10 Things to Do in Palermo in January

The high season in Palermo is in summer, when you can enjoy the mild weather to walk through the streets of the historic center, contemplate the architectural styles of the buildings and the cultural heritage of the Sicilian capital, but you can also get to know the Palermitan spirit in winter, during the celebrations in January.

Among the best things to see and do in Palermo in January are celebrating the traditional feast of the Befana, following tradition and taking a swim at Mondello beach to celebrate the New Year, making a wish at the Fontana Pretoria, visiting the Martorana and participating in a water blessing rite and attending a music concert at the Teatro Politeama.

Porta Nuova is one of the most beautiful buildings in Palermo and is the official entrance to the oldest street in the city, Via Vittorio Emanuele, which is also one of the main arteries of the Sicilian capital. This gate, which is actually a triumphal arch, is more than 400 years old and a myth assures that if you want to succeed in the future you have to cross it on New Year's Eve.

Every January 1st many visitors come to the gate to welcome the New Year and fulfill the rite, as well as to contemplate one of the most imposing buildings in Palermo, which is located next to the Palazzo dei Normanni, the building that combines Arab, Norman and Romanesque styles and is considered one of the wonders of Palermo's architecture.

From Porta Nuova you can also watch the festivities on Via Vittorio Emanuele, which is usually crowded with visitors who come here or who enjoyed the New Year's Eve dinner in the restaurants and bars along the avenue.

Interesting details

• Price... You can access the door for free.
• Location... Via Vittorio Emanuele 475, Palermo.
• How to get there... By bus line 109 or by Palermo hop on-hop off tourist bus.

Palermitans say they don't need to visit the Trevi Fountain in Rome because every day they can contemplate the Fontana Pretoria, a fountain located in the center of the square of the same name that draws attention for its sculptures of animals, saints and naked nymphs, which is why the space is also known as The Square of Shame.

One of the New Year's traditions, as is the case with the Trevi Fountain, is to throw coins into the Pretoria Fountain and make a wish, but for the rite to take effect you must make the throw with your back to the fountain and with your eyes closed. During the first days of January it is common for people to crowd the square to take pictures and make their wishes, so if you visit the city during the first days of the year you can join the tradition.

In addition, Pretoria Square, with its decorations and sculptures, is one of the favorite places for children, who enjoy taking pictures with the animal heads and marble monsters. Pretoria is located very close to the old town, so you can reach it by public transport or on Palermo' s hop-on-hop-off buses, which include stops in nearby areas.

Details of interest

• Price... The visit to the square is free of charge.
• Location... Piazza Pretoria, Palermo.
• How to get there... By car or private shuttle buses.

Piana degli Albanesi is the typical Albanian immigrant neighborhood in Palermo and is highlighted during the 6th of January every year with the celebration of the Epiphany. This celebration, which is very similar to that of the Theophany of the Martorana, takes place in the streets of the neighborhood which is located about 15 minutes from the Sicilian capital and the Albanians dress in typical costumes embroidered in gold and colorful decorations.

The celebration of the Epiphany is, together with Easter, the two most important religious dates for the neighborhood and its inhabitants and also an alternative to get to know the spirit of the Albanian immigrants outside the masses of January 6. In addition, you can visit the streets of the neighborhood, in what is one of the best tours of Palermo, as it is one of the most picturesque areas of the city.

Note that Piana degli Albanesi can be reached on your own by car, by private transport or also by Palermo tour buses, many of which include a stop in the surrounding area.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the Epiphany celebrations is free.
• Location... Piana degli Albanesi, Palermo.
• How to get there... By car or private transport.

Mondello beach is part of Palermo's culture, so it is intimately connected to the daily life of the locals. If you visit Palermo in the summer you will see that they come there to enjoy its white sands and crystal clear waters, in February it is used for windsurfing and in January to fulfill a tradition according to which, despite the cold of the season, it is a good omen to take a bath during the New Year 's Eve.

Mondello, located 15 minutes from the city center, is also surrounded by services such as restaurants, bars and nightclubs, so you can attend this ritual and, even if you do not dare to take a bath because of the cold, you can continue the night to discover the Palermitan party. If you plan to visit Palermo at Christmas you will see that the beach is also the protagonist with fireworks and impromptu outdoor concerts.

Entrance to Mondello beach is free, so it is also one of the cheapest alternatives to enjoy the New Year's celebrations in a local atmosphere, which is special if you want to live an authentic Palermo experience.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the beach is free.
• Location... Mondello, Palermo.
• How to get there... By bus lines 101, 107 and 603 or by Palermo hop on-hop off tour buses.

"La Befana comes at night, with her shoes all broken, with her hat a la romana, viva, viva la Befana". With this cry children welcome the good witch, who visits homes during the night of January 6, in a tradition that goes hand in hand with Three Kings Day and is widespread in Italy, especially in the south.

According to legend, on their way to Bethlehem the Magi got lost and asked an old woman to help them find their way. This old woman, the Befana, showed them the route and the kings offered her to accompany them, but she refused. Later she repented and decided to go out to look for them, but as she did not find them, she decided to stop at every home to give candy to all the children, hoping that one of them would be Jesus.

Today the Befana is associated with Santa Lucia, who is a venerated figure in Sicily, so in southern Italy this traditional celebration is highly respected and will catch your attention, especially if you plan to visit Palermo with children, because during the festivities adults offer candy to the children and the houses are decorated with figures of the Befana, which is represented by the figure of an old woman with a broom.

During the celebrations, there are also festivals, plays, concerts, cultural shows, costume parades, fireworks shows and traditional bonfires, in which a rag is burned to represent the old woman purifying the evils of the year that has gone. Palermo also celebrates a procession in which the Befana rides through the city wrapped in a white sheet and riding a donkey, while handing out gifts to children.

