One of the nicest/most beautiful churches we have ever been too. Make sure to get the full experience, besides the church itself walking up to the top was great and you are rewarded with a spectacular view. Parking was tough but in the end we just parked our car anywhere there was a small spot, like a Sicilian would. Well worth the trip.

UNESCO World Heritage site. Difficult to get to (taxi is your best option, €40 one way from the centre of Palermo). I also recommend a visit to the terrace which grants you great views over the internal courtyard as well as Palermo and surrounding areas. However, in order to access the terrace you need to navigate narrow steps and a very low overhead tunnel.

Impressive. Beautiful interior, but also a nice wal along the exterior as well. Great view from the church's terrace. The different styles inside make it a very interesting visit. Take your time to take in all the details.

Only 6 miles from Palermo is the Cathedral of Monreale, the last and most stunning of the all Norman churches of Sicily and one of the architectural wonders of the Middle Ages. It was built in 1174 by William II to rival Palermo's Cappella Palatina. The exterior is fairly drab but is the cathedral's golden interior that takes your breath away. A vast cycle of mosaics covers the aisles, the choir, the transepts and all of the nave, vividly bringing to life scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Don't neglect a visit to the cloisters which boast 228 twin columns, each one different and many decorated with Islamic-inspired mosaics or reliefs.

We didn't plan the visit very well and so got there on a Sunday right before 12 while the mass was in process. The good thing was, that we were able to get in for free and marvel the unmatched mosaics during the mass. The bad thing was that the cathedral and the cloister closed at 1 pm. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience. Having see a fair deal of churches, this must rank in the top 3 when it comes to the interior. Must must must go!

Unbelievable beauty inside, masterpiece in every detail, definitely worth a visit. I would recommend to buy full ticket to see everything.

Charming, gorgeous, amazing - the history of this cathedral is very interesting and every single piece is a masterpiece. The work of the ancient Sicilian people and the drive of the local king have created one of the most amazing places on this Italian island! Take the complete ticket and climb to the top of the cathedral with Palermo laying in front of you! Worth seeing all parts of it! Thumbs up!

Stunning cathedral with interesting Arab, Norman and Baroque influences. Really interesting architecture and beautiful mosaics. Make sure you head up to the terraces for an amazing view of Palermo (warning: steep steps, and not recommended for those who can't do heights!)

The cathedral itself is gorgeous and totally worth visiting, but definitely consider paying extra to get onto the roof! The little stairways through the walls are really neat and offer great raised views of Monreale & the cathedral itself. The diocesan museum is small but nice, and a quiet break from the crowds.

Well, easily one of the most visually stunning churches I’ve ever seen and I’ve been all over the world! What can one even say? It’s something you must see if you are in Palermo! We didn’t take an official tour and we had a car to drive the 20 minutes or so from Palermo old town. The church is in a small town of its own that is charming as well and could be a great place for a good meal and extended tour. There is no church like this as far as I know or have ever seen anywhere else in Italy.

This place is an absolutely breathtaking piece of history. Just check your dress attire as there is a strict dress code. The village has awesome views of Palermo and the sea. We did not want to leave Monreale. It is a must see in Sicily.

It's difficult for us to give a good review for this place since we had barely time to see it. We were informed when we arrived that the church would close in 30 minutes, but we could get the entrance to the church for free. We were also told that my wife couldn't show her shoulders, which is understandable but they didn't mention that they had covers that you could have. We noticed this AFTER we had been to a store to buy a shirt. This seems like a way the cheat tourists. The church itself is pretty and historic, but if we had to pay full price for it, then we would have been disappointed.

Stunning. Better to visit from 2:00 p.m. Before that is too crowded and busy. Don't miss the view from the top nor the cloisters and do walk around it and all the nice streets nearby. Have a perfect lovely sweet freshly squeezed orange juice at Rosa' s place: L'OasisSiciliana. And some colorful Figui D'India.

Visited Monreale on a student ticket for 6€. There is a quick bus ride from Palermo for 1.60€ each way. I suggest to arrive early for tranquility and panoramic views. Monreale Cathedral's breathtaking mosaics tell stories with astonishing craftsmanship. Girls: please remember to dress modestly! Comprehensive ticket includes cathedral, cloisters, Benedictine Convent, Diocesan Museum, and panoramic terrace. After the visit you can explore local restaurants for Sicilian cuisine.

