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Church and Monastery of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

Church and Monastery of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

Church and Monastery of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
4.5
Architectural BuildingsReligious SitesChurches & Cathedrals
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
The church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria is part of the monastery with which it shares the name. From 1311 to 2014 this monastery was the home of many cloistered nuns of the dominican order. ​Since 2017 it is possible to visit both the monastery and church as a museum. ​Inside the monastery there's the confectionary, where people can buy cakes and pastries realized with the old nun's recipes.
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  • NataliaD D
    Cambridge, United Kingdom662 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing views from the roof!
    Lovely church and a monastery. Please spend a little extra to visit the roof - views are amazing! Nice little garden where you can rest with some drinks and sweets from the local coffee shop (the coffee shop is a bit too busy but not bad).
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 March 2024
  • Ana V
    Eugene, Oregon654 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful experience seeing the church, monastery and eating sweets!
    This is a must see in Palermo. You will see a beautiful baroque style church, the monastery where the cloistered nuns of the Dominican order lived, you get to eat sweets from the confectionary shop which uses old recipes from the nuns, and you get to go through the attic space to climb to the roof for an amazing view. This is a great place to visit and plan on 1.5 to 2 hours at this incredible location. Be sure to note on the second floor, the metal grates from behind which the nuns could see their familes when they would come for mass. Since they were cloistered, they could not have any contact with their family.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 April 2024
  • R K L
    Seattle, Washington3,877 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Singularly memorable for its confectionary...
    We hate to publicly admit it, but there are so many beautiful churches, monasteries and convents in Palermo that it eventually became impossible to honestly declare that one was more impressive than another. The Church and Monastery of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria was singularly memorable for its confectionary...besides the absolutely stunning interior of the church itself. Unfortunately, none of the "old nun's recipes" were apparently gluten free, but we have chosen not to downgrade this rating solely because we could not purchase and enjoy the available goodies.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 April 2024
  • Seeking True Quality
    Europe4,836 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A church with stunningly rich decoration
    Instead of visiting the convent and sampling the famous pastry prepared by the nuns, we decided to visit the church, built in 1310 and refurbished in 1532. If we said that we were dazzled by the richness of the interior decoration, that would be an understatement! Every part of the decoration is of course a great artwork, executed meticulously and the materials used are very expensive. Did we like it? Parts of it, yes. But as a whole, it seems a little overdecorated!
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 April 2024
  • Joseph P
    London, United Kingdom98 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful church
    Church looked to be cash only to enter. We did the church, old monastry and viewpoint ticket, although there are so many places in Palermo to take views that the church itself would have been fine. Beautiful old church, and also great traditional bakery (which you can go to without paying for the church)
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 10 July 2024
  • 301lisa33
    Coventry, United Kingdom2,011 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Astonishing church
    This place is astonishing. Entrance to the monastery also gives access to the church and walls as well (for cE10). The church is astonishingly ornate with complex marble designs. There are good views from the walls over the town. But visiting the monastery provides insights into the life of the nuns. It is the home of the original cannoli but these can sll ou early in the day. Visits to the cafe and courtyard can be made for free: very pleasant space. Entrance to the convent is by entry fee Many staff in attendance to provide advice and guidance, but also to ensure visitors dont 'misbehave'
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles626 reviews
Excellent
470
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17
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These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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phat_dawg_21
Alpharetta, GA17,369 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
We did not visit this church when we were in Palermo in 2013. We visited the other two churches on Piazza Bellini but were put off by the austere and dull exterior.

This time we took the time, and it does take some time, to visit this church.

The interior is stunning!

Pay the extra fee and visit the roof. Do not stop at the first level. Keep going up the stairs and you will be rewarded with great views of the city and a close up view of what is on the other side of those beautiful barrel vaults you see in so many churches.
Written 30 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MWhizz
Chelmsford, UK96 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We took the complete ticket at 10 EUR each. This gives access to the Church, the Monastery and the roof top. As many have said, the Church is a sensory overload. If you really wanted to study all of the artwork / sculpture etc. within the Church, you would need several hours just for that. There is a peaceful quadrangle in the centre of the monastery, and the stairs lead you up to the first balcony, overlooking the quadrangle. You then carry on up several flights of steep and narrow stairs to the rooftops, where you are afforded an amazing view across Palermo. Enjoyed the visit. It would be a five star experience if the price was more reasonable; also there was one room off of the quadrangle that had a very mediocre display. Others have mentioned pastries etc. Those were not in evidence when we visited in September.
Written 25 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

301lisa33
Coventry, UK2,011 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
This place is astonishing.

