Arab-Norman palaces, baroque corners and an opera house: the Palermo hunt
The Palermo scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. From the first riddle to the last, count on about 2 hours, of which only around 34 minutes are walking, over 2.8 km and 10 stops, and the moment you begin is yours to pick.
Highlights include the Norman Palace and the Porta Nuova gate, the cathedral with its royal tombs, the mosaics of La Martorana, the Fountain of Shame on Piazza Pretoria, the baroque Quattro Canti and the steps of the Teatro Massimo. Palermo's historic centre is compact, so in one walk you see Arab-Norman, baroque and 19th-century Palermo side by side.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 34 min · 2.8 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
Riddles from the Norman Palace to the steps of the Teatro Massimo
Four Moors, four seasons and two bronze lions
Every one of the 10 stops sets a riddle the street itself answers: the four Moors holding up Porta Nuova, the seasons, Spanish kings and patron saints on the curved façades of the Quattro Canti, the crowd of statues around the Pretoria Fountain, the two bronze lions flanking the Teatro Massimo's staircase. You crack each one with sharp eyes and some reasoning, and nobody expects you to know Palermo's history beforehand.
Norman kings, an emperor and a famous film scene
The answers unlock Palermo's layered past: the Arab-era fortress that became the palace of the Norman kings, Emperor Charles V entering the city in 1535, the cathedral where Frederick II lies, Admiral George of Antioch's church of 1143 and the final scene of The Godfather Part III, shot on the opera house steps. Switch on the audio narration if you would rather hear these stories than read them on the narrow pavements.
2.8 km through the old districts
Around 34 minutes of walking take you from the highest point of the old city down the Cassaro, today Corso Vittorio Emanuele, into the old quarters, across the Quattro Canti and north to San Domenico and the Teatro Massimo. Google Maps guides you through the lanes from stop to stop.
Marzipan fruit and an arancina
No clock ticks, so try the marzipan frutta martorana that legend links to the nuns near La Martorana, grab an arancina from a street stall, follow the app's tips for food and shops along the way and pick up the game later or on another day.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
City breakers, cruise visitors and families in Palermo
A day ashore or a short city break
About 2 hours of riddles cover the Norman Palace, the cathedral, the Quattro Canti and the Teatro Massimo, the core of historic Palermo, so they suit a day off a cruise ship or the first morning of a city break. Arab-Norman, baroque and 19th-century Palermo pass by in a single walk.
Children, lions and a fountain full of statues
Kids like counting the Moors on Porta Nuova, finding the four seasons on the Quattro Canti and spotting the bronze lions at the opera house. An adult plays in every team, and an arancina halfway keeps young players going.
A company day out in Sicily's capital
Teams of up to 5, every player with the game on their own phone, can set off from the Norman Palace at intervals and meet again on the steps of the Teatro Massimo. Since the Cassaro, the piazzas and the theatre steps are public ground, buying the tickets is the whole of the organisation.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
The route: from the Norman Palace along the Cassaro and across the Quattro Canti to the Teatro Massimo
10 stops · about 34 min walking · start: Norman Palace · finish: Teatro Massimo
The hunt starts at the Norman Palace, passes through the Porta Nuova gate and follows the old main street to Palermo Cathedral. You continue into the old quarters to the Chiesa del Gesù and La Martorana, cross Piazza Pretoria and the Quattro Canti, and head north to San Domenico and the Antonio Salinas Archaeological Museum before finishing at the Teatro Massimo. Moors, saints, fountain statues and bronze lions all give their answers from the street, so the game never sends you to a ticket office, and if your hotel is nearer the Quattro Canti or the Teatro Massimo, the app opens the game there and arranges the other stops around it.
Open the route map ↗
1Norman PalaceStart
The Palazzo dei Normanni, also called the Royal Palace, grew from an Arab-era fortress on the highest point of the old city and became the residence of the Norman kings in the 12th century. Today it is the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. With other Arab-Norman monuments of Palermo it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.
