10 Things to Do in Palermo in January

Palermo's peak season is in summer, when you can enjoy the mild weather to stroll through the streets of the historic centre, take in the crossover architectural styles of the buildings and the cultural heritage of the Sicilian capital, but you can also get into the Palermitan spirit in winter, during the January celebrations.

Some of the best things to see and do in Palermo in January include celebrating the traditional feast of the Befana, observing tradition and taking a swim at Mondello beach to celebrate the New Year, making a wish at the Fontana Pretoria, visiting the Martorana and taking part 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 city's oldest street, 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 there is a myth 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 in the New Year and fulfil the rite, as well as to see 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 packed with visitors who come here or who enjoyed New Year's Eve dinner in the avenue's restaurants and bars.

Interesting details

• Price... You can enter the gate 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 gaze at the Fontana Pretoria, a fountain in the centre of the piazza of the same name that attracts attention with its sculptures of animals, saints and naked nymphs, which is why the space is also known as the Piazza of Shame.

One of the New Year's traditions, as 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 throw with your back to the fountain and 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 in the tradition.

In addition, Pretoria Square, with its decorations and sculptures, is a favourite spot for children, who enjoy having their pictures taken 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.

Interesting details

• Price... Visiting 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 neighbourhood 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 the Theophany of the Martorana, takes place in the streets of the neighbourhood which is about 15 minutes from the Sicilian capital and the Albanians dress up in typical costumes embroidered with gold and colourful decorations.

The Epiphany celebration is, together with Easter, the two most important religious dates for the neighbourhood and its inhabitants, and also an alternative way to get to know the spirit of the Albanian immigrants outside the masses on January 6th. You will also be able to visit the streets of the neighbourhood, one of the best tours in 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's tourist buses, many of which include a stop in the surrounding area.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the Epiphany celebrations is free of charge.
• 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 closely linked to the daily life of the locals. If you visit Palermo in the summer, you'll see people come here to enjoy the white sands and crystal-clear waters, in February it's used for windsurfing and in January it's a tradition that, despite the season's cold, it's a good omen to take a dip on New Year 's Eve.

Mondello, located 15 minutes from the city centre, is also surrounded by amenities such as restaurants, bars and nightclubs, so you can attend this ritual and, even if you don't feel like taking a bath because of the cold, you can continue the night to discover the Palermo party. If you plan to visit Palermo at Christmas time, you'll see that the beach is also the centre of attention with fireworks and impromptu open-air concerts.

Admission to Mondello beach is free, making it one of the cheapest ways to enjoy the New Year's Eve festivities in a local atmosphere, which is special if you're in the mood for an authentic Palermo experience.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the beach is free.
• Location... Mondello, Palermo.
• How to get there... Buses 101, 107 and 603 or Palermo hop on-hop off tourist buses.

"La Befana comes at night, with her shoes all broken, with her hat on, viva, viva la Befana". With this cry children welcome the good witch, who visits homes on the night of 6 January, in a tradition that goes hand in hand with Epiphany 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. She later 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 sweets to all the children, in the hope that one of them would be Jesus.

Nowadays 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, as during the festivities the adults offer sweets to the children and the houses are decorated with figures of the Befana, who is represented by the figure of an old woman with a broom.

During the festivities, there are also festivals, plays, concerts, cultural shows, costume parades, fireworks shows and traditional bonfires, in which a rag is burnt 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, handing out gifts to children.

Interesting details

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

Although in Italy, unlike in other countries, on January 6th every year the main protagonist is the Befana, the Three Wise Men still have a considerable fame and hand out gifts and sweets to the children. In addition, the streets of Palermo are flooded with the costumes of Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.

The tradition of the Three Wise Men in Italy is maintained mainly by foreigners, especially the Albanians, who follow the Orthodox faith, but it is nonetheless a day widely celebrated throughout the country. In Palermo there are street theatre performances in the old town and in the gardens of the Teatro Massimo children can have their photos taken 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 head out and about around the city to come across the best activities related to the first of the year's celebrations.

Another feature of the Sicilian capital is its nightlife and if you plan to visit Palermo on New Year's Eve you can enjoy some of the parties organised to welcome in the New Year. Among the things to do you can visit the markets, the bars of Mondello or the nightclubs 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 are planning to visit Palermo with your family or children, you may find that the bars that host parties in the early hours of the morning are for adults only.

The Church of La Martorana is the most important of the Albanian temples in Sicily and is also a beautiful building that attracts attention for its architecture. This church, which is almost 1,000 years old, stands out for its blend of Arabic, 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 rite that is widespread 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 the feast of Theophany is celebrated, 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 1.5 hours, 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 that you can discover Palermo in 3 days.

Interesting details

• 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 tourist buses.

If you are planning to visit Palermo in January you may find that the Teatro Massimo is closed or not in operation, as 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 venues in the Sicilian capital.

Politeana is home to the Orchestra of Palermo, but it also has an extensive calendar and you can marvel at the architecture of the site and the neighbourhood, as the theatre is located in Borgo Vecchio, a colourful area of intricate streets that is notable for the street market of the same name and its proximity to the docks of Palermo's harbour.

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 symphony's official website and book tickets for the show of your choice.

Details of interest

• Price... Tickets for Politeama concerts start at approximately 18 euros per person.
• Location... Via Filippo Turati 2, Palermo.
• How to get there.... On the 101 bus lines or on Palermo's hop on-hop off tourist buses.

Agathon, together with Sergius I, are the only two Popes in history to have been born in Palermo, and are therefore two of Sicily's greatest religious celebrities. 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 as 10 January, 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, which have a traditional character in the Sicilian capital, especially since Agathon was canonised.

On the evening of 10 January, a special mass is organised in Palermo Cathedral 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 highs of 14°C, lows of 9°C and average temperatures of 12°C, although unlike other winter months rain and snowfall are less frequent.

If you plan to visit Palermo in February you'll find that snowfall is persistent, as it's the wettest month of the year in the Sicilian capital, allowing you to see snowy peaks and skiing. January also has snowfall but it's much less copious and more sporadic.

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

It is also the ideal month to do indoor excursions, such as visiting the best museums in Pal ermo or touring the main buildings of the city, like 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 city's main sites or the main things 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 can 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
• Woollen hats
• Woollen scarves
• Sunglasses
• Woollen jumpers
• Fleece trousers
• Thermal fleece