- 1 map
- €11.99 per group
- ~2 h 30
Palermo is a crossroads of cultures, where Arab-Norman art, clamorous markets and the aromas of street food blend together. With Piracity it becomes an urban treasure hunt: follow the map, decode the riddles and reach real places like the Cathedral, an Arab-Norman masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy. Between one stop and the next, dive into Palermitan street food with an arancina, panelle or the famous pane ca' meusa.
Stops to discover
Teatro Massimo
Palermo's Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy and one of the biggest in Europe. Opened in 1897, it rules over piazza Verdi with its grand staircase and colonnaded portico. Your treasure map leads you to a monument dedicated to art and to the civic rebirth of the city.
Mercato del Capo e Sant'Agostino
The Capo is the market where Palermitans have bought their meat for centuries, in alleys that recall a souk. Your treasure map leads you to the 14th-century church of Sant'Agostino, hidden among the stalls.
Quattro Canti
Where Palermo's two main streets meet, the Quattro Canti form an elegant octagonal Baroque square. Their decorated façades depict the seasons, kings and the city's patron saints. Your treasure map takes you to the theatrical heart where the four historic mandamenti (districts) meet.
Fontana Pretoria
Spectacular and theatrical, the Fontana Pretoria is a triumph of marble statues in the centre of Palermo. Made by Tuscan artists, it adorns a square that earned it a popular nickname. Your treasure map takes you to one of the city's most admired, and most talked-about, monuments.
Mercato di Ballarò
Ballarò is Palermo's oldest market: colours, smells and vendors' voices in a maze of stalls. Your treasure map takes you into the heart of the Albergheria, where people shop and eat in the street.
Cattedrale di Palermo
A summary of a thousand years of history, Palermo Cathedral blends Arab-Norman, Gothic and Baroque styles in a single, imposing building. It holds the tombs of the Norman and Swabian rulers. Your treasure map takes you to the cathedral that tells the story of Sicily's cultural layers.
Palazzo dei Normanni e Cappella Palatina
On the highest point of the ancient city stands the oldest royal residence in Europe, palace of the Norman kings and today the seat of the Sicilian Parliament. Your treasure map leads you to its most precious heart: the Cappella Palatina, the Palatine Chapel.
San Giovanni degli Eremiti
With its red domes and the cloister set in greenery, San Giovanni degli Eremiti is the most oriental image of Norman Palermo. Your treasure map ends in a garden where time seems to have stopped.
The attractions along the way
The route guides you among the Quattro Canti, the Baroque crossroads in the heart of the city, all the way to the Fontana Pretoria. As you walk you meet the Palazzo dei Normanni with the splendid Cappella Palatina, the red domes of San Giovanni degli Eremiti and the historic markets of the Capo and Ballarò, ever teeming.
History and culture, experienced through play
Palermo was the capital of a flourishing kingdom under the Arabs and the Normans, who, living side by side, created an artistic style unique in the world, as the Cappella Palatina testifies. Through play you cross this history of tolerance and splendour. Palermitan culture lives in the markets and at the table: besides street food, try pasta with sardines, caponata and cannoli with the freshest ricotta.
An adventure that continues
After the map you can reach the seaside village of Mondello with its beach, climb Monte Pellegrino or visit the Cathedral of Monreale. Palermo is a mosaic of flavours and civilisations: take your treasure map and let yourself be swept away.
Frequently asked questions
€11.99 per group. One purchase unlocks the map on one phone and the whole group plays together, as many of you as you like. You get access by email right away and the map stays valid for 1 year.
About 2.5–3 hours on foot, at an easy pace, including stops to solve the puzzles. Each map's page shows its stages, distance and estimated time.
No, you can play straight from the browser: Piracity is a web app (PWA) you add to your home screen in two taps.
Recommended from age 8; younger children play as a team with their parents.