Practical Information for visiting Palermo

The historic centre is walkable and that is how to see it — the distances are short, the streets are narrow, and driving in it is genuinely unpleasant.

Buses cover the city and reach Mondello and Monte Pellegrino; there is also a small tram and metro network serving the outskirts more than the centre. Services are frequent enough but not always punctual.

For Monreale, a city bus climbs from the centre in about half an hour and is the simplest option.

Traffic is intense, scooters are everywhere and lane discipline is aspirational. As a pedestrian, crossing works by making eye contact and moving steadily; hesitating in the middle is the dangerous thing. A hire car is worth having only for the rest of the island, not for the city.

Falcone-Borsellino airport at Punta Raisi is about thirty-five kilometres west of the city, linked by a frequent coach and by a train to the central station, both taking under an hour. It is the main gateway to western Sicily.

Trains run east along the coast and inland to Agrigento and Catania, though Sicilian rail is slow and a bus is often faster for cross-island journeys. Ferries connect Palermo to Naples, Genoa, Tunis and the Aeolian islands.

Palermo’s reputation frightens people more than the reality warrants. Violent crime against visitors is rare; the organised crime the city is famous for does not target tourists.

Petty theft is the actual risk and it is real. Bag-snatching from scooters happens, pickpocketing is common in the markets and on crowded buses, and visible phones and cameras attract attention. Carry little, wear bags on the inland side, and do not leave anything in a parked car.

Traffic is the more likely hazard than crime. Crossings are advisory, scooters use pavements, and one-way streets are interpreted loosely.

Some streets in the outer Kalsa, Albergheria and Ballarò areas are poorly lit and best avoided alone late at night — ordinary big-city judgement rather than anything specific to Palermo.

No vaccinations or special precautions are needed. Tap water is safe to drink, though many locals prefer bottled for taste. Pharmacies are everywhere and run a rota for nights and holidays.

Palermo has several large hospitals including a university polyclinic. EU and UK visitors should carry a valid EHIC or GHIC.

The practical risks are summer heat, which is serious in July and August and worse in the enclosed streets of the centre, and sun exposure at Mondello. Air quality is poor in the trafficked central streets.

The single emergency number across Italy is 112, covering police, fire and ambulance, with English-speaking operators. 118 still reaches medical services directly.

At sea, the coast guard answers on 1530.

There are Carabinieri and Polizia di Stato stations throughout the city. Several countries maintain consulates in Palermo, which is unusual for a city of this size and reflects its position in the Mediterranean.