Europe
Italy
Sicily
Province of Palermo
Palermo
Things to do in Palermo
Norman Palace

Norman Palace, Palermo

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Norman Palace

See all things to do
See all things to do
Norman Palace
4.5
7,097
#35 of 513 things to do in Palermo
Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings
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08:15 - 17:45
Monday
08:15 - 17:45
Tuesday
08:15 - 17:45
Wednesday
08:15 - 17:45
Thursday
08:15 - 17:45
Friday
08:15 - 17:45
Saturday
08:15 - 17:45
Sunday
08:15 - 13:00
About
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Palazzo Reale
Best nearby
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Popular mentions
4.5
7,097 reviews
Excellent
4,786
Very good
1,489
Average
472
Poor
192
Terrible
159
chong_sandra
Singapore, Singapore19 contributions
No loss if a visit is missed
May 2022 • Solo
First thing is to take note that currently, visitation on Friday to Monday as well as holidays will give you access to 4 more areas costing only €3.50 more. This is by far the most expensive entrance fee I’ve ever paid , €19.
I went on a Monday at about 9.30am and there were numerous & numerous tour & student groups . Thus a long wait to queue in line from entry to the Palatine Chapel to the Royal Apartments. So avoid going in the morning. Lesson learned.
The Palatine Chapel, I’m not impressed. After visiting The Cattedrale di Monreale, I can’t help making a comparison.
As for the Royal Apartments, I see that many areas are used as working space and thus you will see modern office equipment & furniture are also present. Good use of space, which I guess also accounts for the inaccessibility on other days. I personally enjoyed viewing more at Museo Palazzo Mirto (only €6), more worn off but authentic.
The Royal Gardens are small but very well manicured & labeled. So many plant & tree species from all parts of the world are planted here. Very shady with many benches. Wished I had brought along some food & beverage taking a respite from the crowds here.