Read the full story →
2Porta Nuova
This monumental gate stands at the top of the Cassaro, today Corso Vittorio Emanuele, right next to the Norman Palace. It was built in the 16th century to commemorate Emperor Charles V's entry into Palermo in 1535 after his victory at Tunis. On its outer side four large figures of Moors support the upper floor, which is crowned by a pyramid-shaped roof of coloured tiles.
3Palermo Cathedral
Archbishop Walter Ophamil founded the cathedral in 1184 on the site of an earlier church that had served as a mosque under Arab rule. Centuries of rebuilding left Norman, Gothic, Catalan and baroque features, and the neoclassical dome was added in the late 18th century. Inside lie royal tombs, including that of Emperor Frederick II.
4Chiesa del Gesù
Also known as Casa Professa, this was the first church of the Jesuits in Sicily, built from the late 16th century. Its interior is covered with inlaid coloured marble and stucco, a typical Sicilian baroque technique called marmi mischi. The church was badly damaged by bombing in 1943 and later restored.
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5Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio (La Martorana)
George of Antioch, admiral of King Roger II, founded this church in 1143, which is why it is named after the admiral. Its Byzantine mosaics include a scene of Christ crowning Roger II. The nickname Martorana comes from a nearby convent whose nuns, it is said, invented the marzipan fruits known as frutta martorana.
6Piazza Pretoria
The square is filled by the Pretoria Fountain, made in Florence by Francesco Camilliani in the 16th century for a private villa and later sold to the city of Palermo. Its many nude statues earned it the nickname Fountain of Shame. Facing it stands Palazzo delle Aquile, Palermo's town hall.
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7Quattro Canti
This baroque crossroads, officially Piazza Vigliena, was laid out in the early 17th century where Via Maqueda crosses the Cassaro, today Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Each of its four curved façades has a fountain and statues of a season, a Spanish king and a patron saint. It divides the historic centre into four traditional districts.
Read the full story →
8San Domenico
The Dominican church of San Domenico was rebuilt from the 17th century, and its baroque façade with two bell towers was completed in the 18th century. It is known as the pantheon of Palermo because many famous Sicilians are buried here, among them the anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone. In front of it stands a column topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary.
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9Antonio Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
Sicily's main archaeological museum occupies a former monastery of the Oratorians of Saint Philip Neri, next to the church of the Olivella. It is named after Antonio Salinas, the archaeologist who directed it in the 19th century. Its collection includes the carved metopes from the Greek temples of Selinunte.
10Teatro MassimoFinish
Designed by Giovan Battista Filippo Basile and completed by his son Ernesto, the Teatro Massimo opened in 1897 and is the largest opera house in Italy. Two bronze lions with allegorical figures flank its wide staircase. The final scene of The Godfather Part III was filmed on these steps.
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Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Interessante Fakten und Führung durch Palermo. Immer wieder gerne! Perfekt wäre es gewesen, wenn es die Möglichkeit gäbe die Texte vorlesen zu lassen.
Carmen– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
L’ excursion était très bien. Personnel à bord très sympathique. Le seul défaut c est que pour se rendre à Castelamarre del golfo , nous n’avons pas le choix que de prendre le transport à 29 euros .
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Danke 🙂
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Nous avons passé un agréable moment et nous avons découvert de nouveaux quartiers dotés d’intéressants monuments. Quelques questions étaient curieusement formulées mais nous sommes arrivés au terme de la chasse. N’hésitez pas à proposer de nouvelles activités de ce genre à petits prix.
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die Schnitzeljagd hat Spaß gemacht 🙂 Die Punkte waren gut zu finden und durch die Fragen/Aufgaben, hat man sich viele Dinge und Details noch genauer angeschaut. Die Aufgabenstellungen waren nur nicht immer ganz eindeutig was etwas schade war . Aber ansonsten alles gut 🙂
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Une bonne façon ludique de découvrir Palerme avec une adolescente. Nous avions déjà utilisé ce format à Lille et Gand , donc nous sommes Habituées au format des questions’, mais nous apprécions toujours le fait de pouvoir prendre notre temps, de découvrir des lieux où nous ne serions pas allées sinon . Nous avons donc mis 3h15 pour découvrir l’ensemble des lieux mais en mode piano piano …
Heather– United States –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Fun activity for the family to discover the beauty of Palermo – well thought out walking tour with great history and useful map!
