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Palermo

Is Giardino Garibaldi worth it?

Worth itUnderrated · +23Free 1863 garden in Piazza Marina around one of Europe's largest Moreton Bay fig trees
Giardino Garibaldi
Arjen Douwes · Google Maps
Giardino Garibaldi
Tristan · Google Maps
Giardino Garibaldi
MD SHAKIL · Google Maps
Giardino Garibaldi
Zuza missing you · Google Maps
Giardino Garibaldi
Angelo Angelucci · Google Maps

Worth it. 4.5 across 5,923 reviews; reviewers love the tree, though its 2026 decline may disappoint those expecting a full canopy.

Hype53How famous and hyped it is
Reality76Evidence-based, votes take over as they come in
The gap+23UnderratedHow we score
4.5 ★ Google · 5,923 reviews— hypegap votes · be one of the first

Been to Giardino Garibaldi? Was it worth it?

One tap. No account. Your vote moves the Reality score.

Is it worth it for you?

Worth itEditorial verdict until 5 families with kids vote

Free, shady, with turtles and koi; an easy break between sights.

Why Reality is 76

Lives up to its fame4/54.5 across 5,923 reviews; reviewers love the tree, though its 2026 decline may disappoint those expecting a full canopy.
Value for money5/5Free and consistently rated a highlight.
Can’t get it elsewhere3/5Impressive, but the Orto Botanico's 1845 ficus is comparable and only 10 minutes away.
Easy to do4/5Central and open 7–20 daily, but it closed temporarily in 2026 for tree safety and may again.

What people loved

Spectacular giant ficus with jungle-like aerial roots, free to seeShady, quiet oasis with benches in the middle of a busy, loud cityTurtle and koi pond that delights kidsOn a handsome square of palaces, near Palazzo Abatellis and Palazzo Butera

What wore them down

The ficus is seriously ill (about 80% leaf loss reported in 2026), so it may look sparser than in photosSmall: most visits last 15 minutesCan close at short notice for tree safety

Parking & getting there

Don’t drive

Piazza Marina is inside the Kalsa ZTL. Park on the Foro Italico seafront, outside the zone, and walk about 5 minutes.

  • Parcheggio gratuito (Foro Italico)lot · about 5 min walk · ★ 4.4 (16)Price not publishedMap
  • Parcheggio (Castellammare o Loggia)lot · about 9 min walk · ★ 4 (22)Price not publishedMap
  • Garage Magionegarage · about 9 min walk · ★ 4.3 (52)Price not publishedMap
  • Historic-centre ZTL (incl. Kalsa) Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 plus weekend night hours; non-resident day pass €5 (petrol Euro 3+/diesel Euro 4+), fines €81–164 via ANPR cameras. Foro Italico is a free boundary road. autovia.it

Without a car: Walk 9 min east from Quattro Canti along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Driving rules in Palermo

Don't drive in Palermo's old town: it is a camera ZTL on weekdays and weekend nights, and the centre is compact and walkable. A car is worth it for day trips to Segesta, Riserva dello Zingaro, Capo Gallo and Monreale. If you do take one into the centre, buy and activate the €5 daily pass first.

