Palermo Cruise Port (Terminal Crociere di Palermo)

The Basics

Because of the number of things to do in Palermo, it’s best to explore on a hop-on hop-off bus or private tour. Highlights include Palazzo dei Normanni, Monreale—one of Italy’s most impressive cathedrals—the Palermo Cathedral, Chiesa Della Martorana, Capuchin Catacombs, Teatro Massimo opera house, and Quattro Canti square. Food tours are also popular.

Farther afield, the Valley of the Temples and Zingaro Reserve, as well as towns and villages such as Cefalù, Segesta, Erice, and Mondello are easily reached via day trip or shore excursion from Palermo.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Palermo Cruise Port offers ATMs, tourist information, transport links, luggage storage, parking lots, restrooms, duty-free shops, and a free shuttle service.

• Be sure to browse Palermo’s ceramic shops for brightly painted Sicilian pottery.

• Sicily’s train and bus systems are famously inefficient, in part due to the island’s complicated geography—it's almost always faster and easier to get around by car.

How to Get to Palermo From the Palermo Cruise Port

Cruise ships berth at the Stazione Marittima where taxis and horse-drawn carriages are usually waiting at the port exit to take travelers along the small winding streets of the city’s historic center. Many cruise companies also offer shuttle buses to the center of town, while shore excursions typically depart from the dock.

Port Information

Many of the largest cruise lines stop at the Palermo Cruise Port. Italian is the official and most widely spoken language here, although some people will likely speak at least basic English at tourist attractions. The local currency is the euro; ATMs are easy to find, and foreign exchange bureaus are near the docks.