Palermo's Palazzo Dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina: A Guided Tour into Sicily's Royal History

Discover the rich royal history of Palermo with a guided tour of Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina. Explore the oldest royal residence in Europe and marvel at the stunning Palatine Chapel. Don’t miss this cultural experience!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Norman Palace - The Norman Palace. Construction on the palace started in the 9th century when Sicily was under Islamic rule, though it was renovated by the Normans in 1072 when their empire spread across Europe. Now, it’s the home of the Sicilian Regional assembly. You’ll get exclusive entrance into the palace and its gardens. Though not as well…
What's Included
  • See the remains of a melting pot of eastern and western history in the Cappella Palatina
  • Tickets and guided visit of Palace, Gardens and Cappella Palatina
  • Be ready to visit one of the most ancient palaces in Europe
  • Marvel at the Byzantine mosaics on the walls
  • Licensed English or Spanish Speaking Guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
Additional Information

Embark on a guided journey to two of Palermo’s must-see landmarks: the Palazzo dei Normanni and the Cappella Palatina. This includes admittance tickets, providing an excellent opportunity for history enthusiasts. Out of the numerous breathtaking sites in Palermo, the Palazzo dei Normanni should undoubtedly feature on your travel list. It served as the…

Location
Norman Palace
Piazza del Parlamento
Piazza del Parlamento, Palermo. Look for our tour guide in front of Palazzo dei Normanni main entrance. TIME: CLIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT THE MEETING POINT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(50 Ratings)
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Russdaniels20
Apr 27, 2025
Great tour , lots of information and history ! - This was a very informative tour and our guide was fantastic . Claudio our guide was so knowledgeable and answered all of our questions.
Review provided by Viator
Gerald_d
Apr 16, 2025
Knowledgeable guide. - It was a good tour with Debbie, who knew her stuff. She explained the details about the Palace and Chapel that we would not gave known otherwise. It enhanced our visit.
Review provided by Viator
Karen_l
Apr 12, 2025
Thorough, knowledgeable... - Thorough, knowledgeable guide! This tour is well worth the money to skip the lines and learn details about the palace and chapel. It is just the right of time; highly recommend.
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Richard_c
Apr 5, 2025
Wonderful tour with Eleana - Great tour with Eleana Grecco! She was very knowledgeable, spoke perfect English and was entertaining. She made the Palace come alive. Highly recommend.
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Huma_q
Jan 31, 2025
Highly recommended! - Fabio surpassed all our expectations and gave us such an educated, informative, and detail-oriented look at the palace. His information stood out as exceptional because we could tell he was passionate about art and history. And when you combine passion, intellect, and a good conversation...well, you're destined for awesomeness! Fabio was a highlight of Palermo for us, and we thankful to him for showing us a side of Christian Art History that we would have missed.
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David_n
Oct 11, 2024
Not to be missed - What a fantastic venue. The Norman Palace and the Palentine chapel are wonders to behold. The artwork and frescos and golden mosaics all came to life through the emotional and incredible commentary from our super tour guide VALERIA. Valeria also gave a real sense of the many cultures that influenced the palace - Phonecian; Moorish; Norman; Roman; Greek etc. - and answered all the questions from the group. This tour is not to be missed. Thank you Valeria.
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Hugh_c
Oct 10, 2024
Well worth it! - The Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel were rich with Sicilian history. Our guide, Valeria, is a native Sicilian with extensive knowledge of the two sites. Her English is superb and we couldn't have been more pleased with the experience.
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Suzanne_w
Sep 27, 2024
Great tour guide! - Stephania was a great tour guide. She gave us background information on the building history and art. She knew her stuff!
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Giovannamq3881ji
May 3, 2025
"Royal" palace and gardens - The royal palace is majestic in structure but poor inside. I expected to see something beyond the bare halls of what had belonged to the rulers. Many rooms were not accessible to the public and overall I was left with a bit of dissatisfaction. I would recommend making more of the good that the region has. The royal gardens proved to be a disappointment. After visiting those of the palace of Caserta I expected something like this, albeit in a reduced way, and instead..... Beautiful the Palatine Chapel: it deserves from all points of view, only a pity that a part (the one with the mosaic of Christ) was under restoration. Worthy of note is the exhibition dedicated to Picasso inside the royal palace: a wonder!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Natalieantonia_i
Oct 6, 2024
Tour guide very good and... - Tour guide very good and informed. Just one thing I want to mention, she was walking very fast, this tour requires alot of walking and standing up sometimes I could not follow the guide since she was out of range.
Review provided by Viator
From $89
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).