Out This Door: Travel Tips & Destination Reviews

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Are you looking for the top things to do in Palermo? Are you wondering if the Palermo Catacombs are worth the hype?

In this honest review, I’m going to share how the Palermo Catacombs are more about when to visit rather than why. And I’ll tell you what I really think are the top things to do in Palmero.

Over four days in Palermo we indulged in amazing food and wine, saw beautiful cultural art, and had awesome conversations with locals. We didn’t even have to leave the city center!

What to do in Palermo, Sicily

The top “must-sees” like the Quattro Canti, Fountain of Shame, and the Norman Palace are already on your list. I think we walked by these 9 of the 10 times we went anywhere in the city center. Instead, I will focus on some unusual hidden gems of Palermo that you might overwise miss.

My most impactful travel tip yet (will impact your visit to the Palermo Catacombs)

If you want to see a bunch of cool things in Sicily, go in the low season. Three HUGE reasons.

First, the sites are almost totally empty of tourists, but they are open every day anyway!

Secondly, the winter weather was mild. It was in the 50’s at night and 60’s during the day. It barely rained for the two weeks we were there.

And lastly, but not least, prices were much lower for hotels and flights than in summer. Read more in our post about Sicily in January.

So, what are other Top Things to do in Palermo?

The top “must-sees” like the Quattro Canti, Fountain of Shame, and the Norman Palace are already on your list. I think we walked by these 9 of the 10 times we went anywhere. Instead, I will focus on some unusual hidden gems of Palermo that you might overwise miss.

Interested in the World War II history of Sicily? Check out my video on Traces of WWII history for a look back at the Norman Palace (and more) then and now.

Netflix Filming Location at the Church of San Giovanni the Hermit

Before any international trip, I immerse myself in the language, flavors, and sights as much as I can through videos and blogs like this. Sicily’s classic story Il Gattopardo (“The Leopard”), by G. Tomasi di Lampedusa, was published in 1958 and adapted to the screen in 1963. In 2025 Netflix released a miniseries adaptation. Several of the scenes were filmed on location at the beautiful garden in the Convent of St. John the Hermit.

The Convento di S. Giovanni degli Eremiti is a self-guided tour under the chapel’s distinctive red domes. The grounds are a photographer’s dream! Gardens of tropical plants and huge cacti and stunning arching architecture.

Cannoli with Pigeons at St. Catherine’s Monastery at St. Catherine of Alexandria’s Monastery

We didn’t expect this monastery to be on par with Rome’s over-the-top cathedrals. Yet St Catherine of Alexandria’s Monastery (Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria) felt more distinct and intimate than many of Rome’s religious sites.

The traditional wooden pews have been replaced with clear acrylic chairs. Wow, did it ever make the whole place twinkle like the chairs were made of crystal. We sat for a while just enjoying that effect. The chapel’s drab yet striking monotone covers the floor, mosaics, the walls and columns giving it a severe beauty.

The best cannoli in Sicily (and therefore the world) is right here in Palermo. And right there at St. Catherine’s. The name of the bakery, I Segreti del Chiostro, was a lot for my non-Italian speaking brain to remember. Here’s my tip: just remember that the bakery is in St. Catherine of Alexandria’s Monastery (Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria). See how easy that translates since the words are similar to English! Eat these delightful miracles in the cloister garden under the beneficial eye of St. Francis and the greedy eyes of the pigeons.  

Pay for the self-guided tour to go deep into this cloister nunnery which was the residence of young ladies from the aristocratic families. Peek into the nuns’ apartments. Peer through the iron bars which kept nuns cloistered from the world while they attend mass. On the rooftops you will be rewarded with the best view in Palermo.

The tour will help you work off that cannoli from their famous bakery.

