Arabs, Normans and Mafia Self Guided Tour of Palermo

4.8 (8 reviews) 2–4 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

8 reviews

4.8

Arabs, Normans and Mafia Self Guided Tour of Palermo — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Arabs, Normans and Mafia Self Guided Tour of Palermo, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Palermo's cathedral started as a church, became an Arab mosque, then returned to a cathedral — and a Quranic verse carved into one of its columns survived the Inquisition untouched. This self-guided audio walking tour takes you along the Cassaro, one of Europe's oldest streets, from the Teatro Massimo opera house to the sea. You'll hear how a Caravaggio was stolen by the Mafia and possibly eaten by pigs, taste street food with thousand-year-old Arab roots, and stand inside a chapel where three civilisations built a single ceiling together. Start whenever suits you, pause for markets and sfincione, resume when you're ready — no group, no schedule. Works offline.

Over 20,000 travelers have used our self-guided tours, and a full refund guarantee means no risk. If you want a Palermo walking tour that lets you go at your own pace and actually understand what you're looking at, this is it.

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At a glance

Duration: 2–4 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: German, Russian, Portuguese, English, Italian, Polish, French, Dutch, Spanish
Operated by: Tourific

Ages: Adults (14–70 years)

What is included

Included

Included: 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: If you don’t love the tour, write to us for a full refund.
Included: 1-year access to audio on iOS & Android. Listen to the tour anytime, as many times as you like
Included: Audio and written guide included
Included: Offline access to the tour (no internet connection needed) once tour is downloaded
Included: Images to identify stops and in app interactive map for navigation

Not included

Not included: Any physical devices or headphones
Not included: Human tour guide at location

Itinerary

Teatro Massimo

Passing by

Find the step where skeptics still trip, cursed by a nun whose tomb was disturbed during construction.
Capo Street Market

Passing by

Taste rice balls born from Arab rule in lanes that haven't changed their layout in a thousand years.
Grotta dei Beati Paoli

Passing by

Stand above tunnels where a secret society may have met — and where the Mafia later claimed its origin story.
Palermo Cathedral

Passing by

Spot the Quranic verse carved into a column that somehow survived the Spanish Inquisition untouched.
Villa Bonanno

Passing by

Look up at the figures holding the gate and notice what's been done to their limbs.
Norman Palace

Passing by

Step inside a chapel where three civilisations built a single ceiling — and none agreed on whose king it honoured.
No Mafia Memorial

Passing by

Trace the line from two assassinated prosecutors to the civic uprising that reopened an opera house.
Quattro Canti

Passing by

Notice how a local architect quietly rearranged the Spanish king's position on each facade — and why it mattered.
Piazza Pretoria

Passing by

Count the nude statues a sculptor shipped across the sea in sixty-nine crates — then hear what the nuns did about them.
Piazza Bellini

Passing by

Learn why every admiral in every navy carries a title invented by a Greek refugee serving a Norman king here.
La Vucciria

Passing by

Order your spleen sandwich "married" or "bachelor" — and hear how Jewish butchers created the tradition centuries ago.
Chiesa di San Domenico

Passing by

Pause at the tomb of the prosecutor whose murder changed Palermo more than any conqueror did.
Oratorio del Santissimo Rosario in San Domenico

Passing by

Search the stucco for a hidden lizard — the artist's signature pun on his own name.
Oratorio di San Lorenzo

Passing by

See the empty space above the altar where a Caravaggio hung until the Mafia took it — and no two informants agree on what happened next.
Palazzo Chiaromonte Steri

Passing by

Read prayers scratched into prison walls with blood by Inquisition captives going blind in the dark.
Muro delle Cattive

Passing by

Walk the elevated promenade reserved for widows — whose mourning clothes may have signalled something else entirely.
Stop 17

Passing by

Face the sea where a boy supposedly dove beneath Sicily and never came back — because the island needed holding up.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

This is a self-guided audio tour on our self-guided tour app. To activate the tour, check your email for instructions from us sent right after booking. Can’t find it? Search for our company in your email inbox and spam folder. OR contact us via support.

End point

Using your ticket

Know before you go :

•⁠ ⁠You will need to download the "Tourific self guided tours" app from the Google play store or App store

•⁠ ⁠Right after booking, you’ll receive an email from Tourific or the tour booking platform with instructions to access the tour.

•⁠ ⁠Having trouble finding the email? Just search for “Tourific” in your inbox or spam folder.

•⁠ ⁠The tour is valid for 1 year and can be listened to any number of times. So feel free to download tour and experience a few stops before going on the tour.

•⁠ ⁠Fully charge your phone and carry your headphones for the best experience

•⁠ ⁠It is recommended to wear modest clothing if you wish to enter the religious sites on the tour

•⁠ ⁠The tour follows a set route that we recommend that you follow. Once the tour is downloaded, the introduction will guide you to your starting point

•⁠ ⁠Change of plans? Enjoy the tour on a different day or from home