Wonderful cathedral with a great ambience and remarkable mosaics. I also got the ticket to go up on the roof but I found the interiors more interesting. There is a board outside by the door that has a map showing what stories the mosaics represent. Take a picture of it as you go in for better understanding.

This cathedral is larger than any other we've seen. So beautiful, gorgeous and peaceful. No words or pictures can do this wonderful cathedral justice. You need to make this part of your trip to Sicily.

Amazing place with a pure soul. We were there with the kids and we enjoyed it. Parking is possible on the marked places. Filled with history and religion. One of the most beautiful places we've been. I would definitely recommend a visit to the cluster each column will tell its own story.

Magnificent church definitely a feast for the eyes! Wonderful mozaïeks and lots of different cultural details to amaze you. Have a walk through the gardens, and museum with a sneak peek in the private quarters of the pastor.

The mosaics in these cathedral are simply stunning. The cathedral also has an interesting history as it shows elements of both orthodox Christian and Catholic design, owed to the transition from Byzantine control of Sicily to Arab control and finally Norman control. Very nearby to Palermo and definitely worth a visit.

amazing how it looks. I am not the type of person who likes to go to such places, but seeing it and being there was worth the trip

Interesting place, worth a visit. The entry to the cathedral is free, but to the cloister and some other places not. Be aware of the dress code - wear long clothes.

The mosaics of Monreale cathedral are a world treasure. It's a shame that the caretakers of this UNESCO world heritage site make it's appreciation so difficult because of a disgraceful lack of lighting. I was told that the cathedral remains in dark, except for services and evening performance. If you visit any other time, you have little hope to adequately see these magnificent works. The south wall is particularly difficult because of the location of windows that obscure all their adjacent mosaics. The same for the west wall. The apse is lit, but because you do not have access to the presbytery, one cannot really see the north or south transepts which contain many beautiful mosaics. This is all in stark contrast to the Cappella Palatina, another fabulous world heritage site, in Palermo, which is very well lit at all times. Perhaps the Fondazione Federico II which runs the Capella thinks it worthwhile to spend some of the hefty admission fees (that both places charge) so that visitors can at least see and appreciate their masterpieces. If one has only limited time in Palermo and has to choose between these two sites, choose the Capella Palatina.

This is an amazing place with phenomenal beauty inside. The architecture and designs are a sight to behold. The history is amazing. Find time to sit and stare, don’t be rushed by the crowds. We visited in April and it was busy, I can’t begin to imagine what it will be like in the summer. No matter how busy it is, it is worth it.

This was well worth figuring out the busses to get to it. It's outside of Palermo so involved about a thirty minute bus trip, some of it along spectacular valley views. Monreale proves to be a picturesque town, a good place for lunch. Like so many of these Norman era cathedrals, the exteriors are not especially inspiring. The inside of this one is another story. 68,000 square feet of mosaic tile covers the interior. It is surreal. It was very uncrowded and there is no admission charge for wandering in the church and several of the ancillary chapels. FREE. There is a charge if one wants to visit the cloister and treasury. An artisan was doing major repairs to some mosaic work so it proved a bonus to watch him working.

One of the most impressive places we have ever visited! I would definitely recommend visiting for the Cathedral 'awe factor' alone. The optional attached small museum, cloister (going through a restoration in December 2022), and terrace walkway were not as inspiring. The terrace walkway had some very steep stairs with two long low walkways - I am 6'5 and had to stoop to pass through.

Amazing Cathedral absolutely worth the visit! Take a walk up to see the views from the top and also go visit the chapel it is absolutely amazing. Take a tour if you can to learn about the history and discover some distinguishing features of the cathedral.

One of the greatest views I've seen in my life, and the church is very nice too. But since this is the religion of the Jesus it is absolutely ridiculous to force people to wear a cloth over their clothes to hide their arms. And more importantly to sell that specific cloth for 1,5€ each.

A beautiful cathedral in a small town on top of a mountain side. It is difficult to find parking. A note, women cannot wear shorts and if you want to enter they will charge you extra to wrap a blue cloth around your waist.

Good to visit both cathedrals. The one in Palermo and the one in Monreale to appreciate the difference in architecture

Magnificent cathedral and stunning indoors, full of historic pictures... recommended!

A wonderful cathedral. It's justified to go there (from Palermo) only to visit this place. I think there is different type of ticket. The whole turn allows to climb until the roof of the church and have a nice view on the square, but also Palermo. The cloister is also very pleasant to visit.

What an awesome place!! So much history and grandeur, it’s hard to believe these kind of monuments were built without modern technology. Definitely a recommend.