Palermo: Norman Palace & Palatine Chapel – Small Group or Private
Recommended by 90% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Palermo, Italy
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Dig deep into Palermo’s history on this guided tour of Palermo Royal Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni) and its Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina). With a guide helping you navigate, you’ll enter one of Europe’s oldest royal residences, which was once home to the Kings of Sicily, and then explore the chapel with its mix of mosaics and architecture. Entry to the palace gardens is also included.
- Book online for a popular tour of two top Palermo attractions
- Receive an instant booking confirmation for quick peace of mind
- Learn about the palace’s centuries of history from a guide
- Hear the stories behind the Palatine Chapel’s frescoes and mosaics
What's Included
- Licensed English or Spanish Speaking Guide
- Tickets and guided visit of Palace, Gardens and Cappella Palatina
- See the remains of a melting pot of eastern and western history in the Cappella Palatina
- Marvel at the Byzantine mosaics on the walls
- Be ready to visit one of the most ancient palaces in Europe
- Private Tour Guide (if Private option purchased)
- Gratuities
- Hotel pick up and drop off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Palazzo dei NormanniPiazza del Parlamento, 1, 90129 Palermo PA, Italy
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
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.1:00 pm
Itinerary
1
Norman Palace
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note: Palazzo dei Normani is a government venue. In case of official events or meeting the tour could be subject to cancellation
- The tour runs rain or shine
- We are sorry to inform you that pets are not permitted on our tours
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 79 reviews
GeorgiaGirl, Apr 2026
Unfortunately the palace was being renovated so we missed a major part of why we were there. The palace was interesting but we didn’t feel it was worth the amount we paid for this tour. We preferred going to the Palermo Cathedral on our own for a fraction of the cost.
LyndellAnne, Apr 2026
An well paced guided tour of the Norman Palace and the exquisite Palatine chapel. I very much enjoyed our tour guide who was informative and attentive. Unfortunately I cannot recall her name.
Martin_R, Mar 2026
This tour was fantastic. Our guide, Erico, was very knowledgeable and made this tour great. He not only knew the background and history, he knew the particular places to stand to get the best view of the particular items of interest. The tour did not include some other parts of the palace because there were some official functions that day, but that was disclosed in advance. Even without being able to see that portion of the palace, this tour still gets my highest rating. If you are also going to see Monreale, there will be some distinct similarities, but the contrasts make it even more interesting.
Olga_M, Dec 2025
This is a very interesting tour. In 1,5 hours you find out so much! The guide points out on those details that is so easy to overlook by yourself. Highly recommended. Especially with the guide Lavinia - she is amazing!
Wendy_B, Sep 2025
Incredible private tour with brilliant guide, Fabio.
He was so impressive; he had us all spellbound with his knowledge, charm and intelligence. His descriptions of the political, religious, social, aesthetic and historic times during the creation of the Reale over the past centuries was impressive and we would both choose to have him as our Guide anywhere and on any subject. memorable.
Thankyou, Fabio!
biermanjan62, Aug 2025
Very informative. Fabulous guide. Only complaint. Bought my ticket several weeks ago, $91, friend bought hers today, $79!
Dominick_M, Aug 2025
It really was a small group. Just 4 of us and our guide. Was able to spend time and answer any questions. He also gave us the option at the end of the tour to roam the garden and also take in the art exhibit that was at the castle.
CatherineAponte, Jul 2025
This is a well done tour with enough information shared to walk away feeling like you have an understanding of everything you see. The tour is done with a small group which makes it easy to move from one activity to the next.
John_G, Jul 2025
Stunning place with very interesting history. The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable and even managed to keep our 7 year old daughter interested on a very hot day! Up front communication was also good and the guide met us right outside the main entrance so was easy to find.
russdaniels20, Apr 2025
This was a very informative tour and our guide was fantastic . Claudio our guide was so knowledgeable and answered all of our questions.
Gerald_D, Apr 2025
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.
Karen_L, Apr 2025
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.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're so happy you enjoyed the tour and appreciated the insights shared by our guide. Exploring the Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina is a truly enriching experience, and we’re glad it left a lasting impression. Grazie for the recommendation!
Richard_C, Apr 2025
Great tour with Eleana Grecco! She was very knowledgeable, spoke perfect English and was entertaining. She made the Palace come alive. Highly recommend.
Huma_Q, Jan 2025
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.
David_N, Oct 2024
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.
Hugh_C, Oct 2024
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.
NatalieAntonia_I, Oct 2024
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.
Suzanne_W, Sep 2024
Stephania was a great tour guide. She gave us background information on the building history and art. She knew her stuff!
Brian_B, Sep 2024
The mosaics were beautiful but you don’t get to see anything within the palace so the title is quite misleading. Not worth the price in my opinion
Carol_D, Sep 2024
It was obvious that Debbie, our Italian guide, appreciates the history and significance of this ancient place - she was a student of History at University, and is now a teacher. The walk gives a sense of the many cultures present in Sicily that make up what it is today, and if you are like me, had no idea were present - Roman, Greek, Moorish, even Northern Europe. Marvel at the gorgeous golden mosaics, the blend of architecture and sense of history. Just do it - but ask for Debbie!
Helena_J, Sep 2024
Our guide was extremely knowledgable about his subject and was able to answer any questions , he was courteous and pleasant and clearly loved this historic palace and chapel.
ANDRE_p, Sep 2024
Great tour with lovely Deborah. It was a beautiful palace with so much history and it was well explained. I would have liked it a bit longer and that the apartments were part of the tour as well. We visited them after the tour but it is always better with a guide.
Cheryl_C, Jul 2024
The palace, the archeological site, and Palatine Chapel are amazing - not to be missed when visiting Palermo. We got so much more out of the experience having a knowledgeable guide.
Sao_S, Jul 2024
Great place to see, excellent tour guide who gave us a lot of background information about the city and the palace.
Victoria_K, Jul 2024
This was the best way to fully experience the history and splendour of the Norman Palace, and, in particular, the Palatine Chapel. Claudio, our guide, was excellent- knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly. We learnt an incredible amount about the monument, and Palermo's fascinating history. I highly recommend this tour!
RADIAN_F, Jul 2024
no experience w were late 20 minutes. no refund, no contact from the tour operator to ask were are we
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Dear Radian,
The key point is that you were more than 20 minutes late.
Meeting time was at 12:45, start time of the tour was at 13:00, you sent an email at 13:08 saying that you would get to the meeting point at 13:30.
As you can see, our tour guide and the rest of the group cannot wait that long for late arrivals.
You arrived at the meeting point 30 minutes after the correct time, so you missed the tour and your booking was checked as a non-refundable no show.
Thank you for your understanding,
Towns of Italy Customer Care
Bernadette_K, Jul 2024
Great Tour - Palermo Guided Tour of Palazzo Dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina
Renata was such a great guide! We were so fortunate to have her to ourselves, she was interesting and informative - she was passionate about Palermo and gave us some good tips re sightseeing and eating! We loved the tour,
Debra_S, Jun 2024
How lucky was I to be the only guest on this particular tour! Laura was so wonderful and it was like walking through with a learned friend. She was so knowledgeable explaining all the details and the Chapel truly took my breath away. Not to be missed ☺️
Leah_K, May 2024
Our tour guide was THE BEST! she was so passionate about language and the history of Palermo. The palace and chapel are magnificent!
Joseph_B, May 2024
Peter is very knowledgeable about the chapel and his narrative was detailed and animated. He made the tour exciting.
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