Mondello Travel Guide
Towns and cities in Sicily
Mondello is a stunning seaside village that is home to one of Sicily's most beautiful beaches. Known for its fine white sands and its electric blue waters, Mondello offers an inspiring setting for a Sicilian getaway. Whether you're soaking up the sun on its white sands or exploring the elegant architectural heritage, Mondello promises a perfect blend of relaxation and cultural discovery.
About the area
.JPG?width=1920&quality=75&height=undefined)
Just 15-20 minutes north of Palermo, Mondello boasts one of Sicily's most beautiful beaches and much more besides. This seaside town is steeped in history, dating back to its days as an Arab outpost known as Marsâ ‘at Tin (Port of Mud). Today, Mondello is celebrated for its Liberty Style architecture, its vibrant summer atmosphere, and its renowned Stabilimento Balneare, an Art Nouveau gem that exemplifies the area's aristocratic past. Its transformation is most evident in its bustling piazza, its charming old fishing harbour, and its grand, palm tree-lined promenade. Our villas in Mondello and around provide the perfect base from which to explore the area’s natural beauty and its historical sites.
Things to do in Mondello
- Enjoy the beautiful beach: Mondello’s beach attracts all-comers, from locals to tourists from across the world. While it does get busy in July and August, there are several well-organised lidos where you can escape the crowds. The fine, gently shelving sand and the shallow, placid waters are ideal for young children and toddlers. A morning on the beach, followed by a stroll along the lungomare down to the main piazza for a seafront lunch in the sun is a great way of spending time. The variety of restaurants is extensive and includes street food sellers (panelle, arancine and pizzette), excellent gelaterie, seafood trattorie and a Michelin-starred restaurant.
- Discover Liberty Style villas: take a walking tour to admire the unique collection of early 20th-century Liberty Style villas that line the streets. Palermo’s aristocratic families began buying up lots and commissioning the city’s best architects (including Ernesto Basile) to build them magnificent Liberty Style summer villas. The result, a heady concentration of Art Nouveau architecture is a unique, defining feature of Mondello.
- Visit the Stabilimento Balneare: accessed by a wooden, pier-like bridge, the Stabilimento Balneare is a yellow and white ode to the Liberty Style, a richly decorated but functional homage to an architectural movement that had taken Palermo by storm. The sea-facing terrace, today mainly given over to a restaurant, offers unrivalled views of the bay of Mondello, from Montepellegrino in the south all the way round to Monte Gallo in the north.
- Enjoy some water sports: Mondello is also a sporty place. Its nautical clubs have produced World and Olympic Champions in sailing and windsurfing, and there are plenty of water sports opportunities for mere amateurs too, including kayaking, surfing, paddle boarding, sailing and windsurfing. Local sports enthusiasts and those training for a triathlon enjoy nothing more than a pre-breakfast cycle up and down Montepellegrino (from where the views of Mondello are unbeatable) followed by a swim across the bay.
- Explore Capo Gallo Nature Reserve: on the north side of Mondello, meanwhile, is the mountainous nature reserve of Capo Gallo, whose vertical cliffs plunge precipitously into the sea. It's a lovely spot for kayaking or for a coastal walk followed by a dip off the rocks.
Your keys to our house
Sign up to our newsletter for beautiful villas, destinations and things to do
Voted best villa rental company in the world seven years in a row
