Palermo flights and travel guide

The best view of Palermo is from the sky. On your flight to Palermo, take in the views of the sparkling sea and the glittering lights of the city center. On a perfect night, the full moon illuminates the city casting a quixotic shadow over Sicily’s largest city. The flight to Palermo is just the beginning of what will become an illustrious Italian excursion.

Palermo’s history is a mix of cultures – Roman, Arab, Italian and Asian influences had a hand in the city’s foundation. As today’s first-time travelers are introduced to Palermo’s romantic reputation, previous generations of Sicilians remember Palermo’s most famous Mafia reputation. Once a crime scene for the Cosa Nostra (one of Italy’s most famous families), today Palermo has blossomed into a beautiful city largely undiscovered by tourists. Sicily’s richest city has unique character that keeps it’s devote travelers booking return flights to Palermo every year.

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Palermo climate

Courtesy of its Mediterranean location, Palermo experiences pleasant weather year-round which means flights to Palermo are good for any season. Summers are especially warm, with temperatures on the sun-soaked sand hitting 85 degrees Fahrenheit on average; winters in Palermo are mild with little precipitation and temperatures drop no lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Best Time to Fly to Palermo

Whether you're looking for a relaxing stay on the beach or eager to get lost moseying through the ancient streets of the capital of Sicily, a flight to Palermo will take you to a vacation destination ideal in any time of year.

Peak Season:

The sandy stretches of beach are packed as soon as the summer hits, so Palermo flights are packed May through September. With over 125 miles of coastline, Palermo is one of the most popular Mediterranean destinations, so make your travel arrangements months in advance if you plan on joining the hordes of beach combers in the summer sun.

Off-Peak Season:

The winter winds may cool the shores of the island December through March, but it's a sure time to find a seat on a cheap flight to Palermo. Try booking your Palermo flight in the transitional seasons of fall and spring: With high temperatures settling comfortably at 60 degrees F on average, you can enjoy the beaches and Palermo's nightlife without having to deal with crowds of tourists.

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Getting around Palermo

The best way to see Palermo’s medieval center 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.

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Palermo Travel Information

• Architecture fiends and art gurus will have a field day perusing Palermo's streets. Formerly under Roman, Carthaginian, Byzantine, Greek, Norman, Swabian and Spanish domain, the city is home to an eclectic mix of architecture from a handful of civilizations and the ruins are fascinating to behold. Most tourists booking flights to Palermo make a beeline for the Cappella Palatina, whose stunning mosaics were recently restored to their 12th century splendor. Save the Cappella Palatina for a day when you're not on a set schedule: The lines at the chapel are long due to the popularity of the attraction, but the sights inside are well worth the wait. The Castello della Zisa is another popular site for its beautifully preserved latticework windows, as well as its collection of Arabic crafts and Islamic art.
• For those interested in attending an Italian opera or beautifully staged ballet, head to the Teatro Massimo in Piazza Verdi. The theater is one of the largest in Europe and its restored neoclassical interiors provide a gorgeous setting for performances. Even if you're not a huge fan of high-pitched arias and tour-jetes, it would be a shame to miss out on a visit to the Teatro Massimo before your return Palermo flight.
• If you were lucky enough to score a seat on a flight to Palermo during the summer months, drop your bags off immediately after your arrival and head straight for the beach! There are plenty of public beaches along the Sicilian shore and the best stretches of sand in the country are just a stone’s throw from downtown Palermo. Mondello Beach, though crowded during high season, is a local favorite, as is Cefalu for its long stretches of sand.
• 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.

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Palermo airports

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