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All Italy Palermo

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Palermo

17 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Palermo, Italy

Updated March 3, 2025

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Unusual Attractions in Palermo

Palermo, Italy

Capuchin Monastery Catacombs

Thousands of well-dressed mummies below a monastery.
The interior.

Palermo, Italy

The Martorana

This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.
The cloister.

Palermo, Italy

San Giovanni degli Eremiti

Behind medieval walls in a corner of bustling Palermo is a breathtaking former mosque once inhabited by a wolf-taming hermit.
The apse with the Christ Pantocrator.

Palermo, Italy

Cappella Palatina

Every inch of this chapel is covered in craftsmanship from across the world.
Palazzo Chiaramonte graffiti.

Palermo, Italy

Palazzo Chiaramonte

Haunting graffiti left by prisoners of the Spanish Inquisition.
The Santuario Facade on Monte Pellegrino. (Creative Commons)

Palermo, Italy

Santuario di Santa Rosalia

Cave shrine on Monte Pellegrino.
Porta Nuova

Palermo, Italy

Porta Nuova

This triumphal 16th-century arched gateway leads to the oldest street in Palermo.
The tree in the narthex.

Palermo, Italy

Santa Maria dello Spasimo

This skeletal, unfinished Gothic church once housed a miraculous masterpiece by Raphael.
See All 17 Things To Do in Palermo
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Explore Palermo, Italy

Architecture 9
Sacred Spaces 7
Churches 4
Architectural Oddities 4
History 3
Religion 3
Museums 2
Mosaics 2
War History 2
Medieval 2
Art 2
Military 2

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Recent Palermo Activity

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Stories About Palermo

An Opera dei Pupi heroic knight puppet.

Palermo's Unique, Centuries-Old Puppet Tradition Enters a New Era

The Sicilian city's puppeteers are finding novel ways to keep the art form alive.
by Anna Staropoli
December 10, 2021

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