 Introduction
Arrival Plane
Palermo Falcone Borsellino Airport is located 32 km west of Palermo (Punta Raisi). offers direct flights from all major Italian airports and has low-cost links with some European cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Cologne, London and others. From the airport, the "Trinacria Express" shuttle train connects to Palermo's central station every hour. Another option is to take the shuttle bus which leaves every 30 minutes.
Train
Palermo Centrale is the main station in Palermo it connects to all the major destinations in Sicily, such as Taormina, Catania and Siracusa. For some destinations it is necessary to change trains. From Rome there are some direct trains for Palermo via Naples, the trip lasts 11 to 13 hours. For times please consult the Trenitalia site.
Sea
There are two companies offering the connection services. Grandi Navi Veloci offers three connections. From Rome Civitavecchia, daily; duration: 12 h. From Livorno (Leghorn) three times a week; duration: 19 h. From Genoa, daily, duration: 20 h Tirrenia connects Palermo and Naples every day; duration: app.10 h
Car
From Taormina take highway A18 up to Catania and continue on A19 Palermo-Catania up to destination. From Agrigento take Statale 189 which travels through Sicily to Palermo. From Siracusa take state highway 114 up to Catania and continue on A19 Palermo-Catania up to destination. If coming from mainland Italy continue on highway A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria and exit on Villa San Giovanni to get to the ferries that go to Messina. From Messina highway A20 takes you to Palermo.
History and Culture
About in 1200 the city was the residence of the emperor Frederick II of Swabia in this period, art and literature were developed even further, culminating in the setting up of the Sicilian School of Poets. Under the French king, Charles of Anjou, Palermo lost a great deal of its autonomy, but the people rebelled, and started up the war of the Sicilian Vespers (1282) that continued for twenty years and which was intended to throw out the French from the island, Palermo lived another decline of its prestige both political and economical.
Spanish dominion (1400 - 1700) saw the beginning of a peaceful period for this much contested city that had been in the hands of various countries over the centuries. Palermo was once again the capital and the town's buildings and monuments were renewed. Various religious orders, which were increasingly powerful, set up a large number of churches and convents.After ending the Spanish domination around 1700 many other people followed one another in dominating it: the Savoia, the Austrians, and the Bourbons. Only on 21 October 1860, thanks to Garibaldi, the city was annexed to the Reign of Italy.
Churches and Museums
The Chiesa La Gancia, also known as Chiesa di Santa Maria, is near the Palazzo Abatellis in Via Alloro in Palermo. Built c. 1490 as a hospital church of the Franciscan Order, it has a simplistic front with two Gothic doorways. Inside, the coffered ceiling is original, and other items to be noted are an Annunciation by Antonello Gagini on the columns in the presbytery, the chapel to the right near the presbytery with stucco-work by Serpotta, and paintings by Antonello da Palermo and Vincenzo da Pavia. The two wonderful Gothic entrances and the wooden sculptures, paintings and stuccoes inside the church must be admired.
Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio
This church is named thus as it was built on the wishes of the Admiral Giorgio d'Antiochia in 1142, who then gave it to the convent of Eloisa Martorana. It is a Norman-style building, even though it is similar to the Byzantine churches, due to its square structure and the splendid mosaics kept inside, together with frescoes and Baroque marble pieces.
Church of San Domenico
The Basilica of San Domenico, off Via Roma, is a fine example of Sicilian Baroque built around 1640 is also known for the many prominent Sicilians laid to rest in it. San Domenico's landmark is the obelisk-like "Colonna dell' Immacolata" in the piazza in front of the basilica. The church is noted for its facade, designed and built in 1726 by Tommaso Maria Napoli.
St. Joseph of the Theatines
San Giuseppe dei Teatini is the large church located on the southeast corner of the Quattro Canti. It is the ultimate in Baroque. The church was designed by Giacomo Besio in 1612. The Dome was added in the 18th century. One of the more noted works of art in this Baroque jungle is “ The Triumph of Sant' Andrea Avellino” painted in 1724 by the Dutch artist Borremans.
Cappella Palatina
Shortly after his coronation in 1130 Roger II ordered the building of the Cappella Palatina, the court church; it was consecrated in 1140. The mosaics in the chancel were probably completed in 1143 and those in the nave under Roger's successor William I (1154-66). Under Louis of Aragon c. 1350 the mosaics were renewed, and that on the west wall portraying Christ between Peter and Paul was added. Further restorations were made in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel) contains a harmonious blend of opposing cultures, Byzantine, Norman, Arabic, and Sicilian, creating a truly amazing architectural and artistic result.
