Business Class Flights To Palermo, Italy

Located on the island of Sicily, just off of the west coast of Italy’s mainland, Palermo is the island’s capital and largest city. Palermo and its surrounding suburbs have a population of about 1.2 million people. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, with a history that dates back to the 8th century BCE. The city is a major cultural center in Italy and in the greater Mediterranean region. Travelers book flights to Palermo in order to visit the city’s many historic sites and buildings and enjoy its famous regional cuisine.

Throughout its long history, Palermo has been under the political control of the governments of several different countries. The city was founded in 734 BCE by the Phoenicians, served as the capital of ancient Carthage, and was colonized by both the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. The island of Sicily was under Arab rule from 831 through 1061 CE, and it was an independent nation, the Kingdom of Sicily, from 1130 until 1816, when Sicily and its capital, Palermo, became part of the recently unified nation of Italy.

Most flights to Palermo, Italy, arrive at Falcone Borsellino International Airport (PMO), which is located about 20 miles west of the city. Passengers who arrive on flights to Palermo will find ground transportation from Falcone Borsellino International Airport into the city available at the airport’s Punta Raisi railway station. Trains from Punta Raisi provide service to Palermo’s city center and to some of its suburbs. These trains can also connect passengers to Palermo’s tramway network, which provides transportation to several points in the city.

Flights to Palermo may occasionally arrive at the city’s secondary airport, the Giuseppe and Francesco Notarbartolo Airport, or Palermo Boccadifalco Airport. The airport, built in 1920, is one of Italy’s oldest and is infrequently used. Because of its beauty and history, Palermo is a popular destination. Among its most frequent paths are planes from New York (JFK) to Palermo. 

Most of the travelers who fly to Palermo come to the city on vacation, most often as part of a multi-city tour of Italy. Among the city’s most popular tourist attractions are several palaces, some of which date back to the 12th century. Many of these palaces are open to the public as museums today, while a few of them house official government offices, such as the Palazzo dei Normanni, or Royal Palace of Palermo, which has been home to the Sicilian Regional Assembly since 1946.

Other frequently visited historic sites in Palermo include the Church of San Cataldo, built in the 12th century; the ornate Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church, which dates back to the 14th century; and the Teatro Massimo, Europe’s third-largest opera house, built in the late 1800s.

Visitors to the city also enjoy visiting the Palermo Botanical Garden with its Victorian-era greenhouses and collection of rare flowers and plants. The Capuchin Catacombs, a series of burial crypts dating back to the late 16th century, is also a popular destination. Located beneath Palermo’s former Capuchin monastery, the catacombs are famous for their more than 1,200 mummies, many of which are the bodies of deceased monks and other religious figures and local dignitaries.

Due to its long and colorful history, Palermo is also home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include the Palermo Cathedral and Palatine Chapel, both built in the 12th century; and the Ponte dell Ammiraglio, or Admiral’s Bridge, a medieval-era stone bridge that once spanned the Oreto River. The river was diverted in the 1930s in order to prevent flooding.

Some of the people who book cheap flights to Palermo come to the city to attend sporting events. The city’s stadium, Stadio Renzo Barbera, is home to the Palermo Football Club, the city’s professional soccer team. The stadium hosted the 1990 FIFA World Cup and has a capacity of about 37,000. 

The international Palermo Ladies Open, a women’s WTA Tour tennis event, is held at Palermo’s Country Time Club and attracts visitors from around the world.