It has been said that Sicily is Italy in concentrated form but that detracts from the many unique natures of the island which has enough of her own charms to win out over any of her mediterranean competitors.
Palermo as the capital of Sicily has come down a peg or two over the course of history, being, at one time the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies before the Bourbons transferred themselves to Naples.
But the vestiges of a regal past are very much evident in the old Sicilian capital. The most notable site being the Norman Palace at the gate of the Porta Nuova. It is possible to enter the palace to see the Royal Chapel but the opening hours are a little erratic (especially at the weekend) so it is always best to check when to go in advance. Whilst at Piazza Indipendenza (outside the palace), you should get the bus up to Monreale which remains, in my opinion, the most beautiful cathedral in the whole of Italy (and include everything which i have seen in Florence, Rome, Milan etc).
The other main areas to see in Palermo are the Teatro Massimo, the wonderful opera house. It is very easy and cheap to buy tickets there in the opera season. i went to a ballet for four euros and an opera for five euros and even if you hate the art form, it is worth it to see the amazing interior and to sweep down the external staircase!
The catacombs in Palermo are quite unique and very different from their Roman or Neapolitan counterparts! The monks in the Capuchin Abbey developed new ways of preserving bodies and you can see the corpses, still dressed in the clothes of the period in which they died, some still with hair and teeth and eery looks as their gazes meet you as you stroll around. A friend of mine joked that the monks that take you down to the catacombs are more scary than any of the bodies down there though! Just don't forget to give them some money for their trouble!
The markets in Palermo are on of the things for which the city is so famous. The Vuccuria is the most famous of the markets and is behind the San Domenico church. It is a mix of sights and smells that hits you as soon as you arrive and is certainly worth walking around.. some of the street food is quite interesting, but often consists of the internal organs of various animals so I tended to steer clear of it! If it looks chewy, don't eat it!!!
The other market, the Capo, is probably more traditional and you really can find anything you want!
These areas of the city are great in the day but probably best to steer clear of in the evenings and nights. The areas around the station really can be a bit scary. The areas closer to the Piazza Politeama is more open and bright and full enough of bars and restaurants to serve it's purpose.
The area by the port can also be a little rough if you don't know where you are going so it's probably best not to venture there at night time.
There is a high level of organised crime in Palermo but generally you won't see it. There is some petty crime but no more than in any other city in the world and the mix of the Phoenician, Arabic, Spanish, Norman and Greek sites, cuisine and people make it a wonderful city to visit.
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Advantages: The Volcano, the food, the black beach Disadvantages: the horse meat stall in the market (don't buy anything from a butchers with a cute photo of a horse outside!_
womble 09.06.2004 ·
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