Voyaggora
Top sights in Palermo
- Palermo Cathedral – Cathedral in Italy
- Cappella Palatina – Royal chapel in Palermo, Sicily
- Quattro Canti – Square in Palermo
- Palazzo dei Normanni – Palace in Palermo, Italy
Well-known landmarks, each checked against Wikidata (CC0), which also supplies the one-line descriptions. The bookable tours below are the second layer: guided ways to see them.
Top-rated tours in Palermo
Planning your trip to Palermo
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October bring warm, pleasant weather for sightseeing and beach days at Mondello. July and August are very hot, so plan sightseeing for mornings and evenings. Winter is mild and quieter, a good time for the churches, palaces and markets without the crowds.
How many days you need
Two to three days covers the Cathedral, the Palatine Chapel in the Norman Palace, the Quattro Canti crossroads, the Teatro Massimo, the historic street markets and plenty of street food. Add days for the mosaics of Monreale, the seaside town of Cefalù, the Greek temple at Segesta or a day at the beach in Mondello.
Getting around
The historic center is walkable, and city buses cover longer distances. A train and airport buses connect the airport with the center. Driving in central Palermo is hectic and much of the historic center is a limited-traffic zone, so a car is only worth having for trips around the island.
What to skip
Do not drive into the limited-traffic zone without a permit, as cameras issue fines automatically. Keep an eye on your belongings in the crowded markets. Many churches ask visitors to cover shoulders and knees, so carry a light layer.
Where to stay in Palermo
Hotels and vacation rentals around Palermo with live prices from the big booking sites. Pick your dates on the map to compare.
Hotel map by our partner Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Best time to visit Palermo
The most comfortable months in Palermo are April to June and September to October, with average daytime highs of 65 to 82°F (18 to 28°C) and 3 to 11 rainy days a month. August is the hottest month, averaging 88°F (31°C), and January the coolest at 58°F (14°C). November sees the most rain, around 14 days, while July is the driest with about 2.
Jump to a month: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain (about, mm) | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58°F (14°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 100 | 13 | Avoid: among the wettest, 13 rainy days |
| February | 60°F (16°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 90 | 6 | Shoulder: 60°F (16°C), 6 rainy days |
| March | 61°F (16°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 70 | 12 | Shoulder: 61°F (16°C), 12 rainy days |
| April | 65°F (18°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 60 | 9 | Best: 9 rainy days |
| May | 72°F (22°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 30 | 10 | Best: 10 rainy days |
| June | 81°F (27°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 20 | 3 | Best: 3 rainy days |
| July | 87°F (31°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 10 | 2 | Shoulder: 87°F (31°C), 2 rainy days |
| August | 88°F (31°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 10 | 4 | Shoulder: 88°F (31°C), 4 rainy days |
| September | 82°F (28°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 60 | 11 | Best: 11 rainy days |
| October | 75°F (24°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 90 | 11 | Best: 11 rainy days |
| November | 68°F (20°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 90 | 14 | Avoid: among the wettest, 14 rainy days |
| December | 62°F (17°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 100 | 12 | Shoulder: 62°F (17°C), 12 rainy days |
Average daily high and low, and days with rain (a day with at least 1 mm), from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024. Highlighted rows are the pick above. Verdicts use only these numbers.
Rainfall: NASA POWER monthly normals. Sea temperature: NOAA daily satellite data.
Plan the rest of your trip to Palermo
More destinations in Europe
Closest guides to Palermo
Planning guides
Right now in Palermo
Is it safe to travel to Italy right now?
Official US, UK and Canada travel advice for Italy, side by side, with each source and the time it was checked. See today's advisory for Italy
Palermo: common questions
- When is the best time to visit Palermo?
- The best time to visit Palermo is April to June and September to October, when average highs run 65 to 82°F (18 to 28°C) with 3 to 11 rainy days a month. August is the hottest month at 88°F (31°C) on average, and January the coolest at 58°F (14°C).
- What is the rainiest month in Palermo?
- November, with roughly 14 days of rain. The driest is July, with about 2. A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain; figures are averages from 2019-2024 records.
- How warm does it get in Palermo?
- August is the warmest month, averaging 88°F (31°C) by day and 74°F (23°C) at night. January is the coolest, at 58°F (14°C) by day and 48°F (9°C) at night.
- What is the rainy season in Palermo?
- The wettest months in Palermo are January, March and September to December, with 11 to 14 rainy days a month. July is the driest.
- How many days do you need in Palermo?
- Two to three days covers the Cathedral, the Palatine Chapel in the Norman Palace, the Quattro Canti crossroads, the Teatro Massimo, the historic street markets and plenty of street food. Add days for the mosaics of Monreale, the seaside town of Cefalù, the Greek temple at Segesta or a day at the beach in Mondello.
- How do I get around Palermo?
- The historic center is walkable, and city buses cover longer distances. A train and airport buses connect the airport with the center. Driving in central Palermo is hectic and much of the historic center is a limited-traffic zone, so a car is only worth having for trips around the island.
- Is it safe to travel to Italy right now?
- Voyaggora shows the official US, UK and Canada travel advisories for Italy on one page, with the source and the time each was last checked. Open the live advisory for Italy before you book.
- What other places are near Palermo?
- The closest Voyaggora guides to Palermo are Valletta, Malta (170 miles), Sorrento (180 miles), Amalfi Coast (190 miles).
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