Palermo – Sicily Trip #3 (Italy)
After Catania, we take the train towards Palermo. There are two main pedestrian streets in the city center, and our Airbnb is on one of them. They’re always full of tourists, noisy, lively, but the apartment is over 100 square meters, so we feel way too comfortable and don’t visit anything for long weeks.
We just go eat focaccias, Neapolitan pizzas, pistachio gelatos (the local specialty), cross several times a day a beautiful pedestrian intersection with sculptures on all four buildings, and stroll along the pedestrian streets for window shopping.
If I had known that the churches in Palermo were so pretty, I would have forced myself to visit earlier. Right next to our place is this fountain: Praetorian Fountain where tourists systematically take photos in front of.
Then we get to this famous intersection where you don’t know where to look, there are sculptures everywhere, it’s truly impressive!
Then, turning right and walking a bit, we reach Palermo Cathedral with the statue of Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo. Originally, the site was a Muslim place of worship before being converted into a Christian cathedral, hence its multicultural style with small domes that rather remind of Istanbul.
The special feature of this cathedral is that you can go up to the roof! It’s not very high, but at one point the passage is a bit narrow; I’m not necessarily at ease.
Leaving the cathedral, we walk straight until here:
We see the Teatro Marmoreo on the left.
….Which is right in front of the Palazzo Reale e Cappella Palatina, the Norman Palace
The most impressive thing here is the Palatine Chapel, famous for its rich interior decoration, especially its gold mosaics. If the walls depict biblical scenes, you’ll find Islamic-Arabic decorations in the ceiling and wooden décor. Photos don’t do it justice; you absolutely have to see it for yourself!
The other remarkable room is the King Roger’s Hall
We then stroll to the port, but don’t find anything interesting, except the Garibaldi Garden, where there are huge fig trees.
What I like about Palermo is its land-sea aspect. On one hand, the city is backed by immense mountains; on the other, it overlooks the sea. That must be a good position according to Feng Shui. In Palermo, there are many terraces in the city center. We like going to a mini shopping center (whose name I forgot) for this view!
Like many Italian cities, to access the city center by car, you need a special vignette. The streets in the center are tiny, hence the importance of this vignette. The sidewalks are tiny too. There’s a very nice village feel, but it’s not always practical if you come here by car.
In any case, you’ll eat well. Focaccias are our guilty pleasure. We eat them a lot a lot. They’re warm, full of olive oil, but also full of cured meats!!! They’re irresistible and not very expensive. There are also many gourmet and affordable restaurants.
Chiesa del Gesù di Casa Professa
We occasionally visit a church or a museum. The churches are very plain on the outside, but the interior is extremely ornate, extremely beautiful. When we visit the Chiesa del Gesù di Casa Professa, we didn’t expect such beauty at all. We had already forgotten the beauty of the churches in Malta, because this one surpasses them all!!! The central aisle is free, but to visit the rest, you have to pay (5 euros if I remember correctly); I strongly advise you to pay, because it’s worth every cent! This church was part of a vast religious complex including a Jesuit college (the College of Casa Professa) that played a key role in education and culture in Sicily for centuries. That’s why you see Jesuit signs everywhere in the church. It’s my favorite in Palermo!!!
The specialty of this church is its columns that give an illusion of twisted columns:
Puppet Museum
I visit the puppet museum alone. I expected stop-motion style puppets like what I saw in Lisbon, but this museum is more cultural and more dedicated to puppets as theater in the world. I’m surprised but happy to find Vietnamese water puppets there, as well as Indonesian shadow puppets. It’s very nice, but also very niche; I don’t know if many people will like it.
Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi
Despite freezing temperatures, there’s a very good energy here; you feel extremely good.
Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria
Another example of a church that doesn’t look like much from the outside, but is splendid inside. As you can see, the interior of the church is extraordinarily ornate, with polychrome marbles, frescoes, gilded stuccoes, and sculptures. If the Baroque style is so ornate, it’s because it seeks to move the faithful through the splendor of artworks.
Chiesa Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (Chiesa della Martorana)
Right across is the Chiesa Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio. I couldn’t take a photo of its golden mosaics, but it’s very pretty.
Oratorio del SS. Rosario in Santa Cita
We end this visit with the Oratorio del SS. Rosario in Santa Cita, a tiny oratory church particularly famous for its remarkable stucco decorations by the great Baroque sculptor Giacomo Serpotta. Built in the 17th century, this oratory is a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque art and a testament to Serpotta’s exceptional talent for using stucco to create dramatic, theatrical compositions.
There you have it—I hope these photos made you dream and gave you the urge to visit Palermo. Personally, I think a week is not too much to eat well, sightsee, and soak up this magnificent city. I’ll also leave you with my favorite restaurants:
- Focacceria dei Mercanti (you have to eat standing up on the street, but it’s worth it!)
- Canopia Giungla Urbana (bistronomic cuisine, so good!)
- Odori e sapori al vecchio monte (a canteen with homemade dishes that are too good and too cheap!)
- Mastunicola (JB loves their pizzas!!)
- Gelateria Al Cassaro
For the churches, the best is to get a combo ticket that allows you to visit a multitude of churches, sold at all participating churches.
The rest of our stay in Sicily, is right here
