of the grandest in Europe — the neoclassical façade with its Corinthian columns is instantly recognisable. Guided tours of the opulent interior (including the royal boxes and stage) run every 30 minutes.

Palermo's oldest and most vibrant street market — a chaotic, sensory riot of spice mounds, fresh fish, blood oranges, and sizzling street food stalls. This is where you try arancina, pane ca' meusa (spleen sandwich), and sfincione.

Palermo's most historic street food institution, open since 1834 — the place to eat pane ca' meusa (spleen sandwich with ricotta) and stigghiola (grilled intestine skewers) at marble-topped tables in a tiled 19th-century interior.

A beloved family-run trattoria tucked into the Noce neighbourhood — unpretentious, noisy, and serving the kind of home-style Sicilian food that tourists rarely find. Pasta alla Norma, stuffed sardines, and caponata are the standouts.

The Capo market district offers some of Palermo's best sfincione (thick Sicilian pizza with onion, anchovies, and breadcrumbs) sold directly from vendors' trays, plus fresh panelle (chickpea fritters) in bread rolls.

Palermo's grandest historic café — a marble-and-mirror Art Nouveau institution on Via Principe di Belmonte serving legendary granita with brioche, Sicilian pastries, and the city's finest espresso since 1860.

A neighbourhood Sicilian pasticceria near Piazza Lolli beloved by locals for its cannoli (filled to order so the shell stays crisp), cassata, and almond-paste confections. No tourist markup — this is where Palermitans buy their Sunday pastries.

One of Palermo's hidden baroque treasures — a small oratory decorated with exquisite stucco by Giacomo Serpotta and housing Van Dyck's altarpiece 'Our Lady of the Rosary'. Utterly overlooked by most visitors and profoundly beautiful.

Palermo's most celebrated wine shop and enoteca — over 6,000 Sicilian and Italian labels line the walls, and you can drink by the glass at the bar or perch on a stool with a charcuterie board and a glass of Nero d'Avola.

Palermo's elegant main pedestrian shopping boulevard — a long straight corso running from the port quarter to the Teatro Massimo, lined with boutiques, ceramics shops, linen stores, and gelato bars in a mix of historic palazzo buildings.

Palermo's famous Sunday flea market spilling through Piazza Peranni and surrounding streets — antiques, old maps of Sicily, vintage ceramics, religious icons, and assorted oddities spread across makeshift stalls in the heart of the old city.

Palermo's ancient Arab quarter — a labyrinth of crumbling baroque palaces, ornate churches, hidden courtyards, and street art. The neighbourhood suffered WWII bomb damage and was long left to decay, giving it a haunting, lived-in beauty unlike anywhere else in Italy.

One of the most beautiful botanic gardens in Europe — a 10-hectare oasis of centuries-old tropical trees, Sicilian endemic plants, and ponds filled with giant Victoria amazonica water lilies, all set around a magnificent 18th-century neoclassical pavilion.

One of Sicily's most beautiful coastal towns — a golden Norman cathedral dominates the skyline above a medieval village crammed between a massive cliff face and a crystal-clear turquoise bay with a sandy beach. The cathedral's 12th-century Christ Pantocrator mosaic rivals Monreale.