Cathedral
Palermo's cathedral is known officially as “Santa Maria Assunta” or Saint Mary of the Assumption Built in 1184 by the Norman king William II in the place of a Muslim mosque, the cathedral has undergone several renovations over the centuries, which have resulted in its current Neo-Classical style. The church is a massive rectangular structure, with two towers at the two front corners constructed in the Norman Arab style. The exterior of the apse is similar to those of Monreale Cathedral and the smaller Basilica of the Magione. An interesting exterior detail is the repeating horizontal inlay motif of the lions “ passant guardant” visible near the apse. The treasures that are kept inside, including some precious objects and embroidery found in the tombs of the Kings and emperors must be seen.
International Marionettes Museum
This extraordinary museum was founded in 1975 by the Association for the Preservation of Folk Traditions, and is an integral part of Sicilian culture. The museum contains the most complete, important collection of or puppets in the world, together with the stage equipment needed for the traditional shows. The collection includes about 3500 examples of puppets, marionettes and hand puppets from all over the world, all made by hand according to the antique craftsmen's traditional techniques.
Regional Archaeological Museum
The Museo Archeologico Regionale is one the main museums of Italy: it includes numerous remains from Etruscan, Carthaginian, Roman and Hellenistic civilizations. This Museum is in the old city center of Palermo, in the ex-convent of the Philippine Monks and is home to a large number of artifacts from the whole of Sicily, including the islands, and also to archaeological finds from the Etruscan, Phoenician and Greek eras. These important collections are testimony of Sicilian art, from prehistoric times to the late Roman period.
Museum of Islam
This Museum, which is housed in the wonderful Castello della Zisa, holds the testimony of Arabic culture in Sicily.
The Sicilian Regional Gallery
This Gallery that is inside Palazzo Abatellis, houses some paintings completed in Sicily between the 11 and the 17 centuries, Arabic inlaid-wood objects, Moorish pottery and some marble sculptures.
Historical buildings and monuments
When La Cuba in Palermo was completed in 1180 under King William II it lay far outside the city in a large park with an artificial lake. Today it is within the precincts of a barracks, and permission has to be sought from the officer of the watch in order to visit it. The Cuba, the name of which probably comes from the Arabic word cubat, meaning vault, is a rectangular building with walls divided up by ogival blind arcades. Inside are remains of Arab stalactite decoration. Its original beauty was described by Boccaccio in the sixth tale of the fifth day of his “Decameron”.
Palazzo dei Normanni
In the 9 century, the Arab emirs built this majestic building. When they were ousted from Sicily, the building was transformed into a luxurious palace by the Normans, who extended it and made it even more beautiful. During the reign of Frederick II, the Palace enjoyed a period of splendor, and became the center of cultural life in the city, as the headquarters of the “Sicilian School”.
The internal courtyards, the huge marble staircase, the towers and the extravagant great hall are sights to be seen. The palace houses the spectacular Cappella Palatina inside, which was also built by the Normans. Palazzo dei Normanni has been the seat of the Regional Sicilian Assembly since 1947.
Teatro Massimo
The Teatro Massimo (“ Greatest Theatre”) was opened in 1897, it is one of the largest opera theaters in Europe and is one of Palermo's most important buildings. The theater was designed by Gian Battista Basile around 1868 and was built by his son Ernesto, who supervised the works starting from 1891. This change of hands resulted in a classical style exterior (inherited from the original project) and Liberty style inside, following the work of Ernesto Basile. In 1997, the theater was renovated and reopened to the public, after twenty years of neglect and disuse. It is now carefully restored and has an active schedule. Enrico Caruso sang in a performance of <>La Gioconda<> during the opening season, returning for <>Rigoletto<> at the very end of his career.
Fontana Pretoria
This wonderful sixteenth-century fountain can be found in the center of the square carrying the same name. It was built by the Florentine sculptor Francesco Camilliani, and originally decorated the garden of a villa in Tuscany. It was then purchased by the city of Palermo, dismantled and rebuilt in Piazza Pretoria. The fencing around the fountain, designed by Giovan Battista Basile, was built in 1858.
Castello della Zisa
In Europe, this is one of the best buildings built in Arabic style. Its name comes from the Arabic word “al-aziz” that means “the splendid one”. This indeed splendid, charming castle was built by Arabic architects on the wishes of the Norman king William II d'Altavilla and was completed in 1175. It was later transformed into a fortress and then into a residence for aristocratic families. It is now the home to the Museum of Islam.
Santa Maria dello Spasimo
This “almost” church, that can be seen in the Kalsa area of the city, dates back to the beginning of the sixteenth century when, still unfinished, the building was allocated to another use. Due to the threat of a Turkish invasion, Santa Maria dello Spasimo was in fact transformed into a defense bulwark for the city. Later, during a plague epidemic in Palermo, the area was used as a lazaretto hospital and then as a warehouse. The building has now become the site of important cultural events.
