Destination wedding in Palermo
Arab-Norman gold, street markets and a capital that overwhelms the senses.
Region
West Sicily
Best months
April to June, September and October. Palermo's summer is hot and humid but the coast helps in the evening.
Getting there
Falcone-Borsellino airport is 45 minutes from the centre. Civil ceremonies are celebrated at Villa Niscemi and Palazzo delle Aquile. Traffic is significant; allow generous transfer times between venue and church.
Getting married in Palermo
Palermo is layered: Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Norman, Spanish. The Arab-Norman monuments of the city are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the golden mosaics of the Cappella Palatina or the Cathedral of Monreale are unlike anything else in the Mediterranean.
For a wedding, Palermo offers grand interiors — Villa Tasca, Villa Igiea, Palazzo Butera — and, in complete contrast, the raw energy of the Ballarò and Vucciria markets, which give a couple session an urban, documentary texture you cannot fake.
Venues and locations I use in Palermo
- Cattedrale di Palermo and the Cappella Palatina in the Norman Palace
- Duomo di Monreale — 12th century golden mosaics, twenty minutes away
- Villa Tasca, Villa Malfitano and other historic villas with parks
- Grand seafront hotels at Acquasanta and Mondello
- Mondello beach and its liberty-style bathing pier
Frequently asked questions
Is Palermo better than eastern Sicily for a big wedding?
For 150 guests and above, yes. Palermo has the largest historic villas and the widest hotel capacity on the island.
Can you photograph in Monreale cathedral?
Yes, with the parish authorisation. The mosaics need careful exposure work, which is why I always scout the church at the same hour as the ceremony.
Nearby wedding destinations
Tyrrhenian Coast
Cefalù
A Norman cathedral, a fishing village and a beach in the same frame.
Palermo Coast
Mondello
Liberty architecture on a crescent of white sand.
West Sicily
Erice
A medieval village in the clouds, 750 metres above the sea.
Madonie Mountains
Castelbuono & the Madonie
A medieval castle, chestnut forests and mountain air an hour from the sea.