Entrance to the monastery also gives access to the church and walls as well (for cE10). The church is astonishingly ornate with complex marble designs. There are good views from the walls over the town. But visiting the monastery provides insights into the life of the nuns.

It is the home of the original cannoli but these can sll ou early in the day. Visits to the cafe and courtyard can be made for free: very pleasant space. Entrance to the convent is by entry fee

Many staff in attendance to provide advice and guidance, but also to ensure visitors dont 'misbehave'
Written 23 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Olya Kozich
Krakow, Poland2,492 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
A beautiful church, I recommend visiting it. Entrance costs 3 euros. You can get a ticket for 18 euros to the church, monastery and rooftop.
Entrance to the courtyard is free, and there is a magnificent cafe there, where cannoli - Sicilian tubes - are prepared according to an old recipe. I advise you to try it, it’s very tasty, they cost three euros apiece.
Google
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

eccode
UK75 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Plenty to see here and well worth the entrance fee. In addition to the ceautiful church itself, there are interesting rooms above the church, steps up the roof for excellent views over the city . The Cloister gardens are charming and do not miss the incredible cakes located by the cloisters !
Written 12 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ponzino
Rome, Italy1,722 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
Absolutely not to be missed. You can visit the church, the monastery and the terrace by purchasing tickets at the entrance, separately or in a combo.
The church will leave you speechless with its decorations, bas-reliefs and marble mosaics.
In the cloister, freely accessible, there is a fantastic traditional pastry workshop not to be missed!
Google
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nda788
Ryazan, Russia1,050 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Solo
The church is very beautiful and in excellent condition, which in my opinion is rare for Palermo. In the patio there is a fountain which has water as well as a pastry shop with local desserts, highly recommend to visit it. Admission to the church is free, but if you're in the sweet shop, you can just walk through.
Automatically translated
Written 2 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Massimiliano B
Albano Laziale, Italy729 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
Together with the church of Gesù, it is the most exhilarating example of Sicilian baroque in Palermo. The high relief panels that separate each side chapel are beautiful. The stuccos are very beautiful. The church overlooks Piazza Pretoria from the side and going up to the roof offers an indescribable emotion with its two views, one towards the port and Piazza Bellini, the other right onto the Fountain of Nudity. a unique moment. At the entrance you can therefore choose whether to visit only the church, or the church and the roofs... don't be wrong, choose the second option (be careful! those with walking problems cannot go up and there is no lift). From the same entrance you then access the cloister where there is the famous pastry shop "the secrets of the Cloister" but that's another story!
Google
Written 28 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ana V
Eugene, OR654 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
This is a must see in Palermo. You will see a beautiful baroque style church, the monastery where the cloistered nuns of the Dominican order lived, you get to eat sweets from the confectionary shop which uses old recipes from the nuns, and you get to go through the attic space to climb to the roof for an amazing view. This is a great place to visit and plan on 1.5 to 2 hours at this incredible location. Be sure to note on the second floor, the metal grates from behind which the nuns could see their familes when they would come for mass. Since they were cloistered, they could not have any contact with their family.
Written 8 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PPCI-BG
Bergamo, Italy124,480 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Business
The cloistered Dominican monastery of Santa Caterina has ancient origins but the current forms date back to the time when it housed nuns of high classes. So the church is a spectacle of baroque decorations, especially of polychrome marble inlays. Less interesting is the monastery that hosted nuns until a decade ago and did not appear in perfect condition. Even the “sweet shop” (crowded with tourists) no longer offers cakes made by the nuns but reproductions based on their recipes.
Automatically translated
Written 18 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Church and Monastery of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, Palermo

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