13 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Palermo - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Palermo

Capuchin Monastery Catacombs

Catacombs with thousands of well-dressed mummies.

The Martorana

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

Santuario di Santa Rosalia

Cave shrine on Monte Pellegrino.

Cappella Palatina

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

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.

Palazzo Chiaramonte

Haunting graffiti left by prisoners of the Spanish Inquisition.

La Zisa

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

Porta Nuova

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

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Unique
Food & Drink
in Palermo

Brioche con Gelato

Some Sicilians start their day with this decadent combination.

Cassata Siciliana

The seductively delicious Easter cake once made an entire convent neglect its prayers.

Frutta Martorana

Sicilian nuns once hung these sugary "fruits" from tree branches.

Stigghiola

The streets of Palermo are filled with the smell of succulent, sizzling lamb intestines.

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