Province of Palermo: Sights, Coast and Madonie Park

A travel region in Sicily: Province of Palermo. On this page you’ll find 7 destinations and places — with sights, beaches and tips on the best time to visit for your holiday.

The province of Palermo lies on Sicily's north coast. Its capital, Palermo, is also the capital of the Sicilian region. The province is known for the Arab-Norman UNESCO route (World Heritage since 2015, nine buildings in Palermo, Monreale and Cefalù), the beach resort of Mondello, the coastal town of Cefalù and the Madonie Park with the 1,979-meter Pizzo Carbonara.

What is there to see in the province of Palermo?

These places in the province have their own guide page.

Place	What to expect
Palermo	A city with parts of the UNESCO route: Palazzo Reale with the Cappella Palatina, the cathedral, Martorana, San Cataldo, San Giovanni degli Eremiti, Zisa and the Ponte dell'Ammiraglio
Cefalù	A coastal town with a cathedral that belongs to the UNESCO route, and a sandy beach
Mondello	A bay on the edge of Palermo with a sandy beach
Parco delle Madonie	A nature park of 39,941 hectares, a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2015
Borgo Parrini	A small village in the municipality of Partinico, in the west of the province

Other places belong to the province too: Monreale, with its cathedral and cloister, is part of the UNESCO route; Bagheria, with its villas, lies east of the city; and the archaeological site of Himera is on the north coast. In Corleone, inland, the CIDMA documentation center holds, among other things, the records of the Maxi Trial against the Mafia.

Which coastal towns and beaches are in the province of Palermo?

The coast of the province runs from the bay of Palermo to Cefalù. An overview is on beaches in Sicily.

Mondello: a sandy bay on the northern edge of Palermo.
Capo Zafferano: a headland east of Palermo with swimming coves.
Cefalù: old town, cathedral and beach in one place.
Ustica: an island north of Palermo that belongs to the province and attracts divers.

What is there inland and in nature in the province of Palermo?

The Parco delle Madonie is run by the Ente Parco, based in Petralia Sottana. It covers 39,941 hectares in 15 municipalities, and the Pizzo Carbonara (1,979 meters) is its highest point. Mountain villages such as Castelbuono, Petralia Soprana and Petralia Sottana lie in the park; the pilgrimage site of Gibilmanna rises above Cefalù. More protected areas in Sicily are listed under nature reserves in Sicily, and the UNESCO sites under UNESCO World Heritage in Sicily.

What is near Palermo?

From the city of Palermo, several trips within the province can be combined. The places differ widely in character and distance.

Monreale: the cathedral and cloister are part of the UNESCO site and sit above the city.
Mondello: a swimming bay on the edge of the city for a beach day.
Bagheria and Capo Zafferano: villas and swimming coves east of the city.
Cefalù: a coastal town with a UNESCO cathedral at the eastern edge of the province.
Madonie: mountain villages such as Castelbuono and Petralia Soprana, reached by car.

The cathedral of Cefalù, the cathedral of Monreale and the buildings in Palermo together form a single World Heritage property; the 2015 inscription covers all nine buildings. Seeing all of it means visiting several places.

How do you get to the province of Palermo?

Palermo airport (PMO) lies west of the city at Punta Raisi. All airports are compared on airports in Sicily. The port of Palermo has ferry connections from the mainland; timetables change by season. The A19 (Palermo–Catania) and A20 (Palermo–Messina) motorways are covered on motorways in Sicily.

When is the best time to visit the province of Palermo?

City breaks in Palermo and walks in the Madonie suit spring and autumn; beach days in Mondello and Cefalù suit summer. Climate data and month-by-month guides are on travel planning for Sicily.

Anyone looking for a place to stay in the province of Palermo will find vacation rentals in Sicily through Terra Mia Immobiliare.