Sicily
Palermo
Sicily's capital is a layered, loud, extraordinary city. Getting here by rail is a journey in itself — the Intercity from Naples is put on a ferry across the Strait of Messina.
Arriving
Stations
Palermo Centrale
Terminus for Sicilian regional services and the through Intercity from the mainland.
From the airport
Punta Raisi has its own station: the Trinacria Express runs to Palermo Centrale in about an hour and the pass IS valid on it.
Onward
Connections
| To | Fastest | Operator | Reservation | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naples | 9h 00m | Intercity (ferried) | €3 | 2 per day |
| Catania | 3h 00m | Regionale/IC | None / €3 | 6 per day |
| Messina | 2h 50m | Intercity | €3 | 6 per day |
| Agrigento | 2h 00m | Regionale | None | 8 per day |
The Sicily crossing is the single best-value pass journey in Italy: a nine-hour Intercity, a ferry ride included, for one travel day and a €3 reservation.
See
Worth your time
Cappella Palatina
Norman architecture with Arab ceilings and Byzantine mosaics in one room.
Monreale
A hillside cathedral covered in gold mosaic. Bus from the centre.
Ballarò and Vucciria markets
Street food, shouting, and the best lunch in the city.
Teatro Massimo
The third largest opera house in Europe; tours run all day.
Eat
What to order
Arancine
Feminine here, masculine in Catania, and the argument is genuinely serious.
Pane e panelle
Chickpea fritters in a bread roll. Two euro, entirely satisfying.
Cannoli
Filled to order or not at all.
Day trips
Where the trains go from here
Cefalù
One hour regional along the coast, pass valid. A Norman cathedral and a beach.
Segesta
A Doric temple standing alone in the hills; train to Segesta-Tempio then a walk.
Agrigento
Two hours regional to the Valley of the Temples. Long, but the site is extraordinary.
Book ahead
Tickets and tours in Palermo
The sights below sell timed entry that genuinely runs out. Booking links are affiliate links.
Palermo street food tour
Panelle, sfincione, arancine and the markets they come from, in about three hours.
Check availabilityBookshelf
Read on the way to Palermo
Three books that make the window, and the city at the end of it, more interesting. Links are Amazon affiliate links and cost you nothing extra.
Midnight in Sicily
Peter Robb
Food, art and the mafia, and how they turned out to be one story.
Find a copySicily: A Literary Guide for Travellers
Andrew and Suzanne Edwards
A place-by-place companion for island rail days.
Find a copyMore titles on the full city bookshelf or the Italian bookshelf.