All in all, I know I could have given this visit a miss.
Written 16 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hazel M
4 contributions
Not great for English travellers!
May 2022
I visited with my partner recently and we queued up to buy tickets. The first question we were asked, rather impolitely by the gentleman behind the desk, was "Where you come from?" when we said England, UK, we were told we "No. Not EU members" Like we weren't allowed to go in because we were no longer in the EU! Totally laughable! When we pointed this out the gentleman was very unclear so we tried again to buy tickets and he finally let us make a purchase. We weren't allowed to buy concession tickets because we weren't EU members so cost us more.
The royal apartments were not open to view, but we still had to pay full price! Plus a guided tour was not included in the full price ticket. We witnessed other tourists having issues over costs as well.
Written 16 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Brun066
Florence, Italy10,941 contributions
Pale remembrance of the Norman palace: only the Palatine Chapel and the Hall of King Ruggiero give an idea
Apr 2022
Visitors to the Palace, as it should be, go in raptures in front of the two most illustrious surviving rooms of the Norman era: the Palatine Chapel and the King Ruggero Room (this feeling is also mine, having visited the Palace for the second time after 45 years).
What escapes most - and which in my opinion is not even adequately remembered in the panels illustrating the Palace halls - is that these two highlights are what survives many destructions and looting in the same or subsequent age than that of the two most illustrious halls (12th century). Among the destructions, the looting in the revolt following the conspiracy by the nobles so-called by Matteo Bonello (1160) stands out in the first place; then the plundering of the palace by Henry VI of Hohenstaufen (holy Roman emperor and father of Frederick II) in 1194; finally, the further destruction caused by the so-called "Vespers" revolt (1282).
Following these repeated devastations, it's understandable that the Palazzo, an amazing work celebrated by many 12th century witnesses, has fallen into decline and has gradually ceased to be the representative center of royal power. It's revealing, for example, that the Aragon dynasty, ruler of Sicily after 1282, established its residence not here, but in the illustrious, but much less grandiose building called Steri (in today's Piazza Marina).
The palace returned to being the center of political power in Sicily only since the middle of the sixteenth century, with the Spanish viceroys (but at that time Sicily was far from having the function it had in the twelfth century in Europe and in the Mediterranean). Under the viceroys, therefore, the demolition of the dilapidated parts and the construction of new wings took place (including what is currently the "Hall of Parliament" or "Hall of Hercules").
This explains why, despite its name (which, moreover, was given to it recently, in the twentieth century), the Palazzo dei Normanni now has a prevailing early modern architectural look, in which the medieval parts appear as residues. Subsequent changes see the insertion of the current courtyards and the monumental staircase, through which visitors pass today.
We must therefore resort to the imagination to get the sense of halls and furnishings congruent with the two splendid elements that we still admire today. The descriptions of the palace in the twelfth century can help the imagination (for such description a summary is in a paper by the medieval art historian Ruggero Longo [2011] freely available on the web).
Written 9 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Joe L
139 contributions
wow
Apr 2022
The splendidness of the palace was amazing. We just stood there and wondered what it would be like to live there. This is a must see.
Written 6 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Midora S
3 contributions
visit to pallatine chapel
Apr 2022
went to visit pallatine chapel and the apartements in palermo
first shock, the entrance price which is 19EU
the place is amaizing and i was able to see also the apartaments
it worth a visit of 1.5-2 hours
th ebig sock was latter when i went to the toilents, situated in the same building
you have to pay an additional fee of 50 cents
i think it is impudence, after charging 19EU for the entry to ask more for the toilet using
Written 30 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Daydreamer
4 contributions
Mind boggling.
Mar 2022
This place is just amazing, go and see it. The craftmanship of the mosaic is really something to behold. The ceiling is phenomenal, the collision of cultures is inspiring.
Written 16 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Robert L
Amherst, MA1,497 contributions
It's the Chapel
Mar 2022 • Couples
If you visit on a Tu-W-Th, you will not be able to see the apartments as the Parliament is in session. It is all about the Palatine Chapel here - the mosaic work is incredible.
Written 8 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Daniel Draskoczy
Budapest256 contributions
Don't visit on Sunday 9:30 - 12.00 noon. Overpriced, wrong information provided, rude staff
Feb 2022 • Family
A popular Italian joke says that when Garibaldi conquered Sicily he didn't unity the country but divided Africa.
This experience in some ways reminded us to visiting sights in Northern Africa. The entrance fee is too high (19 euro / adult) and even though I asked twice, 2 different people, in Italian, at the entrance I was told we can visit on Sunday during all the hours.
And we could - except for the highlight of the visit, the chapel. So after an Italian couple anyways entered I asked to be let in. I was rejected. Then I confronted the guard that he let in other guests (baptisms were going on). He called his colleague who also tried to refuse us but at the end we walked in. The last thing she said very rudely that okay, but we must stay until the end of the mass.
Now we didn't want to disturb the baptism ceremony but wanted to peak in and take a look for the thing that we paid the entrance fee and were told twice we were able to do and which was allowed for other visitors.
At the end, being watched by the rude guards and having visited with our 4 years old, we just took a peak and left.
Just like many other things it Sicily during our visit, were unnecessarily made difficult by inflexibility and rudeness.
We know that times are hard with corona especially for those who work in the (international) tourism industry but this could be a reason to make an effort (or at least not hinder) those that decide to visit.
The gardens (not even signposted) were quite nice, don't miss them while not having a place to check our jackets and needing to pay for the toilet inside (after having paid 19 euros!) didn't make the whole affair more enjoyable.
Written 12 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
miss_maya
20 contributions
Must see
Feb 2022 • Solo
Must see! You can't skip this when you are in Palermo. Take an all-in-one ticket (€10 feb22). Take a seat and breath in the royal gardens.
Written 4 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Scott
San Francisco, CA4,866 contributions
Stunning
Jan 2022 • Solo
Definitely one of the most amazing sights in Palermo. Beautiful imposing archway over the road, Porta Nouva. Complex structure obviously constructed over many centuries.
Written 19 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Norman Palace
Norman Palace is open:
  • Sun - Sun 08:15 - 13:00
  • Mon - Sat 08:15 - 17:45
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Norman Palace tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 23 Norman Palace tours on Tripadvisor