Questions about getting around Palermo and Palermo sites

I can only comment on Monreale. I took the regular bus. My only problem was that Rick's book wasn't available yet, and the only information I had was the name of the square from which the bus departed--no clue as to where the precise bus stop was. I think I ended up asking a random bus driver where to go. You'll be way ahead of me there.

If you happen to be interested in ceramics, there's a privately operated tile museum I enjoyed. I learmed about it on TripAdvisor.

I picked up the AST bus to Monreale at Piazza indipendenza. The bus stop itself is in front of bar Sbariamo, on Corso Calafatima. Believe the sign has AST on it. I know the bus does. The ride is about 40 minutes to Monreale. The bar does show up on Google maps if you want an idea of where exactly it’s at.

I did not take the navette during our 4 days/3 nights in Palermo. I found the central part of Palermo very walkable (and flat!). Here's from my notes re. getting to Monreale: there are two buses. The AMAT bus # 389, leaves from Piazza Independenza. Buy tickets on board. (Rick's "Sicily" book now describes this in more detail.) However, there's another bus, and since we were staying closer to Palermo Centrale train station, we opted for this route: There is an AST bus that runs approx. hourly from Palermo to Monreale. You find it as you walk down Via Roma toward the train station. When you enter the Piazza in front of the train station, don't cross any streets; walk to the right, and the bus will pull up in front of the little shops/kiosks very soon on the right. It will say "Monreale" in the front. (Get there early; it fills up! If you don't see it, ask the guys in the shops and kiosks.) I found the bus schedule on-line, and in April 2019, there were buses leaving for Monreale at 10:00 and 11:15. (There are later times, too, but I didn't record them.) Buy your ticket on board. It takes about 40" to Monreale, then you walk up about 6 blocks to the cathedral (just follow the road signs, and the crowd). In April, there were AST buses returning to Palermo Centrale at 13:15, 14:30, 16;00 and 17:30. Re. food tours: We really enjoyed our "Palermo Street Food Tour" with Giorgio. If you read tripadvisor reviews, you can figure out which tour this is. That's actually the name of the tour. He took us to the Capo market, which apparently is a bit smaller than the Ballero market, but was still quite a few blocks long, and supposedly is somewhat older and maybe a bit more authentic and less touristy. Who knows? It was a great tour; I liked that he described different foods and we could choose and purchase (cheap!) what we individually wanted to eat. Finally: I loved the Palentine Chapel, the Archeology Museum, and La Martorana church.

Thanks for these replies. I appreciate getting tips, especially insights into favorite (or not so well-liked) places or experiences. I learn so much from forum posts (and contribute when I can). I will put all of your information in my notes. When I was in Palermo last time I did not use any public busses so I want to get informed on just what to do. Also, I want to tell jmauldinuu how much I enjoyed your recent Sicily trip report. Your details have been very helpful in my planning.

Pat, how wonderful that you will have 22 days in beautiful Sicily! September should be a great time to be there! Take note that I gave some details in my trip report about how to take a public bus to Segesta. If I can answer any other questions, or further clarify the Segesta bus info, please ask! I - like you - do as much planning ahead as possible, so that I can enjoy myself once there.

We only went to the Ballaro market (my favorite experience), and we thought it was amazing. It looked smelled and sounded just like something from 100 years ago. Awful crowded however, so don't block the flow or you'll get yelled at, in a colorful way. Plenty of food opportunities around there and restaurants on the side streets.

Pat,

I almost took the navetta one afternoon after having visited the Palatina Chapel (one of my favorite sites) but it was packed. I ended up taking a public bus to the train station then walked to my b&b from there.

I also took the local public bus (#389) to Monreale, on Piazza Indipendenza.
This bus also became very crowded, especially on the way back to Palermo.

I enjoyed Mercato del Capo and did not visit the others during my stay in Palermo.

Would you mind sharing your itinerary?

Enjoy your trip!

Sure, Priscilla. My friend and I are experienced travellers and both of us have spent most of our adult lives living and working overseas so our itinerary may be too fast moving for some but we think we will be ok. We will be in Europe for two weeks before Sicily so we will not be jetlagged upon arrival in Catania. I had miscounted my nights, a total of 20 nights.

Catania -3 nights

Taormina - 1 night

Tindari- 1 night (we want to see the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna)

Cefalù -2 nights

Palermo - 5 nights (we have a tour to Erice and Marsala reserved for one day)

Borgetto - 3 nights (my grandparent's ancestral town - a small town outside of Palermo)

Agrigento- 2 nights - I liked jmauldinuu's idea of uisng a private driver to pick us up in Agrigento and take us to Piazza Armerina and Casale Romana, Aidone and drop off in Ortygia. This is the only time we will not rely on public transport to get from one place to another. This way we can cover a lot of territory in one day in a much more direct route. So we decided to splurge. Neither one of us is comfortable with the idea of renting a car and driving in Sicily.

Siracusa/Ortygia - 3 nights with a possible daytrip to Noto

Mondello by local bus is easy. Tourist information office will give you updated info about bus numbers...
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2019/03/west-coast-sicily-day-22-mondello.html?m=1
Here's more on our stay in Palermo
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2019-03-15T09:13:00-07:00&max-results=11&m=1

Here's our day at Tindari
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2019/04/east-coast-sicily-day-5-tindari-and.html?m=1

Tina, thanks for the link to your blog. I will read it and see what I can learn from you and your travels.

I think the hop-on bus to Monreale gets a thumbs down from most because it’s a poor value. It’s $20+ when the regular bus is a fraction of that and does the same thing. BUT it might be something, as seniors, that has value. That bus has all seats. The public bus can be all kinds of crowded, standing room only, and it’s not a brief trip. Can’t speak to the Navetta, in fact never even saw it. Obviously, you want to save your feet, but I really felt Palermo was a great walking town. I don’t know how it was six years ago, but the city center is lively and Via Marqueda from Quattro Cantu to Teatro Maximo is all pedestrian.

I thought all the markets were great and different from each other. Ballaro is the wild one, it’s top of the list. It’s just everything you imagine it to be. Ballaro has all your adventure eating options (do try the pane con milsa!) Vuccaria is small, and I found most interesting for the antique stalls towards San Domenico. Capo market is the more laid back, upscale feeling one. I thought Capo had the most appealing places to get something to eat and drink.