Emilie– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Se d?placer dans Palerme et voir les principaux monuments avec des ?nigmes ? r?aliser, les enfants ont beaucoup aim?s. Et alors le feu d’artifice fiat son petit effet ?? Un peu dommage peut ?tre que les monuments pr?sentes apr?s l’?nigme ne soit pas mieux indiqu?s sur une carte, un paraissait particuli?rement int?ressant on ne l’a jamais trouv?.
Sandrine– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Es wird mit einem Preis von 6,50€ pro Person geworben. Ich musste aber 13€ l?hnen.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
L’idee est interessante mais il n’y a pas assez d’?nigme par lieu ? visiter. 1 ?nigme par lieu n’est pas suffisant
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Tr?s bien fait.
Tanja– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Tolle Geb?ude und Nebenstra?en gesehen
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Einfach nur toll, um Palermo zu Fu? zu erkunden!
Blasi– Spain –
Collected on GetYourGuide
La gu?a es completa, ser?a mejorable las indicaciones que se basan simplemente en Google Maps. Tambi?n es interesante una audiogu?a, no solo leer las explicaciones que es muy inc?modo mientras te gu?as por la ciudad y contemplas los monumentos.
Sergio– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Bella esperienza. Ci ha fatto conoscere molti luoghi a poca distanza tra lor che avremmo ignorato, con divertimento.
Steffi– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die schnitzeljagd durch palermo hat Spa? gemacht. Man hat viele interessante Aspekte erfahren und die vorgegebene Runde hatte eine gute L?nge. Nicht gefallen hat mir,dass die Reihenfolge vorgegeben ist und man schwer die Aktivit?ten tauschen kann. Man kann zwar den Startpunkt ausw?hlen, Da es aber auch vom Inhalt chronologisch ist sollte man die Runde wie vorgegeben laufen. F?r das gebotene fanden wir 13 Euro deutlich zu teuer. F?r das Geld kann man auch eine Tour buchen.
Marion– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Une autre fa?on de visiter la ville en s’amusant
Jasmin– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Eine gute M?glichkeit die Stadt zu erkunden. Au?er den bekannten Attraktionen kommt man auch in Ecken, die man sonst weniger sieht.
Sonja– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Richtige sch?ne Tour durch Palermo. Die wichtigsten Sehensw?rdigkeiten liegen auf der Route. Durch die M?glichkeit das Spiel zu pausieren hatte man auch genug Zeit sich die einzelnen Sehensw?rdigkeiten in Ruhe anzuschauen, in Cafes zu verweilen und in den L?dchen zu bummeln. Die R?tsel waren gut l?sbar, so das die Lust nicht verloren ging. Einfach genial, wenn man eine Alternative zu einer gef?hrten Stadttour sucht.
Andrea– Italy –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Tour di Palermo ben strutturato e che ti permette di vedere la citt? e i suoi monumenti principali e non solo, io e il mio amico ci siamo divertiti e siamo stati contenti di averlo scelto perch? ci ha permesso di visitare tutta la citt? in autonomia senza perderci quasi nulla. Se dovessi consigliare qualcosa: sarebbe utile inserire gli orari di chiusura di alcuni luoghi che (seppur iniziando il tour alle 10:30 del mattino) abbiamo trovato chiusi una volta l? (da premettere per? che abbiamo anche messo in pausa il gioco per goderci dall interno alcuni luoghi), altra cosa che consiglierei ? la possibilit? di scegliere il livello di difficolt? degli indovinelli che abbiamo trovato abbastanza semplici.
