Palermo makes you fantasize.
Is it due to its exceptional heritage?
Or to its belonging to Sicily, this dream island for any
homo turisticus
?
Founded by the Phoenicians, the city has had a tumultuous history, which has fueled its legend.
Alternately Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Swabian, Angevin and Spanish, before being attached to the Kingdom of Italy by Garibaldi and his red shirts, this proud Sicilian has a culture of incredible richness.
To discover
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Active metropolis of the Mezzogiorno, Palermo is more than ever open to the Mediterranean.
From populous alleys to grandiose palaces, it astonishes as much as it fascinates.
If its neglected side has sometimes played tricks on it, it is now regaining color, even establishing itself as a trendy destination.
Chaotic, noisy and hedonistic, Palermo is above all terribly endearing.
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Discover the Arab-Norman heritage
The interior of the Palatine Chapel, built inside the Norman palace.
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After two centuries of Arab domination, Palermo experienced a golden age between 1131 and 1250. The Norman Hauteville dynasty – with Roger II –, then that of the Hohenstaufen – with Frederick II – set up brilliant courts there where the best of Latin cultures , Byzantine and Muslim intermingle.
Many vestiges of this time, restored and protected by Unesco, can be visited.
Read alsoIn Sicily, a trip to the crossroads of the charms of the Mediterranean
The Norman Palace and its Palatine Chapel
A place of power since Arab times, the Normans made this austere palace a real gem.
The marvelous palatine chapel, built from 1130 by King Roger II, seduces with the preciousness of its decoration with Byzantine, Islamic and Romanesque influences.
Its extraordinary mosaics retrace episodes from the Old Testament as well as the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
Around, the carved wooden ceiling and the accumulation of marble add to the nobility of the place.
In the royal apartments, it is King Roger's bedroom – also decorated with mosaics – which holds the attention.
The beauty of his hunting scenes populated by exotic animals is striking.
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San Giovanni degli Eremiti church
Less known than the Palatine Chapel, here is another gem from the Norman period.
Surrounded by a marvelous garden, the church presents a very pure style where the Arab influence is significant.
The elegant twin columns of the cloister open onto a peaceful courtyard with a taste of paradise.
Palermo Cathedral
Built on the remains of a Byzantine crypt and the remains of a mosque, the cathedral impresses with its dimensions.
Its Gothic-Catalan portico gives it lightness but it is above all its bedside, with its delicate stone motifs, which embodies the Arab-Norman style.
The interior houses the sarcophagus of Frederick II Hohenstaufen.
As for the roofs, they offer spectacular views of the city!
San Cataldo and La Martorana
These two adjoining churches compete in beauty.
Topped by a campanile, La Martorana hides splendid Byzantine mosaics where you can see Roger II, crowned by Christ himself.
San Cataldo is distinguished by its red "eunuch's cap" domes and its harmonious interior decor, between stone vaults and marble pavements worn down over the centuries.
Castello della Zisa
A little away from the city center, here is the other Norman palace of Palermo.
Its fountain room is reminiscent of the Moorish palaces of Andalusia with its wooden ceilings carved with "stalactites".
A small collection of Islamic art is displayed in the different rooms of the palace, designed so that the air circulates naturally.
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Fill up on Sicilian Baroque
In Palermo, you can contemplate the Baroque marble and paintings in the sublime Church of the Gesù.
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The Church of the Gesu
A masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque art, the church was restored after the destruction of the Second World War.
This does not prevent marveling at its marbles, hard semi-precious stones, stuccoes and Baroque paintings by Pietro Novelli.
The oratories of Rosario, Santa Cita and San Lorenzo
Giacomo Serpotta is considered one of the masters of Sicilian Baroque decor.
In these three oratories, his almost abusive use of stucco allows to give life to cohorts of cherubs
(putti)
, Virgins and Saints who come alive in spectacular stagings bordering on rococo.
Palazzo Gangi
It was here that Visconti shot the final scene of The
Cheetah
.
Visiting the palace is not easy – by appointment only – but unforgettable.
The gallery of mirrors dazzles visitors with its enchantment of gilded stucco, its double openwork ceiling and its majolica depicting… cheetahs.
Everything is lit by a gigantic Murano glass chandelier.
Catacomb of Cappuccini
Macabre staging is one of the guilty pleasures of Sicilian Baroque art.
These catacombs created by the Capuchin friars testify to this strange taste.