Prepare for the Valley of the Temples while in Palermo

If the Valley of Temples in Agrigento is in your itinerary, the Regional Archeological Museum Antonio Salinas will prepare you for the Greek history of Sicily. Antonio Salinas was a collector and conserver of Sicily’s antiquities, much of which has been destroyed, scattered to the winds, or repurposed. His collection was the official history museum of Sicily.

Read my post on visiting the Valley of the Temples and 2 other Greek ruins in Sicily in One Epic Day.

The Salinas Museum exhibits showcase the architecture and master planning of the Greek civilizations. The main attraction are the meotopes–the artwork once adorning the roofs of the famous temples. Also on display are the early Sicilian peoples’ daily life in vases, coins, and writing.

Are the Palermo Catacombs Worth it? Depends on when.

Typically on the “must see” list is the Catacombe dei Cappuccini di Palermo. This macabre attraction boasts the largest collection of mummies in the world. Here’s my honest review: I found the experience overrated but not dreadful.

January’s mild weather made the 35-minute walk easy. The entry queue was brief but the congestion was shoulder-to-shoulder for the first 100 or so corpses. And really, once you’ve seen the initial stretch, the rest is the same. After that, we hardly saw a living soul (we weren’t quite sure where everyone else went).

For positives, the catacomb is clean, respectful, and well organized. Aside from the expressions remaining on the mummies’ faces, nothing scary and no mummy clichés. We weren’t weirded out by it. The dead were respectfully interred. There is a musty dry smell, of course. For peak season travelers, I could imagine this experience to be crowded, hot, and thus smelly.

Scavenger Hunt time!

If you are looking for creepy, you find some of the artwork at St. Catherine’s interesting, including this post’s cover photo of the saint looking askance at Jesus’s head.

We spent an hour at the catacombs, but fifteen minutes would have done it. Looking back, we actually enjoyed the walk there more than the actual crypts. Why? Leaving the touristy city center behind, you begin to get into the work-a-day side of Palermo which we found interesting. We ate panini at a quick mart that was better than any panini I’ve ever had in the USA. The neighborhood was a little grittier but we still felt safe in daytime for sure.

Final note, no photography is allowed at the Palermo Catacombs.

Teatro Massimo Tour to the Royal Box of “The Godfather” fame

Instead of the catacombs, I recommend the guided tour at the Teatro Massimo which was engaging without being overloaded. The tour guide allows time at each stop for visitors to have a look around, take photos, and even sit in the Royal Box where the famous scene from The Godfather III was filmed. English-speaking tours are offered. The price was 12 euro which we found to be quite reasonable.

What to Wear and Bring for a Trip to Palermo Catacombs (and these other top sites) in Winter

Winter weather is mild in January with lows in the 50s and highs in the 60s. We experienced some sprinkles due to a hurricane on the other side of the island.

As far as clothing goes, we were comfortable in long sleeves and pants. Our light coats were on and off throughout the day. Wear sturdy, hard-soled shoes for the cobblestones and broken sidewalks. We didn’t run into puddles or flooding.

Bring small binoculars for details like the Quattro Canti four seasons statues and for rooftop views from St Catherine’s or the Norman Cathedral.

Palermo’s Vibe is Gritty and Beautiful

Palermo is a business capital and the seat of government for the autonomous region of Sicily so it is lively! A mix of noisy chaos, flavorful smells and tastes, and filled with passionate people.

Yes, you will see graffiti and litter. Some of the graffiti is gorgeous and creative including traditional motifs or trendy repeated characters. Much of the graffiti is simply tagging. We giggled at the bad English like the locals giggle at our bad attempts at Italian. Take life, the good and the bad, with a grain of Marsala salt. Though at times it might seem like the Sicilians could care less about their cultural assets, nothing could be further from the truth.

For more tips and reviews about Palermo and Sicily:

For our Palermo highlights read the compendium post here.

Find out more about how awesome Sicily is in January.

Planning to visit the Valley of the Temples while in Sicily? Check out this post to maximize your visit.

Needing a stay recommendation, read our recommendation of the Grand Hotel Wagner