Sicily’s capital promises more adventure than your average island city break. Its wonderfully worn buildings, on slightly chaotic streets, show the architectural marks of the island’s many inhabitants, who’ve passed through this crossroads of a city on the edge of Europe. Many of the best places to stay in Palermo today are found in the old historic centre, amongst the domes, cupolas, Baroque churches and Gothic palaces. Some of our recommendations have been converted from a single building, a palazzo or villa, while others are clusters of buildings. In Palermo we favour the smaller properties, and have a great list of B&Bs and guesthouses, as well as elegant, historic hotels, and a handful of very family-friendly options.
If Palermo seems busy, that's because there’s a lot going on here! But once you’re past the main streets you’ll be rewarded by a less uniform pattern of lanes and piazzas, where it’s possible to come upon a market as fragrant and colourful as a souk, or a chapel filled with wonderfully detailed mosaics. Most of our favourite hotels here are located between Palermo’s grand and patterned cathedral and the sea; within these few neighbourhoods you can also find the city's impressive opera house, palace, its giant fountain, and a magically varied collection of religious buildings. This is also a fantastic area for eating and drinking well, with piazzas and streets lined with both old and new places to try out.
Palermo is lively and fun and full of not only great history and architecture, but also wonderful places to eat, drink and just hang out. If you can be bothered to hop on the bus for 20 minutes, you'll also find a superb beach in Mondello.
However don't forget that this is an incredibly busy place during the peak summer months. So if you want to guarantee a room in one of the best places to stay in Palermo in July or August, you'll need to get organised and book well ahead.