Irina– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Leuke manier om de highlights van de stad te ontdekken
Jennifer– Australia –
Collected on GetYourGuide
My daughter & I did this tour together. We had a ball. Saw all the highlights of Palermo. Stopped when it got too hot & started again in the evening. Highly recommend it. Soooo much fun
Christophe– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Dommage au milieu du parcours le son ne fonctionnait plus…
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Tr?s bonne activit? pour d?couvrir la ville et s’amuser… Je recommande.
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Sch?ner Stadtrundgang mit sch?nen Sehensw?rdigkeiten. 🙂 R?tsel relativ einfach, Ergebnis bei Kathedrale fragw?rdig ;). Dass man zu zweit auch f?r beide buchen muss, ist eigentlich ?berfl?ssig, verstehe aber nat?rlich warum.
Hartmut– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die Aufgaben waren an sich relativ einfach, aber wir haben einige Ecken und Sehensw?rdigkeiten entdeckt, die wir sonst nicht gefunden h?tten. Sehr gut vor allem: die ausf?hrlichen Beschreibungen und Informationen zu den einzelnen Stationen (die man sich auch vorlesen lassen kann)
Jo?lle– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Une super id?e pour d?couvrir Palerme ? notre rythme et avec beaucoup d’explications via l’application, des ?nigmes (pas si simples parfois !) ? r?soudre en famille. Parents et enfants y trouvent largement leur compte !
Thomas– Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Ein sehr kompakter Spaziergang um die wichtigsten Sehensw?rdigkeiten der Stadt zu sehen. Mit den eingebauten Aufgaben waren die Wegstrecken zwischen den Sehensw?rdigkeiten auch f?r unser 9j?griges M?dchen kein Problem. War eine tolle Erfahrung
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Witzige Idee, Palermo auf eigene Faust mit Kindern (m.E. ab 8 Jahre geeignet) zu erkunden, gute R?tsel. Unsere 12j?hrige hatte Spass. – Wir hatten eine h?here Erwartung an den Stadtf?hrer auf der App: Es gab da kurze Texte, die in mittelm??iger ?bersetzung einschl?fernd vorgelesen wurden. Teilweise waren sie wenig aussagekr?ftig (und auch nicht kindgerecht) und teilweise bezogen sie sich auf Orte, die gar nicht Bestandteil der Schnitzeljagt waren. Den Bezug dann zu finden war in Anbetracht des Ductus herausfordernd. Alles in Allem aber eine kurzweilige Art, die Stadt und einige Sehensw?rdigkeiten f?r kleines Geld abzulaufen. Vor allem da es schwierig ist, in Palermo eine Staftf?hrung in deutscher Sprache zu kriegen (unsere Tochter spricht noch nicht gut englisch, was den Spass bei englischsprachigen Ausfl?gen immer etwas tr?bt). Wenn man das ein oder andere noch in Ruhe von innen anschaut (mit F?hrungen usw.) kann man auch zwei Urlaubstage ganz entspannt damit zubringen.
Switzerland –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Eine fr?hliche Art von Stadtf?hrung! Wir waren nicht ganz zufrieden mit der App, zB waren die zugeh?rigen Texte nicht abrufbar oder nicht im richtigen Zusammenhang. Auch w?re es praktisch nochmals zur?ck zu k?nnen.
Laura Ferrari (verified owner) –
Ho giocato con i miei figli esplorando la città di Palermo. È stato qualcosa di unico, perché abbiamo appreso molte informazioni e molti fatti tra loro, ci torneremo.
Stevan –
Collected on GetYourGuide
War sehr lustig und gut gef?hrt, Infos zu den Sehensw?rdigkeiten absolut ausreichend
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Hat Spa? gemacht
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Hat sehr viel Spa? gemacht. Wir haben 3 Kinder dabei gehabt zwischen 8 und 11. Auch sie hatten Spa? an den R?tseln. Man kommt rum und wird dabei durch Einkaufsstra?en und sch?nen Gassen entlanggef?hrt. Bei der n?chsten Stadtreise w?rden wir es gerne wieder auf die Art kennenlernen.