Monte Pellegrino & Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia
Monte Pellegrino
A headland mountain on the north side of Palermo. Goethe called it 'the most beautiful cape in the world', and a cave shrine on its slope honours Saint Rosalia, the city's patron saint.
Monte Pellegrino rises about 600 m above the north side of the Bay of Palermo. Goethe once praised it as the most beautiful headland in the world. The Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia sits halfway up the mountain inside a natural cave. According to tradition, the 12th-century hermit Saint Rosalia lived here in seclusion. When her relics were discovered in 1624, the plague was said to end, and she became the city's patron saint. The cave is damp, water drips from the stone walls, and pilgrims come in a steady stream. You can take bus 812 to the top, or walk up the ancient pilgrim steps in about 1.5 hours. Several viewpoints on the mountain overlook the whole city.
Opening hours
Sanctuary about 07:00–19:00 (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Mondello Beach
- Teatro Politeama Garibaldi
- Teatro Massimo
- Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
- Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Cita
- Mercato del Capo
- La Vucciria
- La Zisa