  • ZTL Centrale (historic centre). Covers the whole old town inside Via Cavour, Foro Italico, Via Lincoln, Corso Tukory and Piazza Indipendenza (Kalsa, Albergheria, Capo, La Loggia); the boundary roads themselves are free to drive. Active all year Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00. Summer (1 May–31 Oct): also Fri 20:00–24:00, Sat 00:00–06:00 and 20:00–24:00, Sun 00:00–06:00. Winter (1 Nov–30 Apr): Fri 23:00–24:00, Sat 00:00–06:00 and 23:00–24:00, Sun 00:00–06:00. Usually suspended over Christmas. sicurauto.it
  • Daily ZTL pass. Non-residents can buy a daily pass: €5 petrol/diesel, €2.50 hybrid/methane/LPG, free for electric cars and disabled-badge vehicles. It is not available for Euro 0–2 petrol or Euro 0–3 diesel cars. Buy it on the Comune's online platform, at AMAT offices or ACI, or via Telepass from 4 May 2026. Activate it for your plate before entering, by SMS or the PalerMobilità app. sicurauto.it
  • Fines. Camera gates (ANPR) fine cars without a valid pass €81–164. Rental companies forward your details. Garages inside the zone may still require ZTL access, so check with the operator. autovia.it
  • Mondello evening ZTL. Trial ZTL in piazza Mondello and nearby streets 20:00–24:00 (to 01:00 before holidays), 8 May–30 Sep 2026. Parts of Viale Regina Elena are pedestrianised (ordinance no. 15 of 6/5/2026). sicurauto.it
  • City ordinance. Ordinance O.D. 1080 of 17 June 2026 confirms the ZTL Centrale and pedestrian areas and restricts loading access hours. comune.palermo.it
Car parks from Google Maps; walking times are estimates. Checked 2026-10-17. Prices change, so check at the entrance.

Know before you go

See something out of date? Fix it right here.

Booking: Free entry during opening hours

EntryFreeSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
HoursDaily 7:00–20:00 (gated garden); the piazza itself is always openSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
HistoryGarden designed by Giovan Battista Filippo Basile in 1863; the Ficus macrophylla was planted around 1864Source · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Tree health / closuresIn March 2026 the city temporarily closed the garden after experts found the ficus had lost about 80% of its leaves to a suspected root fungus, with a risk of falling branches; it has since reopened, but expect cordonsSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
PathsSmall, flat gravel garden with benches and a turtle and koi pond; a loop takes 10–15 minutesSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
DifficultyEasy: level paths, wheelchair-accessible entranceSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
SeasonYear-round; deep shade makes it a summer refugeSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
SafetyRespect any cordons under the ailing ficus; branch falls are a stated riskSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Getting thereNo metro; about 9 min walk (650 m) east of Quattro Canti down Corso Vittorio EmanueleSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Opening hours (Google)
  • Monday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Thursday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM

In their words

“The oldest one is incredibly huge with roots that look like they belong in a jungle or a fantasy movie.”
Łukasz Hodurek · Google review · 5 months ago
“It’s the little colony of turtles that really did it for us. Very very cute.”
Margot · Google review · 2 months ago
“A calm place in an otherwise busy and loud city!”
Andi · Google review · a year ago

Tips from people who went

No tips yet. Be the first to share one.

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Questions people ask

Is Giardino Garibaldi free?

Yes, entry is free.

How big is the ficus in Piazza Marina?

It is a Ficus macrophylla planted around 1864 and often described as one of the largest trees in Europe.

Is the Piazza Marina ficus sick?

Yes. In March 2026 experts reported about 80% leaf loss from a suspected root fungus and the garden was temporarily closed; it has reopened, but the tree remains under treatment.

What are the opening hours?

Google lists the garden as open daily 7:00–20:00.

Better fits, according to people who went

Foro Italico — photo by Maria PanicoWorth itReality 73 +12Foro Italico★ 4.4Kalsa & waterfront · ParkFree seafront lawns a 5-minute walk east.Palazzo Abatellis — photo by Alessandro VellaWorth itReality 75 +33Palazzo Abatellis★ 4.5Kalsa & waterfront · MuseumSicily's main art gallery is 3 minutes away.Orto Botanico — photo by Ryszard MagieraWorth itReality 70 +13Orto Botanico★ 4.3Kalsa & waterfront · NaturePaid garden with an even larger ficus and thousands of other species.Chiesa del Gesù — photo by Chiesa del Gesù di Casa ProfessaWorth itReality 95 +35Chiesa del Gesù★ 4.8Old town (Albergheria & Capo) · Sacred sitePlain-fronted Jesuit church whose interior is covered wall to wall in inlaid Baroque marble

Sources

Verdict by The Hype Gap editors. No one paid for it. Facts checked Oct 17, 2026. How we score · Standards