Places of Interest
This open space , circular in form and the setting-out point for our suggested walks through Palermo was laid out between 1608 and 1620 by the Roman architect Giulio Lasso. This is the heart of the old city center of Palermo and corresponds to Piazza Vigliena, which has been known as Quattro Canti for centuries, but also as “Teatro del Sole” as one can always see the sun from this spot, from dawn to dusk. The square is located at the crossroads between the city's two main streets: Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda that cut Palermo into four parts, known as “mandamenti”. In the four corners of the square there are four seventeenth-century palaces, whose façades have a convex shape facing onto the square, and four basins with statues that represent the four seasons.
Kalsa
This is Palermo's Arabic quarter, built close to the sea in an era of people's riots, in order to allow the Emir to escape in the event of revolt. In ancient times it was home to the Arabs' entire military contingent when they ruled the city, their administrative and political offices, and also their prisons. It was named “al-halisah” that means “the elected one” in Arabic. Today it is a working-class area of the city, extremely picturesque, where it is still possible to capture a feel of the ancient Arabic-Sicilian culture and often smell the strong aromas of the food that is prepared in the several kiosks along the streets. The center of the Kalsa quarter is the square which carries the same name. The sixteenth-century gateway, Porta dei Greci, also known as Porta d'Africa, from where it is possible to glimpse the sea, is a sight worth visiting.
Real Tenuta della Favorita
This fantastic park, that lies immediately outside the city center, was the hunting grounds for the Bourbon court of Ferdinando III when, after the Parthenopean Republic was proclaimed in 1799, the King of Naples was forced to take refuge in Palermo. Ferdinando had a palace built and ordered the architects to design it in Oriental style. This was how the Casina Cinese (Chinese Lodge), that can still be seen unspoilt today, was built. All around the royal residence, this immense park was laid out, similar to the one that existed near Naples, where the exiled king would have been able to dedicate himself to his favorite pastimes: hunting and botany. Walking through this maze of small, tree-lined avenues in the Parco della Favorita, built to look like the royal park at the entrance to Naples, it is still possible to see the many exotic and officinal plants, small squares, statues, obelisks and fountains.
Orto botanico - Botanical Gardens
This wonderful, charming garden was laid out at the end of the eighteenth century and is still one of the largest, most important gardens in Europe today. The Orto Botanico in Palermo stands on about eleven hectares and it is possible to see plants from all over the world, including some very rare, valuable ones. The gardens contain 12,000 vegetable species, including tropical, aquatic, fiber, medicinal and carnivorous plants, and many others too. The giant species of ficus magnolioides are not to be missed.
Vucciria
To truly see a cross-section of Palermo life, we suggest a walk round the Vucciria market, that spreads outs between Via Roma and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. This is one of the most characteristic places in Palermo, where there is a unique, strongly Sicilian atmosphere, that is made even more intense through the aromas of the typical local produce from the land and sea. This picturesque market was immortalized by Renato Guttuso, the famous artist who was born in Bagheria, in his painting entitled “La Vucciria”.
Events
Every year, all the world famous windsurfing champions come to Sicily to take part in the prestigious Merit Cup Windsurf World Festival. In the month of May, the wonderful beach at Mondello becomes the setting for these top-level exhibitions.
Palermo Estate - from June to September
During the summer season, which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of September, Palermo livens up and opens its squares and streets to musical shows of all kinds, traveling theater shows, folklore events and lots of other events too.
Teatro di Verdura - from June to September
In the summer, the Teatro Massimo closes and transfers to the open-air to continue its program of musical shows in the “Teatro di Verdura” in Viale del Fante that has 2,200 seats.
Festino di Santa Rosalia - from July 9 to 15
For four centuries in the month of July, Palermo has celebrated Santa Rosalia, who saved the city from a terrible plague in 1600 and thus became the city's patron saint. The festival lasts for a week, a period in which the city is invaded by traveling theatrical and musical shows, all linked to the life of the saint. The height of the celebrations is the charming procession of the monumental cart that crosses the Cassaro as far as the Marina. At the end of the religious procession, there is an amazing fireworks display.
Teatro Massimo - from October to May
The Teatro Massimo season in Palermo opens in October and includes ballet, opera and concerts with appearances by international artists.
Festival di Morgana - November
Each year in Palermo since 1985, the Festival di Morgana has been organized, a celebration of the art of the pupi that is organized by the Association for the Preservation of Folk Traditions at the International Puppet Museum Antonio Pasqualino. The Festival is made up of a run of shows in which the historical Sicilian “Pupari” families appear, theatrical companies that continue the tradition that UNESCO has proclaimed a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity”.
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