Here, the corridors are populated by 2,000 mummies, fully clothed.
A chilling place.
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Stroll through the markets of Palermo
With its colorful stalls and street food stalls, the Ballaro market is the oldest and most famous in the city.
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The Ballaro market
It is the craziest of the Sicilian capital.
It evokes Africa and the Orient with its twirling merchants and its colorful stalls, planted at the foot of ruined palaces.
Street food
stalls
selling fried foods, offal sandwiches and pomegranate juice abound.
Capo Market
It takes place along via Porta Carini and stretches to the gate of the same name.
In an authentic atmosphere, you can find all the gourmet marvels that the island abounds in, from pistachios from Bronte to dried tomatoes from Pachino, and black pork sausages from the Nebrodi.
DISCOVERING LOCAL MARKETS
The Vucciria
This market, once dedicated to butchers, has gradually turned into a
popular
street food market .
In the evening, it's the favorite meeting place for students, who liven up to the rhythm of cumbia or italo-disco.
Admire masterpieces
Worthy of an ancient temple, the Teatro Massimo has a rich and varied program, between ballets and grand operas.
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Palazzo Abatellis – Regional Gallery
Established in a Gothic-Catalan style palace, this museum brings together several exceptional masterpieces, starting with the famous
Annunciation by Antonello da Messina
.
In this small canvas, the Virgin appears alone, her infinitely gentle face turned towards an invisible Archangel Gabriel, left out of sight.
On the ground floor, the fresco of the
Triumph of Death
also offers a breathtaking setting: we see Death, perched on a horse, bursting among the terrified living.
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Archaeological Museum
Installed in a former convent, the other great museum of Palermo brings together the treasures discovered on the great ancient sites of the island.
The metopes of the temples of Selinonte – bas-reliefs that adorned the top of the exterior facades – fascinate.
Teatro Massimo
Completed in 1875, Italy's largest opera house resembles an ancient temple.
Its program features the greatest operas and ballets of the repertoire each year.
Stroll through an exotic garden
On more than 11 hectares, the botanical garden of Palermo is full of ponds and greenhouses to discover during a nature break.
Francesca Sciarra
Orto Botanico
Founded in 1789, this 11-hectare space is considered to be one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Italy.
Among its 5,000 species, there are a large number of exotic plants, from palm trees to cacti, pine trees or cheese trees.
Ponds, greenhouses and neoclassical buildings punctuate a decidedly irresistible walk.
Taste Sicilian cuisine
Arancine, panelle, fried vegetables... During your walk in Palermo, succumb to its street-food.
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Street food
Impossible to stay in Palermo without succumbing to its
street food.
There are of course the
arancine
, these balls of breaded rice decorated with
ragù
or cheese.
Those of Ka Palle or Sfrigola deserve a bite.
Also
worth trying are the Antica Focacceria S. Francesco
panelle
,
fried chickpea pancakes.
It remains to test the
sfincione,
these pizzas covered with anchovies or
cacciocavallo
(cheese).
TASTING OF TYPICAL DISHES
Local specialties
For a marine meal and
linguine alle vongole
worthy of the name, head to Ajamola.
Fancy a 100% locavore local dish?
Buatta has what you need, including succulent black Nebrodi pork.
The best pizzas?
They can be eaten at the Archestrato di Gela, near the Giardino Inglese.
Unless you prefer the
pasta
from Osteria Alivàrù, for example the
busiate
with broccoli, anchovies and bottarga.
Sweets and pastries
When it comes to sweets, Sicily has a very wide repertoire.
Try marzipan fruit and
cassata
– a cake made with ricotta and candied fruit – from Pasticceria Costa.
As for the
cannoli
of Cappello, they are very famous.
Need freshness?
Cappadonia almond
granites
are waiting for you.
Unless you prefer pistachio ice cream from Gelateria Al Cassaro?
Live
the Palermitan
movida
At
aperitivo time,
head for Piazza Magione to enjoy its huge terraces.
To taste the delicious Sicilian wines, you can sit on the micro-terrace of Dal Barone, where natural wines are kings.
Fancy a cocktail with a view?
Meet on the rooftop of the Albergo Ambasciatori, the Seven.
If you have ants in your legs, we dance to electro sounds at Castigamatti Dischi e Bar.
Finally, during the summer, a large “beach bar” with an open-air dance floor is set up on the port side, the Nautoscopio.
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