Goethe was saying that “Sicily is the Key of the Mediterranean” and “Italy is nothing without Sicily”. If you wish to visit the beautiful island and my city, Palermo feels free to reach me out. While I love travelling and have been living for many years abroad, Palermo has still a special place in my heart. Why should you visit Palermo? For the unique culture and food! Must see: Palermo Cathedral and the connect Norman Palace with its astonishing Cappella Palatina, through Porta Nuova. The worldwide unique catacombs of Cappuccini, the old Spanish town centre called the “Quattro Canti”, the impressive fountain nearby is called by locals “Piazza della Vergogna”, the ashamed square as all the sculptures are naked (Fontana Pretoria), as also the Church of the Ammiraglia and the San Cataldo one, just next to it. If you have the chance, I would recommend you to have a look at the Politeama theatre and even more the Massimo Theater, the third biggest one of Europe.
Still in the town centre area, I would suggest you visit San Giovanni Degli Eremiti and the historical market such as Vucciria, Capo and Ballaro’. Within the market’s areas are beautiful churches to walk-in, with beautiful marbles decorations.
If you can spend more time in the city, I recommend you to visit the Cuba, the Zisa Palace, the San Giovanni dei Lebrosi Church, the Florio House (Palazzina dei Quattro Pizzi) and it’s characteristic “liberty” style and just outside Palermo, Monreale and its impressive Cathedral with the Pantocrator Christ and all the bible decoration in mosaic. Go to Mondello beach to enjoy a Caribbean sea and try a nice Panino with panelle and crocche’ or some nice fish or seafood.
Usually, it does not rain a lot in Palermo, but if it might I recommend you to visit the following beautiful museums: Archeological Museum (Antonio Salinas), Palazzo Abatellis, the international museum of “Marionette”, the Chinese palace in Favorita area.
If you love speleology, then book yourself for a visit to one of the “Qanat” we have in Palermo. It is a unique experience to discover Palermo under the ground.
We love simple nightlife and we spend time in the street. As an example we walk between Massimo Theatre to the Quattro Canti, we have some night snack and drink for a few euros in the Church of San Francesco area or Lattarini/Cala.
A little curiosity that pass unobserved? Sicily has been conquered by several cultures and thanks to them we reached important cultural development. The Italian Lectures is coming from the Sicilian one born during one of our most important and beloved Norman Kings, Frederik the II. The Palermo Cathedral is a very unique Catholic church considering that has one of the verses of the Coran in the first column on the right side of the main entrance and some rest underground of the Arabic mosque under the Arabic domination and while the Capella Sistina is another beautiful example of Norman Sicilian Art all the decoration on the roof are in Arabic. Another little curiosity that not all people living in the city know is that in the old street of the city the name of the streets is in Italian, Arabic and Jewish. Palermo is full of contrast, as I born there I deeply love it and ate it, due to its wasted beauties and the people that instead of promotive the city destroy it. Even so, what it makes it so unique is that we are all the result of beautiful cultures of the Mediterranean and we are welcoming anyone.
Must try: rosticceria palermitana (arancine, spitine, rollo con wustel, and so on), brioche con gelato, panino panelle e crocche, couscous in Trapani style. For the bravest panino ca meusa, stiggiole and frittole…
Enjoy as well the variety of local tasty fish, meat, bread, cheeses and wine!
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