Details of interest

• Price... The activities of the Befana celebration are free of charge.
• Location... A traditional procession is organized in different parts of Italy and in Palermo.

Although in Italy, unlike in other countries, on January 6 of each year the exclusive protagonist is the Befana, the Three Wise Men have a considerable fame and distribute gifts and sweets among children. In addition, the streets of Palermo are flooded with costumes of Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.

The tradition of the Three Wise Men, in Italy, is maintained mainly by foreigners, especially Albanians, who follow the Orthodox cults, but it is nevertheless a day widely celebrated throughout the country. In Palermo there are street theater performances in the old town and in the gardens of the Teatro Massimo children can take pictures with the kings next to the giant Christmas tree.

Celebrating Three Kings Day is free in Palermo and is one of the best things to do with children in the Sicilian capital, just go out and about in the city to come across the best activities related to the first of the year's celebrations.

Another of the facets that make the Sicilian capital stand out is its rich nightlife and if you plan to visit Palermo on New Year's Eve you can enjoy some of the parties that are organized to welcome the New Year. Among the activities you have to do you can visit the markets, the bars of Mondello or the discos of Via Vittorio Emanuele.

Some of the best food tours in Palermo are by night and also include a tour of the markets and party bars, but note that these tours are usually not available on New Year's Eve, so you will have to do the tour on your own, although many of the bars on the tour will be open to the public.

Also note that if you plan to visit Palermo with your family or children, you may find that the bars that host early morning parties are for adults only.

The Church of La Martorana is the most important of the Albanian temples in Sicily and also a beautiful building that attracts attention for its architecture. This church, which is almost 1000 years old, stands out for its crossing of Arab, Norman and Baroque styles and for the Byzantine mosaic ceilings inside. Also, if you plan to visit Palermo in January you can attend the blessing of waters there during January.

The blessing of waters is a widespread rite all over the world, but mainly in fishing villages. On the one hand the water is sanctified but also indirectly the rivers and seas are blessed and good fishing is prayed for. In the Sicilian capital during this blessing is celebrated the feast of Theophany, which includes a mass during the 6th of January every year, in what is one of the most striking activities in Palermo during the winter

The Theophany mass lasts about 1 hour and a half, so it is possible to combine it with a short visit to the city. If that is your case, here is a list of activities so you can discover Palermo in 3 days.

Details of interest

• Price... You can participate in the Theophany Mass for free.
• Location... Piazza Bellini 3, Palermo.
• How to get there... By bus lines 109, 234 and 246 or by Palermo hop on-hop off tour buses.

If you plan to visit Palermo in January you will find that the Teatro Massimo is closed or without activities, since the opening of the opera is in February, but you will be able to attend a music concert at the Teatro Politeama, which is another of the most famous stages of the Sicilian capital.

At Politeana you can attend a symphonic opera or gospel shows or any other genre, as it is home to the Orchestra of Palermo but also has an extensive calendar and marvel at the architecture of the site and also the neighborhood, as the theater is located in Borgo Vecchio, a colorful area of intricate streets that stands out for the street market of the same name and for the proximity to the docks of the port of Palermo.

Usually, due to the small number of visitors to Palermo in January, you can get tickets at the box office before the shows, but if you want to reserve your seat you can check the official website of the symphony and book tickets for the show of your choice.

Details of interest

• Price... Tickets for the Politeama concerts have a starting cost of approximately €18 per person.
• Location... Via Filippo Turati 2, Palermo.
• How to get there... By bus lines 101 or by Palermo hop on-hop off tour buses.

Agathon, along with Sergius I, are the only two Popes in history who were born in Palermo, and therefore are two of the highest religious celebrities of Sicily. Agathon was Pope of the Catholic Church in the 12th century and, although not much is known about his life before his papacy, he played a very important role in reaffirming the divine status of the religion.

Agathon was pope for almost 4 years and the date of his death, which was recorded on January 10, is a liturgical feast celebrated with masses and pilgrimages in Rome and Palermo. If you visit the city in January you can take part in these festivities that have a traditional character in the Sicilian capital, especially since Agathon was canonized.

Every January 10, in addition, a special evening mass is organized in the Cathedral of Pal ermo to close the liturgical festivities ordered by the Vatican. You can attend the mass for free.

January is one of the coldest months of the year in the city, with maximum temperatures of 14°, minimum temperatures of 9° and average temperatures of 12°, although unlike other winter months rain and snowfall are less frequent.

If you plan to visit Palermo in February you will see that snowfalls are persistent, as it is the wettest month of the year in the Sicilian capital, which will allow you to see snowy peaks and skiing. January also has snowfalls but they are much less copious and more sporadic.

January is part of the low season in Palermo, so the influx of tourists decreases significantly, which means that you can enjoy the city at your leisure and do not need to book excursions in advance.

It is also the ideal month for excursions in enclosed spaces, such as visiting the best museums in Palermo or touring the main buildings of the city, such as the Cathedral, the Norman Palace or the Catacombs of the Capuchins.

January is part of the low season in the Sicilian capital, so prices are affordable, especially for accommodation and excursions to the main sites of the city or the main activities to do from Palermo

You can also save money by booking in advance online, as some tour operators offer discounts for online purchases. In addition, you will be able to avoid last minute price increases.

January is a cold month with some rain and snowfall in Palermo, so I recommend that you include the following in your suitcase:

• Winter coats
• Waterproof and comfortable boots
• Thermal socks
• Waterproof and tactile gloves
• Woolen hat
• Woolen scarves
• Sunglasses
• Wool sweaters
• Fleece pants
• Thermal fleece