Palermo is a seriously underrated city break in and of itself, but what a lot of people don’t realise that the city serves as an excellent launch pad for some of the most beautiful beaches in Sicily.

Read on to learn about the top 3 best beaches near Palermo!

Best Beaches Near Palermo Contents

MONDELLO

Mondello is Palermo’s very own beach, and easily one of the best in Sicily. On a hot and sunny day, locals will escape the city for the sandy beach and crystal clear waters of Mondello, just 30 mins drive away from Palermo city.

Whilst many of Sicily’s beaches are pebbly or made up of rocky coves, Mondello’s beach boasts fine white sand and stretches out nearly 2km. It’s perfect for families, with shallow waters that could easily be mistaken for the Caribbean, they’re so blue and clear.

Mondello beach is dominated by an art nouveau pavilion, and towards the end of the beach you will find wooden fishing boats docked along the pier. It is an absolutely stunning place to spend a hot day – and the crowds will agree! Mondello is undoubtedly one of the best beaches near Palermo.

HOW TO GET TO MONDELLO

Getting to Mondello is very easy from Palermo. Given it’s the nearest beach to the city and loved by locals and tourists alike, buses leave Palermo every 10 minutes to Mondello.

You want to take the 806 bus, which will cost you just €1.40 for the 30 minute journey one way. You can buy a day ticket with as many stops as you like for €3.50.

The buses will be crowded, and you will likely have to queue and wait for one on a hot day. There aren’t a lot of seats on the buses; it is generally standing room only (or at least for most people!)

I bought my ticket from the bus conductor handling the queue for the bus to Mondello, but you can also purchase from kiosks, tabacchi shops and newsagents. Note that tickets expire after 90 minutes, so bear that in mind if you’re buying in advance rather than directly from the conductor.

I usually use Google Maps to plan and follow my journey when abroad, especially when using public transport.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN MONDELLO

Mondello is so close to Palermo and so beach focused that I actually think it screams for a trip to the local alimentari (we all know there is nothing better than a foreign supermarket) and taking your own haul of fancy Italian lunchables and other delicious things with you for a picnic on the beach.

That said, the following spots were places I loved on my visit for spritz, snacks and a small lunch.

Papillon
Via Torre di Mondello, 90151

Papillon is one of the many local bars that sit along the edge of Mondello beach. The owner here was really friendly, the spritz excellent and the views lovely. I stayed here for ages, enjoying the vibes and reading my book in the full sunshine. Papillon serves basic paninos if you need to soak up the spritz and beers with something a little more substantial than the amazing olives they serve complimentary with drinks.

Alimentari Schillaci
Piazza Mondello, 50, 90151

This spot is a bit random, but that’s why I loved it so much. This little supermarket (more like a corner shop, it was tiny!) has huge barrels serving as tables and high stools outside with a limited menu of snacks and spritz in the square in Mondello. It’s kind of perfect because it gets the last of the sun, which led to me staying there much longer than planned. The limoncello spritz was amazing.

Baretto
Via Teti, 13, 90151

No trip to the seaside is complete without ice cream. Hit up Baretto for all your gelato needs; flavours come in cones, cups or if you’re feeling especially Sicilian, sandwiched in a buttery brioche bun.

CEFALÙ

Cefalù is a pretty seaside town is steeped in medieval and Roman history. It’s my favourite place in Sicily, so I will always advocate for people to spend at least a few nights there, but if you don’t have time for that, a day trip out of Palermo is still wonderful. In fact I’d say it’s a must do if the weather is on your side!

The beach nearest the remaining medieval gate that sits by the molo is the best in my opinion. This beach is favoured by locals, and it does get very crowded in the summer, but I like it that way – it feels quintessentially Italian. I could spend hours watching people will jump off the side of the molo into the clear waters, and there is a fab little beach bar there too.

If that sounds a little too much for you, Cefalù has a huge expanse of sand before you get into the old town, which is a much wider and longer stretch. You can hire sun loungers and parasols at both beaches, though there are understandably more on the bigger, main beach.

I’ve written an extensive travel guide to Cefalù which you can read here.

HOW TO GET TO CEFALÙ

Getting to Cefalù is very straightforward. It’ll take you between 45 minutes to an hour on the train from Palermo Centrale. When you arrive in Cefalù it’s a quick 10 minute walk into the town and onto the beach.

The trains are relatively regular – around one an hour – but at peak times or on a sunny weekend I would recommend booking a train online with Trainline to avoid disappointment. Definitely to this for the trains on Sundays, as they are less frequent and you don’t want to miss out!

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN CEFALÙ

This is very hard to narrow down! You can check out my full list of Cefalù recommendations here, but if I were visiting purely for a day on the beach, I would prioritise the following spots:

Chiosco Marina Bay
On the beach

Tiny bar on the beach nearest the molo (pier) serving beers, spritz and snacks. The bar is up the few steps you see to the right of the medieval gate; perfectly situated to keep your thirst quenched as you sunbathe all day.

Enoteca Le Petit Tonneau
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 49, 90015

This iconic wine bar is best when you can secure one of the 3 small tables out on the balcony that looks directly onto the beach below and out to sea, so if you know in advance when you’ll be venturing to Cefalù, call ahead to book one of the best tables.

Antica Focacceria Sapori Siciliani
Via Gioeni, 87, 90015

Small place serving traditional Sicilian street food to take away, including the best arancini you’ll get in Cefalù. Get yourself a selection of arancini, pizza slices and panelle to eat on the beach.

Squagghio
C.O, Via Carlo Ortolani di Bordonaro, 69, 90015

Squagghio does the best gelato in Cefalù, and is near the beach in the Old Town. If you ask really nicely, they may add a topping of pistachio crème to your pistachio gelato and then you will die of happiness.

Al Faro
Via porta Giudecca, 62 a, 90015

As much as I love the restaurants in the old narrow streets of the old town, if I had one day here for beach vibes, I would take the short walk up the gentle hill to Al Faro for a lunch on the terrace with views of the ocean.

SANT’ELIA

Sant’Elia is a tiny fishing village in the Santa Flavia area. Whilst the main beach in Sant’Elia is nowhere near as good as Mondello or Cefalù, the real pull of Sant’Elia is the cove below the rocky outcrop, and fishing village charm.

The view from the rocks down onto the cove is picturesque, with locals sunbathing on the rocks and children jumping off into the fresh water. There are a few small bars around to grab a refreshing drink and bite to eat, but Sant’Elia is tiny, and very much off the usual tourist track – which is obviously a huge part of the charm!

HOW TO GET TO SANT’ELIA

Getting to Sant’Elia involves a bit of a walk if you haven’t hired a car for your time in Sicily, but I think it’s worth it! Get a 20 minute train from Palermo Centrale to Santa Flavia, and then walk approximately 30 minutes to get to Sant’Elia.

If you have a car, it’s only a 40 minute drive to this area of the coast from Palermo city.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN SANT’ELIA

Sant’Elia is really small, so you’re looking for a selection of places to eat at for a proper meal you may be better off walking/driving over to Porticello for more choice – especially in high season. There are a couple of options though; the Italians are rarely without an opportunity to spritz!

Chiosco Il Nodo
Via dei Cantieri, 90017 Santa Flavia 

Little bar serving drinks and paninis just above the main stretch of beach at Sant’Elia. Prices were very reasonable and the panino was surprisingly good for less than €4!

Escambray
Via Torre 6, Santa Flavia

Escambray overlooks the cove at Sant’Elia, so you can enjoy a seafood lunch whilst you watch people jump into the clear water to cool off as you bask in the sunshine on the terrace. Idyllic setting.

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Updated July 2025.

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