Church of Saint John of the Hermits

7€ to see a courtyard Was cute but other than the 3 red domes and the cute courtyard Sure it was an interesting setting but 7€ you can visit much interesting/pretty/ overall aesthetically worthy places

This was my favourite place to visit in Palermo. It is an oasis of calm and rest. The only weak aspect of our visit was one of the staff on the path near the entrance who was sitting watching loud YouTube clips on his phone. Anyway, moving on, it was quiet from that point. We picked a day when very few people were visiting. The excavations in the main church were interesting. The bells toll at midday which was lovely hearing the tuned minor third between the two bells. We did see a couple of people climbing the bell tower with hard hats, but this wasn't offered to us on entry.

The church of the 12 century and its small covent are very nice. But it needs a good cleaning, because the red couples are not red any more. And the price of 7 euros is definitely excessive.

Important part of the Sicilian heritage dating back from the Byzantine Empire! This place is giving you a different view of all churches and places you can see in the city. Worth seeing it as it is near the main attractions. The entrance is €6 per person over 18 and you would need approximately 30 minutes. It is a nice place to refresh in a hot summer day in Palermo.

One of my favourite places in Palermo. A hidden gem even though it’s recognised by UNESCO. The Cloisters in particular are beautiful.

One of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, very close to the nearby Norman Palace. I wouldn't recommend this place as a must-see but if you have a particular interest in Arab-Norman architecture a visit is worthwhile. Please note you cannot climb up the bell tower from this church.

San Giovanni degli Eremiti was once a Church and a Monastery. Later the gardens were made in an exotic style. It is a nice place to relax and come down from the city noise. There were not a lot of tourists. The entrance costs 6 Euro for adults and 3 Euros for people under 25 Years old.

One of the most exquisite examples of Arabic-Norman architecture in Palermo is definitely the church of Saint John of the Hermits (San Giovanni degli Eremiti). It’s like a time capsule. Visited the place in June 2020, shortly after the coronavirus pandemic peak in Italy, so an appointment was mandatory. There's a handy application which can be used to book visits to all the museums in Sicily, so it was not a big deal for us to get an appointment. We’ve been the only three persons visiting the church at the time being. It was really a great experience, almost like a time travel. It’s not only about the church itself, the cloister, the garden, the vegetation, everything makes you feel like stepping in a remotely and isolated monastery from North of Africa. A painting of two saints reminding of the Christian Orthodox iconography is still visible on a wall.