Alberira Apartments

The owner was lovely and knows a lot about Palermo's history. Our room was very clean, the staff were nice, and the balcony had a lovely view. The Royal Palace and Cathedral are about a 10-minute walk away.

Everything was new and very clean, and the host was really friendly. A very nice apartment, worth the money.

We stayed here for six nights and were very happy with it. Check-in and check-out were easy and efficient. The apartment was spacious and comfortable, with a well-equipped kitchen including an oven, stove, fridge, and freezer, but no microwave. There was a pleasant balcony off the kitchen, and the king-size bed was very comfortable. Close the shutter if you want the bedroom completely dark. We loved how well we slept. It was quiet, the Wi-Fi was great, the bathroom and shower were excellent, and the cleaning was perfect. The historic center is around 15 minutes away, but you need a car. Street parking near the building was easy. There's a great gym nearby where you can pay for a day pass: €10 for the first workout, then €5 each time. World Fitness Club, coordinates (38.1190388, 13.3369064). Our Palermo tips: Rooftop bars and restaurants: Seven Restaurant at Hotel Ambasciatori was spectacular. Rinascente Foodhall e Ristoranti Terraza has a view of Piazza di San Domenico. The fifth floor is best, from the Rinascente store. Le Terrazze del Sole at the B&B looks out over Quattro Canti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, and Piazza della Vergogna. Igiea Terrazza Bar has a view of the marina. Places to visit: Cappella Palatina inside Palazzo Reale, Duomo, Chiesa di San Cataldo, Teatro Massimo, Quattro Canti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Roma, and Piazza della Vergogna. Both chapels at Chiesa di San Cataldo are beautiful. La Kalsa is a bohemian, young, lively neighborhood with trendy bars, popular with locals and very close to the touristy historic center. We had pizza and a drink at Salumeria Alcolica and it was great. Duomo Monreale is 7 km from Palermo. For sweets, our two favorite award-winning cassatas were at Sciampagna Pasticceria, Via Riccardo Wagner, 10, Palermo, voted the best cassata in Italy, from the award-winning Italian pastry chef Carmelo Sciampagna. They also have the Casarina, and the pistachio gelato is excellent. It's closed on Mondays and during lunch. Pasticceria Cappelo won the Latteria Sorrentina Award for Italy's second-best cassata, and also has the best biscotti con pasta di mandorle. We didn't like I Segreti del Chiostro, the pastry shop inside Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria. It's very touristy, and the cassata we had there was the worst. We don't recommend it. Parking next to Teatro Massimo costs €3 an hour. Coordinates: (38.1208049, 13.3565252). Beaches and towns near Palermo for a day trip while based in the city: Spiaggia di Mondello is a beautiful sandy beach with facilities, in a town full of lovely 19th-century mansions. In Cefalu, visit Spiazza Kalura, Duomo, and the historic center up to Porto Vecchio Di Cefalú. Sit for a coffee or drink at one of the bars or restaurants with a sea view, or relax on one of the many benches facing the water. On our way from Trapani, we stopped at Érice, Cala Bianca, Spiaggia Magaggiari, and Spiaggia Mondello. After that we went to Cafalu and slept in Capo d’Orlando.

Our host was extremely friendly, and the place was impeccably clean. The location makes it easy to get to the historic center, and the host was a great source of tips about Palermo's must-see sights. We loved having convenient showers. Highly recommend!