Palermo - on our own - ideas needed

My wife and I are taking our 4 kids (ages 16 - 24) on 7 day MSC cruise in Med. this December. Most of the ports we have booked a private tour / transportation since with 6 people a private tour is typically cheaper than 6 tix on a ship excursion. Palermo is the last port I need to plan, and budget is getting tight ! Is Palermo a good place to do on your own - maybe a low key afternoon. I know there is a HOHO bus. My last experience with HOHO bus (years ago) was in Chicago. I remember waiting in 100 deg F heat as bus after bus passed by all full. I said I would never do a HOHO bus again ! However, this might be an option in Palermo if they are running in December. Or I was thinking have a single destination in mind to go see - take public transit, then just relax the rest of the time if there is a good neighborhood to stroll. etc.

looking for ideas. thank you.

We walked from the ship to the Cathedral and on from there to the Cappella Palatina and other sites in the area. We went on to the street market and had lunch, after which we got in a taxi back to the ship because we were wiped out.

It wasn't that long of a walk, a mile and a half from the ship to the Cathedral, but it was uphill for part of the walk. It would have been smarter for us to get a taxi to the Cathedral and then walk to the other sites and back to the ship, it would have been quite do-able and a lot wiser.

I would recommend a food tour by Streaty. http://www.streaty.com/streaty-palermo-winter-tour/ We did a food tour with them in Catania this summer and it was brilliant! So I would expect their Palermo one to be good too. Only 39 euros each including food and drink. Check them out on Tripadvisor.

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thank you for the replies, these are both good suggestions....

We suggest the OP read (online) about the Cappuccini Catacombs. This place is not for everyone, but is a place that visitors will not soon forget :).

Hank

My wife and I are taking our 4 kids (ages 16 - 24) on 7 day MSC cruise in Med. this December. Most of the ports we have booked a private tour / transportation since with 6 people a private tour is typically cheaper than 6 tix on a ship excursion. Palermo is the last port I need to plan, and budget is getting tight ! Is Palermo a good place to do on your own - maybe a low key afternoon. I know there is a HOHO bus. My last experience with HOHO bus (years ago) was in Chicago. I remember waiting in 100 deg F heat as bus after bus passed by all full. I said I would never do a HOHO bus again ! However, this might be an option in Palermo if they are running in December. Or I was thinking have a single destination in mind to go see - take public transit, then just relax the rest of the time if there is a good neighborhood to stroll. etc.

 

looking for ideas. thank you.

Palermo is fantastic port, we just walked from the ship to DT. Stop by Info booth (if its open in December,or just use Google maps ) get a map a walk around. Don't forget to try Aranchini and Canolli .

Generally, the minimum to visit are the cathedral and the Capella Palatina.

The cathedral hosts for example the tombs of several Sicilan kings including Frederick II (also emperor of Germany) who was buried in 1250.

In the impressiv 12th century Palazzo dei Normans (named after the Normans who enlarged and refitted the magnificent structure) you will find the splendid Capella Palatina, representing the apex of the Arabo-Norman genius and build from 1130 to 1140 when it was adorned with extraordinary Byzantine mosaic. Important, impressive and just beautiful.

With a good guidebook or map you can find many other gems im Palermo. Churches like San Francesco d'Assisi (1255-1277), ruins like those of San Giovanni degli Eremiti with its monastery and gardens, the Fontana Pretoria (mid 15th century) and the lively street markets are just examples.

Well worth to visit is also the Palazzo Mirto. This palace date froms the 18th century and remains as it was with its original furnishing. The last family member lived there until, if I remember right, something like 1970. While many buildings in old Palermo are almost destructed and even this looks from the outside quite badly, you can see how Sicilian noble families lived in better days.

Or,to avoid churches and museums, just stroll around, be surprised about the often sad outside state of the houses and the glimpses of the interior splendour you get, stop at some local market and some of the ackward shops, seat down and enjoy the Italian life.

We made a deal with taxi driver to give us a tour then take us to a local restaurant, worked out fine, restaurant was interesting no one could speak English and we could not speak Italian but they were very friendly and they pointed us out to all who came in that we were from USA , great meal and wine.

We suggest the OP read (online) about the Cappuccini Catacombs. This place is not for everyone, but is a place that visitors will not soon forget :).

 

Hank

I totally agree. We took a taxi there (30 Euro) and walked back to the port. :)

I would recommend a food tour by Streaty. http://www.streaty.com/streaty-palermo-winter-tour/ We did a food tour with them in Catania this summer and it was brilliant! So I would expect their Palermo one to be good too. Only 39 euros each including food and drink. Check them out on Tripadvisor.

 

 

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Same! We booked this same Streaty Foods Tour back when we visited Palermo in April 2018. We also were on MSC. But we absolutely loved this tour - it was our favorite port day! We love all the street foods they introduced us to, and learned so much about Palermo & Sicily.

And it was an easy walk from the Ship into the main part of town where the tour started. We met some other people from our ship during the tour too. ;)