Zisa Palace

We visited the palace in January 2025, so there was no wait. It was easy to navigate and very interesting. We purchased the audioguide, which helped us to appreciate the history and what we were seeing. There are 3 levels with steps for each.

I am sure that when they finish working on the palace it will be a good addition to the tourist sites in Palermo. As it was, a lot of the rooms downstairs are closed off so you don;t get a good feel for what the place was like. Upstairs, there are some nice pieces in relatively empty rooms. It has an interesting history in that it was a Norman hunting lodge worked on by Arab craftsmen. It's a little off the beaten track and at the moment, not an attraction I'd recommend as a must see in Palermo. Tickets are 7 euros a head (as of October 2024)

Pathetic & undeserving of Unesco status. What a rip off. The main room that is worth seeing is blocked, can only view standing at entrance. The garden and grounds are poorly maintained. The water garden is separated from main building, overgrown garden and wall covered in graffiti.

Lovely antique palace with amazing architecture. Currently under renovation, but worthy nonetheless.

Such history to experience here! This is a great spot to see how the different cultures all come together here in Sicily! The entry was a little challenging to find on the other side of the building, but there was a little restoration work happening that day.

Build between 1165 and 1189 by Arabic craftsmen for William I and his son William II as a Summer palace outdoor the city walls of Palermo. Despite having suffered the tooth of time, it is a marvellous structure with typical Arabic water features and muqarnas.

Good price and very nice and helpful staff. Costs 7 euros for entrance, definetly worth it. Nice murals to look at and interesting artifacts from both norman and arab time periods.

I really liked the palace although you do need to have a translation app (for the information boards) and an appreciation of Moorish influenced architecture to get the maximum benefit from it. The gardens are undergoing renovation so it was not possible to fully explore these, but there is plenty to all for appreciation of what will be! Only the ground floor is accessible to those with mobility issues, however the usual cost of €7 is waived for a disabled person and their carer/assistant… do have some form of documentation though proving disability entitlement. Anyway, there are fantastic views of the mountains (Mt Pellegrino?) and the intricacy of the building design to facilitate the fountain and ‘canal’ is very reminiscent of Mughal palaces in India. It’s unlikely you will be there more than an hour, but (IMO) it’s a little gem.