Attractions
Capuchin Catacombs
This is a spectacle that is equal parts spooky and fascinating. Within this network of underground tunnels rest the mummified remains of some 8,000 long-dead inhabitants of Palermo. Capuchin friars began mummifying and embalming many of the town’s deceased in the late 1500s, and the tradition continued right up until 1920. Once prepared, the corpses were hung along the walls of the catacombs and dressed in their Sunday best – which they still wear today.
Address: Piazza Cappuccini 1
Telephone: (091) 212 117
Hours of operation: Daily 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm (until 7pm in summer)
Admission: €1.50
Marionette Museum
One of Palermo’s unique attractions is the Museo delle Marionette, a museum dedicated to the art of puppetry. The collections here comprise arguably the foremost puppet collection in the world, and much of what you’ll see here highlights this traditional form of Sicilian entertainment. These historic puppets represent a host of characters out of Italian lore, but also include puppets from other parts of the world as well.
Address: Via Butera 1 (around the corner from the Palazzo Chiaramonte)
Telephone: (091) 328 060
Website:www.museomarionettepalermo.it
Hours of operation: Closed Mon-Tue, Sat-Sun 9am-1pm; Wed-Fri 9am-1pm, 2:30pm-6:30pm
Admission: €5 (adults), concessions available
Monreale Cathedral
Just outside of Palermo, high on the mountain slope overlooking “Conca d’Oro,” as the valley beyond Palermo is referred to, sits the Monreale Cathedral. The 12th-century cathedral is a blend of medieval Christian and Muslim architecture, and boasts a dazzling mixture of Arab, Byzantine and Norman art. Much of the interior, including the cathedral’s vast dome, is covered in beautiful mosaics. Don’t miss the similarly impressive Benedictine abbey, which is adjacent to the monastery.
Address: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele
Telephone: 39 091 640 4413
Transport: Monreale can be reached on bus 819 heading west from Palermo
Hours of operation: Mon-Sat, 9am-noon, 5:30pm – 7:30pm; Sundays and holidays, 9am-1pm
Admission: Cathedral free, cloisters €4.50, treasury €2.05, terraces €1.55
Regional Archaeological Museum
Some of Europe's finest archaeological treasures are stowed in this historical church from the 16th century. Here visitors will see the fabled Stone of Palermo, as well as iconic Greek and Roman statues. Highlights include two Phoenician sarcophagi dating from 5 BC, and the Pietra di Palermo. Known as the ‘Rosetta Stone’ of Sicily, this wondrous black diorite slab was discovered in Egypt, is covered in hieroglyphics, and dates back to 2700 BC.
Address: Piazza Olivella 24
Telephone: (091) 611 6805
Hours of operation: Tues-Sat, 8:30am-6:15pm; Sunday 9am – 1pm
Admission: €4.50 (adults), €2 (children)
Solunto
The historic remains of this ancient Sicilian city sit just east of Palermo and overlook the coastline near Santa Flavia. Solunto was first a Phoenician village and then a Greek town before it was conquered by the Romans in 254 BC, who rebuilt much of the original village. As a result, the ruins here are in the Roman style. No complete structures are left, and what remains are mostly floors and the lower portions of walls and columns and bits of mosaics and paintings. And, of course, the expansive view of the Gulf of Palermo is a major draw.
