IT · Sicily · 38.11°N 13.35°E

palermo

Loud street markets, Arab-Norman mosaics and chickpea fritters eaten in a bread roll.

Best time
April–June and September–October are warm and good for sightseeing and beach trips. July–August can be fiercely hot; winter is mild but rainier.
How long
3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Palermo, usually via Istanbul, about 16–18 hours all in, or connect through Rome. Airport buses and trains reach the centre in about an hour. Italy is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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IT · Sicilypalermo38.11°N 13.35°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Loud street markets, Arab-Norman mosaics and chickpea fritters eaten in a bread roll.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingPalermoIT, Sicily
KLpalermo
≈ 9,647 km from KL, as the crow flies
Piazza Pretoria, Palermo Fontana Pretoria seen from Santa Caterina

Photo: Bjs · CC0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Sicily's capital is loud, crumbling and full of food, with street markets that feel closer to North Africa than to Milan. Arab-Norman churches with gold mosaics stand between baroque palaces, and lunch is easily a string of street snacks.

Makan

  1. PanelleChickpea fritters stuffed into a sesame bun, Palermo's classic street snack.Map ↗
  2. ArancineFried rice balls filled with meat ragù, cheese or spinach; the 'al burro' version has ham.Map ↗
  3. CannoliCrisp fried shells filled with sweet ricotta. The shells are often made with lard.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Ballarò marketThe oldest street market in town, with fish, fruit and frying pans of street food in the lanes near the station.Map ↗
  2. Palatine ChapelA small chapel in the Norman Palace, its walls covered in gold mosaics under a carved Arab wooden ceiling.Map ↗
  3. Quattro Canti and the cathedralThe baroque crossroads at the heart of the old town, a short walk from the huge, many-styled cathedral.Map ↗
  4. MonrealeA hilltop cathedral outside town, lined with gold mosaics, with a cloister of carved paired columns.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Bangladeshi halal takeaways are dotted along Via Maqueda towards the central station.
  • Monreale is about 30 minutes by city bus from Piazza Indipendenza.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.