/

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Palermo

15 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Palermo, Italy

Updated December 10, 2021

Unusual Attractions in Palermo

Palermo, Italy

Capuchin Monastery Catacombs

Thousands of well-dressed mummies below a monastery.

Palermo, Italy

The Martorana

This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

Palermo, Italy

San Giovanni degli Eremiti

Behind medieval walls in a corner of bustling Palermo is a breathtaking former mosque once inhabited by a wolf-taming hermit.

Palermo, Italy

Cappella Palatina

Every inch of this chapel is covered in craftsmanship from across the world.

Palermo, Italy

Palazzo Chiaramonte

Haunting graffiti left by prisoners of the Spanish Inquisition.

Palermo, Italy

Santuario di Santa Rosalia

Cave shrine on Monte Pellegrino.

Palermo, Italy

Porta Nuova

This triumphal 16th-century arched gateway leads to the oldest street in Palermo.

Palermo, Italy

La Zisa

This Arabesque Italian castle was built with a primitive, if ingenious, air-conditioning system.

See All 15 Things To Do in Palermo

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Guided Tours of Palermo

Atlas Obscura Trips

Culinary Naples: Producers, Purveyors, and Pizzaioli

From street food to lavish feasts, piping-hot coffee to smooth aperitivos, folk songs to opera, hilltop farms to urban wilds, immerse yourself in the greatest culinary and cultural experiences of Naples, meeting lively local Neapolitani for whom this is the only way to live.

Explore Palermo, Italy

Sacred Spaces 7

Architectural Oddities 3

Local History 1

Military History 1

Palermo Leaderboard

Places Added

Join the Ranks!

Add an unusual place to Palermo.

Places Edited

Join the Ranks!

Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

Join the Ranks!

Visit a place in Palermo.

Recent Palermo Activity

A

ariannabucchioni

wants to go to Qanat di Palermo
A

ariannabucchioni

wants to go to 'Trionfo della Morte'
A

ariannabucchioni

wants to go to Santuario di Santa Rosalia
A

ariannabucchioni

wants to go to Capuchin Monastery Catacombs
A

ariannabucchioni

wants to go to La Zisa

Stories About Palermo

Palermo's Unique, Centuries-Old Puppet Tradition Enters a New Era

The Sicilian city's puppeteers are finding novel ways to keep the art form alive.

by Anna Staropoli

December 10, 2021

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.