Palazzo dei Normanni

Museum · Palermo ·

Palazzo dei Normanni

Museum · Palermo ·

Palatine Chapel mosaics, royal apartments, UNESCO site

Information

Piazza del Parlamento, 1, 90129 Palermo PA, Italy Get directions

@travelleisure

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"Also known as the Royal Palace and the oldest royal residence in Europe, now home to the Sicilian Parliament and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complex is a resplendent example of Norman and Spanish architecture and is one of the city’s most important historic sights." - Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz is a writer and editor based in Rome. She has been contributing to Travel + Leisure since 2014, when she started as a fact checker before becoming a contributing digital editor in 2015. She has also held positions as a contributing editor at The Points Guy and the NYC cities editor at DuJour Magazine. In addition to Travel + Leisure, her writing has appeared in Architectural Digest, Surface Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine, T Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, GQ, Departures, Afar, Fodor's, Town & Country, Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, Hemispheres, and others. When she's not jetsetting around Italy and beyond, she can be found in Rome, enjoying some cacio e pepe or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs. Originally from the Boston area, Laura moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a master's degree in creative writing and translation at Columbia University. She also holds a bachelor's degree in French from Smith College. * 10+ years of experience writing and editing * Co-wrote "New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants," an award-winning guide to New York City's speakeasy scene published by Jonglez Editions in 2015 * Contributed to "Fodor's Brooklyn," published by Penguin Random House in 2015, which won silver in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition * Contributed an essay to "Epic Hikes of Europe," published by Lonely Planet in 2021 * Updated the 2022 edition of "Fodor's Essential Italy" Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

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Palazzo dei Normanni

@afar

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"Palermo's Norman Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a seat of power in Sicily for centuries. Its apartments (open to the public Friday through Monday) provided quarters to King Roger II during his reign in the 12th century, and the palace is still in use today: It now houses the Sicilian Regional Assembly. Visit the basement to see the stone walls of the original Phoenician structures upon which the palace was built. The opulent Palatine Chapel, added by Roger II in 1132, is an attraction in its own right."

The Essential Guide to Palermo

Norman Palace

Ricardo V.

Google

Spectacular and a must see when visiting Palermo. The lowlight here was that they were doing works and that affected our visit a little bit. But it was still worth to see the building and of course the capilla. I can only recommend visiting this, if you have to choose one place to visit in a short stay in the city, it’s this one.

Simon R.

Google

Top sightseeing highlight in Palermo. The Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel with gold mosaics are the must see. The chapel is undergoing refurbishment and part of one wall was covered in September 2025. It should be finished in early 2026. It didn’t stop us from getting good views of the mosaics. The Royal Apartments are not as interesting but are included in the ticket. The Garden are the same, nice to stroll around. There was a special exhibition on with photographs from Elliott Erwitt (1950-70s) which was fascinating. There are photos of Marilyn Monroe, JFK, etc. We went on Sunday morning and arrived at 8.15am for the 8.30am opening. We were the first there! Better to buy your tickets online as there was a long queue to buy them from the ticket office. We felt that we got our moneys worth from the visit.

Niall B.

Google

Well, impressive murals in the chapel, but half of the display was being renovated and behind screens. Then the royal apartments on the second floor were closed - only open at the weekend. The gardens are nice, but… so of the three things you buy your ticket to see you get one and a half. Disappointing.

Hossein R.

Google

Palazzo dei Noramanni or palace of the Normans is a very Interesting place to visit, but definitely not worth the ticket price ( €15 + €5 audio guide). There are too many parts inaccessible for visitors. Well, it’s fair to mention that apart from the fact that historically the palace has been the seat of the kings of Sicily, since 1946 it has been the seat of the island’s regional assembly. The chapel is quite fascinating, not just from an artistic point of view, but because of it’s the fruit of collaboration of artists from the Islamic and Christian worlds. I was lucky there was an exhibition of Elliot Erwitt presenting his amazing photography. Be aware that for the audio guide you have to leave your id and there are no earbuds. It’s just and iphone!!!

Michael P.

Google

Best to buy tickets online. We had to wait in line a long time to buy tickets. Once we had a ticket, there was no wait to get in. I heard that the tour bus rush is in the morning. Best to go in the afternoon. The chapel was incredible. Also, visit Friday-Monday so that you can see the royal apartments. They are worth seeing. Disappointed that the WC wasn’t free.

Google

Just wow! The chapel is exceptional even though it was under renovation. The audio guide is awful and dull. Recommend to generate your own using Wikipedia and NotebookLM. The royal apartments also have some beautiful rooms and mosaics. After 10am the queue at the ticket office was getting pretty long even end of October.

Tina

Google

Waiting time at the ticket counter was around 45 minutes, and admission (€18.50) includes an exhibition that must be booked together. After that, there was another 20–30 minutes of waiting at the entrance. Restrooms cost €0.50 furthermore after the security check (similar to the airport). Inside, there is simply no information at all - no panels, no guides, no interactive features. It is such a pity that the rich history of this place is withheld from visitors. There are also no seats for those who may need a rest. Part of the Cappella Palatina is currently under renovation. That said, the mosaics are truly stunning, often shimmering in gold, within a palace dating back to 1160. Despite these shortcomings, it remains an impressive historic site that is worth experiencing at least once.

Eileen W.

Google

Wow, talk about popular! Even with online tickets bought beforehand, I waited an hour to get in! And inside also, there were lines and crowds everywhere! The Palatine Chapel was really worth it though, just amazing! Other things to see includes the Norman Rooms, Sicilian Regional Assembly room, temp modern art exhibits, there was a Picasso exhibit when I was there, and the gardens outside and the ruins downstairs were mildly interesting.

Jim R.

Yelp

A must see on any visit to Palermo, especially for the awe inspiring Palatine chapel and its golden mosaics covering the soaring walls. You'll spend most of your visit in the chapel but some of the other rooms where the ancient Spanish and Norman kings resided are also worth a peek as is the small botanical garden. We visited during COVID so masks were required as was proof of vaccination (aka green pass) and we had wo all through a sanitizing mist following the metal detectors to enter. Timed tickets in advance are needed

John F.

Yelp

In all likelihood the top attraction in Palermo. The royal apartments with their Bourbon era furniture are lovely but the big draw is the capella with its absolutely astounding Norman/Byzantine mosaics. An absolute must for visitors to Palermo.