Is San Giovanni degli Eremiti worth it?
Skip itLives up to the hype · +17Deconsecrated red-domed Arab-Norman church with a small garden cloister by the Norman Palace
Usually not worth it. 4.2 across 2,300 reviews, lower than nearby sights; the domes and garden please, the interior disappoints.
Hype32How famous and hyped it is
Reality49Evidence-based, votes take over as they come in
4.2 ★ Google · 2,296 reviews— hypegap votes · be one of the first
Been to San Giovanni degli Eremiti? 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 photographers vote
The domes framed by palms are one of Palermo's classic shots, with few people around.
Why Reality is 49
Lives up to its fame3/54.2 across 2,300 reviews, lower than nearby sights; the domes and garden please, the interior disappoints.
Value for money2/5€8 for a short visit with an empty interior; recent reviews repeatedly call it overpriced.
Can’t get it elsewhere3/5San Cataldo's red domes by Quattro Canti give a similar look for €2.50.
Easy to do4/5Rarely busy and near the Norman Palace; the entrance is just hard to find.
What people loved
Quiet, shaded garden: an oasis of calm a few minutes from the busy palaceSome of Palermo's most photogenic red Arab-Norman domesRarely crowded, even in high seasonFree on the first Sunday of the monthWhat wore them down
€8 is steep for a small garden and an empty church; price complaints are common since the riseAlmost nothing to see inside the churchEntrance is poorly signpostedThe domes are visible from the street for free, so the paid visit adds little for manyParking & getting there
Driving is possibleThe church is just outside the old-town core near Piazza Indipendenza, one of the ZTL's free boundary roads, so the car parks behind the Norman Palace are reachable without a pass if you avoid the centre. Walking from Quattro Canti takes 12–15 minutes.
- Palazzo dei Normanni parcheggiolot · about 3 min walk · ★ 4 (181)Price not publishedMap
- Parcheggio Multipiano Cadornagarage · about 3 min walk · ★ 4.5 (94)Price not publishedMap
- Palermo's ZTL Centrale covers the whole historic centre (Kalsa, Albergheria, Capo/Monte di Pietà, La Loggia) inside Via Cavour, Foro Italico, Via Lincoln, Corso Tukory and Piazza Indipendenza; those boundary roads are free to drive. autovia.it
- ZTL in force Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 all year; extra night hours on weekends (summer 1 May–31 Oct: Fri to midnight, Sat 00:00–06:00 & 20:00–24:00, Sun 00:00–06:00). Check ztl.comune.palermo.it before travel. autovia.it
- Camera gates fine cars without a pass €81–164; rental companies forward your details. A non-resident day pass costs €5 (petrol Euro 3+/diesel Euro 4+), €2.50 hybrid/LPG, free for registered EVs, via the PalerMobilità app, AMAT or ZTL-sign tobacconists, and must be activated for your plate. autovia.it
- City ordinance O.D. 1080 of 17 June 2026 confirms the ZTL Centrale and pedestrian areas and restricts loading access hours inside them. comune.palermo.it
Without a car: Walk 12–15 min from Quattro Canti via Via Vittorio Emanuele and the Norman Palace; or bus to Piazza Indipendenza.
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
Know before you go
See something out of date? Fix it right here.Booking: Pay on site; no booking.
Entry€8; free on the first Sunday of the monthSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Combined ticketA €12 regional ticket has covered San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Monreale cloister, La Zisa and La CubaSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
HoursMon–Sat 9:00–19:00 (last entry 18:30); Sun and holidays 9:00–13:30 (last entry 13:00)Source · Checked Oct 17, 2026
What you seeRed domes, a garden of citrus and palms, a ruined cloister and a bare deconsecrated interior with excavationsSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
EntranceHard to find: go past the domes and garden to a gap in the fence on Via dei BenedettiniSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Time needed20–40 minutesSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Getting thereAbout 900 m (12–15 min walk) south-west of Quattro Canti; 3–4 min walk from the Palazzo dei NormanniSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Opening hours (Google)
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
In their words
“8 euros for what you see in picture, a small garden with no exotic plants, flowers or trees and a small building with nothing inside!”
“Nowadsys the price is increased to 8 euro - this is rediculosly overpriced”
“This was my favourite place to visit in Palermo. It is an oasis of calm and rest.”
“The inside doesn't have much to see but we found the view of the domes amazing!”
Tips from people who went
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Questions people ask
How much is San Giovanni degli Eremiti?
€8, free on the first Sunday of the month; a combined ticket with Monreale's cloister, Zisa and Cuba has been sold for €12.
Is San Giovanni degli Eremiti worth it?
Only if you want a quiet garden and photos of the domes; many reviewers say €8 is too much for an empty interior.
What are the opening hours of San Giovanni degli Eremiti?
Monday–Saturday 9:00–19:00 and Sundays 9:00–13:30, last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Better fits, according to people who went
Sources
- Comune di Palermo Ufficio Turismo – opening hours of main sights (updated 12 Nov 2025)
- 10cose – Palermo sights with prices and hours (modified Aug 2026)
- Google Maps – San Giovanni degli Eremiti