GOING AROUND PALERMO.

Palermo makes you sit among its baroque squares and fills your eyes with endless beauty!

Palermo, is an Italian town, capital of the homonymous metropolitan city and of the Sicilian Region.The city extends on the Conca D’oro plain and is surrounded by the Monti di Palermo. It also held the role of capital city of the Kingdom of Sicily from 1130 to 1816. It is a city with a rich history. In fact, Palermo was the protagonist of the Vespers rebellion in 1282 and of  the revolutions of 1848.

Lots of buildings, including churches and historic palaces, are recognized as part of the Italian cultural heritage. Moreover, Palermo is the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, which is the oldest parliamentary assembly in activity in the world, as well as an important university city. Its archdiocese is the metropolitan seat of the Roman Church in Sicily. Moreover, Palermo is part of the Eurocities network of the largest European cities.

The climate of Palermo belongs to the group called Csa – Mediterranean climate, which is characterised by a dry summer season and a warm and a rainy winter.

The city of Palermo was called Zyz (the “z” was pronounced as a sonorous “s”) by the Phoenicians (zyz means flower). The name “Palermo” was definitively acquired in the modern age.

The coat of arms of Palermo is thus described by the municipal statute: “red, it has the golden Roman eagle with open wings, holding with its claws a strip with the initials SPQP”. The origin of the coat of arms is not certain, some sources trace it back to a concession of 1154 by King William I of Sicily.

Most of the monuments and attractions in Palermo are located within the historic center; others can be found throughout the city: historic villas, watchtowers, graffiti, old churches or noble palaces.

There are lots of monuments to visit in Palermo. One of them is the Norman Palace, also known as Royal Palace, which is currently the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly as well as the oldest royal residence in Europe. Another beautiful monument is the Cathedral of Palermo: it is the main place of Catholic worship in the city and the archbishop’s seat of the metropolitan archdiocese. In the very city centre of Palermo you can find one of the most beautiful places in the town: ‘Quattro Canti’, a baroque square located at the intersection of the main road axes of Palermo (via Maqueda and Cassaro). In the four corners of the square there are  four buildings with similar facades. The four floors of each facade are decorated as follows: on the lowest level there are four fountains, representing the rivers of the old city; on the second floor there are four statues,  which represent the four seasons; the next floor, in Ionic style, houses the statues of the four Spanish kings of Sicily: Charles V, Philip II, Philip III and Philip IV; while on the fourth level there are the statues of the four Patronesses of Palermo: Agata, Ninfa, Oliva and Cristina. A few steps away from Quattro Canti you can admire the Praetorian Fountain with its naked statues. in Palermo there are many other attractions, which are worth a visit.

The city of Palermo extends over a very large area and is made up of 25 varied districts, each of them is characterized by its own atmosphere and attractions.

If you want to visit Palermo, you certainly need an accommodation. A great place to stay in is Dimora Bellini, which is located in the central via Maqueda and offers comfortable, elegant rooms. As for the restaurants, a place where you can satisfy your palate is Il Culinario, in Piazza Politeama: those who wish to eat real Sicilian dishes, certainly cannot miss it. Another great place to eat is the Oste dello Stabile, which offers a reworked Mediterranean menu and a wide choice of wines in an elegant modern room with elements of wood and plexiglass. Those who want to eat something ‘on the road’ can try one of the many street food stalls, which you can find everywhere in Palermo, where you can taste delicious arancine, ‘pani ca’ meusa’ or panelle.

All this and much more, in Palermo you can breathe the real smell of the South.