castle
Palazzo dei Normanni (Palatine Chapel)
The oldest royal residence in Europe, housing Palermo's Palatine Chapel with its extraordinary gold-ground Byzantine mosaics.
1 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeItalySicily
Palermo
Sicily, Italy · Europe
About Palermo
Palermo is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Ciaculli, 46km from Targa Florio Circuit (Madonie).
Palermo is in Sicily, Italy, with about 650,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ciaculli, about 6 km away.
Where to Stay in Palermo
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Palermo?
Within an hour or so of Palermo: Palazzo dei Normanni (Palatine Chapel) (1 km), Monreale Cathedral (7 km), Targa Florio Circuit (Madonie) (46 km), Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve (48 km).
Are there any good drives near Palermo?
The nearest famous roads are Targa Florio Circuit (Madonie).
Where is Palermo?
Palermo is in Sicily, Italy, about 6 km from Ciaculli.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 648,260
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Sicily
- Timezone
- Europe/Rome
- Coordinates
- 38.1166, 13.3636
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Italy
ACI roadside assistance: 803 116. ZTL (limited traffic zones) in city centres are camera-enforced.
Full driving guide for ItalyTags
Worth the detour from Palermo
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cathedral
Monreale Cathedral
A Norman cathedral above Palermo blazing with golden Byzantine mosaics, among Europe's greatest.
7 km · about 15 min drive
famous road
Targa Florio Circuit (Madonie)
The public mountain roads near Cerda in Sicily that hosted the world's oldest road race from 1906 to 1977; the old Floriopoli pits still stand and the 72 km Piccolo Circuito remains driveable today.
46 km · about 55 min drive
national park
Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve
Sicily's first nature reserve, a wild coastal path linking pebbly coves of crystal water near San Vito.
48 km · about 55 min drive
photogenic
Tonnara di Scopello
Ancient tuna fishery on a cove guarded by faraglioni sea stacks and crumbling watchtowers, in use from the 13th century until the 1980s. The anchor-strewn terraces above gin-clear water are one of Sicily's most painted and filmed corners.
48 km · about 55 min drive
museum
Targa Florio Museum
Small museum in the Madonie hill town of Collesano honouring the Targa Florio, the world's oldest road race, run on these mountain roads from 1906. Photos, cars and memorabilia of racing legends.
55 km · about 65 min drive
beach
San Vito Lo Capo
Arc of white sand and shallow turquoise water beneath the bare pyramid of Monte Monaco, at the end of a dead-end road past the Zingaro reserve. Hosts the Cous Cous Fest each September: a legacy of Sicily's Arab kitchen.
55 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Cefalu
A charming Sicilian coastal town dominated by a massive rock promontory and a Norman cathedral with golden Byzantine mosaics.
58 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Palermo
- 46 kmTarga Florio Circuit (Madonie)The public mountain roads near Cerda in Sicily that hosted the world's oldest road race from 1906 to 1977; the old Floriopoli pits still stand and the 72 km Piccolo Circuito remains driveable today.
- 69 kmEriceA misty medieval hilltop town above Trapani, reached by cable car or hairpin road with sweeping coast views.
Driving in Italy
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€8.50/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Palermo.
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