Zisa Palace
Zisa Palace things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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The Zisa is alternatively listed as either a castle or palace, and located in the western area of Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy. The edifice was begun around 1165 by an Moorish craftsman under the rule of the Norman conqueror of Sicily, king William I of Sicily.
attractions: Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Villino Florio, Conad Superstore, Giardino della Zisa, Famila, Villa Malfitano - Whitaker, Todis - Supermercato (Palermo - Via Re Federico, 20), Catacombe di Porta d'Ossuna, Terzo Cerchio Gelateria, Real Albergo dei Poveri (Albergo delle Povere), restaurants: Testagrossa Ristorante, Pasticceria Cappello, Trattoria Ai Cascinari, Nino 'u Ballerino, Pizzeria Sciuscià, Beccafico, I Sapori del Mare, At Cornetteria Chioschetto Court, Trattoria Familiare da Michele & Jolanda, Dante170 restaurant
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Description
The Zisa is alternatively listed as either a castle or palace, and located in the western area of Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy. The edifice was begun around 1165 by an Moorish craftsman under the rule of the Norman conqueror of Sicily, king William I of Sicily.
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I really liked the palace although you do need to have a translation app (for the information boards) and an appreciation of Moorish influenced architecture to get the maximum benefit from it. The gardens are undergoing renovation so it was not possible to fully explore these, but there is plenty to all for appreciation of what will be! Only the ground floor is accessible to those with mobility issues, however the usual cost of €7 is waived for a disabled person and their carer/assistant… do have some form of documentation though proving disability entitlement. Anyway, there are fantastic views of the mountains (Mt Pellegrino?) and the intricacy of the building design to facilitate the fountain and ‘canal’ is very reminiscent of Mughal palaces in India. It’s unlikely you will be there more than an hour, but (IMO) it’s a little gem.
clive hewettclive hewett
00
La Zisa, also known as Castello della Zisa, is a palace in the west of Palermo that served as a summer residence for the Norman kings of Sicily. It is located in the former “Parco Nuovo”, the part of the Royal Park located in the west of the city. Along with La Cuba, another palace in this former park, La Zisa is one of the best-preserved Norman palaces in Sicily. The different floors of the summer residence can be visited via staircases. In addition to the impressive architecture and sophisticated ventilation technology, artifacts of Islamic art can also be admired on the floors. Amphoras, jugs, parts of pottery. Points will be deducted for descriptions of exhibits or room architecture that are only available in Italian.
Matthias SchulzMatthias Schulz
00
I heard that years ago this monument was one of several must-see places in Palermo. Now it doesn't look like it used to on the photos (no nice garden and fountain), area/neighbourhood around it is very dirty and seems unsafe, there's graffiti on walls surrounding the castle area. When we finally got through the gates there wasn't any information, when we found the ticket office lady couldn't "sell" the place and tell us if it's worth seeing. We decided to buy the tickets anyway but no one ever validated them so we could've walked there without the tickets. There wasn't anybody inside, no information how to walk/visit around the place. When we finally saw some workers (on 1st floor already) there were surprised to see us yet didn't interact with us and didn't tell us anything about the castle. We really regreted spending those €12.
Pola Rewako-JakuszPola Rewako-Jakusz
30
We were almost deterred from visiting this place after reading the reviews here. Much has changed since they were written. There are now loads of infographics and museum displays inside the castello. The staff are very nice as well. The entry fee is 6 euros at full price and 3 for under 25s. You'll see interesting snippets of Islamic art in the Norman period, and the subsequent decline of Palermo. Absolutely worth it. Makes a nice afternoon trip along with the Catacombe not far away. The area outside however is still a complete shamble, as is much of Palermo, especially the areas further inland. Small towns in India are more orderly.
Joe DJoe D
40
Beautiful palace, take the audio guided tour for a lot of information. Arabo norman architecture at its best, portraying all the civilisations coming together. A part of the Unesco world heritage Arab Norman pathway is this castle. It stands as a monument to the past keeping all the artefacts and innovations from that time. Did you know that they had such a great air conditioning system? Without electricity, just physics. I will say no more, and let you emerge yourself for an hour or two in the history while walking around the castle. Be sure to take a guide, so you can fully appreciate the beauties you encounter.
Petra DraškovićPetra Drašković
00
I am sure that when they finish working on the palace it will be a good addition to the tourist sites in Palermo. As it was, a lot of the rooms downstairs are closed off so you don;t get a good feel for what the place was like. Upstairs, there are some nice pieces in relatively empty rooms. It has an interesting history in that it was a Norman hunting lodge worked on by Arab craftsmen. It's a little off the beaten track and at the moment, not an attraction I'd recommend as a must see in Palermo. Tickets are 7 euros a head (as of October 2024)
Joe SidonioJoe Sidonio
00
Nearby Attractions Of Zisa Palace
Catacombe dei Cappuccini
Villino Florio
Conad Superstore
Giardino della Zisa
Famila
Villa Malfitano - Whitaker
Todis - Supermercato (Palermo - Via Re Federico, 20)
Catacombe di Porta d'Ossuna
Terzo Cerchio Gelateria
Real Albergo dei Poveri (Albergo delle Povere)
Catacombe dei Cappuccini
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Villino Florio
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Conad Superstore
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Giardino della Zisa
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Nearby Restaurants Of Zisa Palace
Testagrossa Ristorante
Pasticceria Cappello
Trattoria Ai Cascinari
Nino 'u Ballerino
Pizzeria Sciuscià
Beccafico
I Sapori del Mare
At Cornetteria Chioschetto Court
Trattoria Familiare da Michele & Jolanda
Dante170 restaurant
Testagrossa Ristorante
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Pasticceria Cappello
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Trattoria Ai Cascinari
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Nino 'u Ballerino
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+39 091 652 0269
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