Is Palermo worth a day trip?

Only just: 4.2 hours in Palermo, 45 min into town each way. Tight: the centre and a meal, not much more. The airport is a long way out, so getting in and back takes a real slice of the day.

How long do you actually get in Palermo?

About 4.2 hours in Palermo. Landing to take-off is 7.8 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Palermo airport into town?

Trinacria Express / bus 45 min, €6.

What does a day in Palermo cost, not counting the flight?

About £45 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 16:30. That allows 45 min to get back to the airport and 100 min there, including 10 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 18:55 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 10 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 4.2 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Palermo.
From London Heathrow, back by 21:00.

Italy·Sat 10 Oct · 4.2 hours in the city

4.2 hours

in the city

21:00

back in London Heathrow

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

4.2 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

35km

to the centreFrom Palermo centre (PMO)

Daylight

11.5 hours

07:10 to 18:40Sunrise 07:10, sunset 18:40

Tight: passport queues. Under 5 hours in Palermo once we allow 30 min for passport control on landing and 10 min extra before the flight home.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:10
Leave London Heathrow
British Airways, direct
12:20
In the city
Lands 11:05, 30min immigration, 45min from the airport
16:30
Leave the city
45min back, 100min at the airport incl. immigration
21:00
Back in London Heathrow
Flies 18:55

Leave London HeathrowBritish Airways, direct07:10
Land in Palermo2h 55min11:05
In the city30min immigration, 45min from the airport12:20
Leave the city45min back, 100min at the airport incl. immigration16:30
Fly home2h 55min18:55
Back in London Heathrow21:00

Last bus or train to the airport: 21:30, at the airport 22:20.

Weather while you are there

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Things to do in PalermoShow

Palermo Botanical Garden: Entry TicketTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Hop-on Hop-off Bus PalermoTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Zisa Castle: Entry TicketTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Regional Archaeological Museum Antonino Salinas: Entry TicketTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Palermo · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in PalermoShow

What a day in Palermo costs

On the ground only. We could not price the flight for this pair, so the day costs more than this.

£45/ on the ground, plus flights

Trinacria to city centre and back£10

Local transport£5

Lunch£11

Dinner£19

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Palazzo Reale£16 (€19)

Teatro Massimo guided tour£12 (€14)

Catacombe dei Cappuccini£4.30 (€5)

Palermo Cathedral (free access to the naves only), Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria and the Fontana Pretoria, Mercato di Ballarò street market, Vucciria (dJ events Friday nights only)Free

On the ground£45

Return flightNo fare yet

We could not price this pair. Check the fare on the airline's site before you count on the figure above.

Getting to Heathrowfrom free Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Heathrow

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Park & Ride car parks: first 29 minutes free, then a free shuttle bus to the terminal (7-20 min depending on terminal). Source

Train

From London (Heathrow Express, Paddington)£10 each way15-20 min
Advance single; On the day £26. First train 04:34, last train 23:57 Source
From London (Elizabeth line)Price not published
On the day £13.90. First train 05:21, last train 00:12 Source

Coach

National Express from London£10.50 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Source

Taxi

From London£60-£100 one way~18 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £7
Terminal Drop-Off Charge: £7 per entry, no time allowance (any dwell counts as one visit), ANPR-enforced 24/7/365, no cash accepted. Source
Terminal Parking (was Short Stay)£98
12-24hr tariff. Source
Park & Ride (was Long Stay)£46.80
Same-day rate. Source
Priority Park & Ride (was Business)£47.90
Same-day rate. Source

More parking

Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £138.60 (per day). Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Pod Parking (T5 only)No same-day price
From £59.60 (from price). Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Purple Parking Park & Ride PLUS (T2/T3/T5)£9.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 8-18 min. Source
Maple Parking Express Park & Ride (T2&3/T5)£12.31
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 4-10 min. Source
MBW Meet & Greet (T3/T5)£15.86
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 2 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Ask about Palermo

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Comments on PalermoShow

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Day trip to Palermo.From London Heathrow, back by 21:00.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Palermo.
From London Heathrow, back by 21:00.