Page 315 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Via Etnea is the central spine of the city and its major shopping street, with
department and chain stores, designer labels, boutiques and brands. Off here, just
before the Villa Bellini, Via Pacini is devoted to cheap clothes, shoes, underwear
and accessories, along with purveyors of spices and other exotic goodies (ranging
from Heinz baked beans and Marmite to fresh lemongrass and kecap manis sauce).

At the far end it melds into the unmissable Fera o Luni market (Piazza Carlo

Alberto). The nearest big supermarket is Punto SMA, Corso Sicilia 50 (Mon–Sat
8.30am–8.30pm, Sun 8.30am–1.30pm; 095 326 099). The other daily market, the
Pescheria, mainly trades in food (not just fish; it’s also great for buying things like
salted capers, sun-dried tomatoes, hunks of pecorino cheese or bags of wild

oregano), though on the fringes you’ll find clothes and jewellery too – Via Vittorio
Emanuele II has a few “ethnic” shops with carvings, beads and fabrics. Across
Piazza del Duomo, in the arches under the Porta Uzeda gateway, there are two or
three well-stocked Sicilian souvenir stores, for puppets, postcards, ceramics,
painted carts and almond wine. And around the back of the Duomo, in the old
Palazzo Biscari at Piazza San Placido 7, look for the historic main branch of the

now-ubiquitous Nonna Vincenza (Mon–Sat 8am–9pm, Sun 8am–2pm; 095 715
1844), the most traditional place in the city to buy artisan sweets in gorgeous
packaging.

As for books, Feltrinelli, Via Etnea 285 (Mon–Sat 10.30am–1.30pm & 4.30–
8.30pm; 095 352 9001), has a good range of English books; there’s also a branch
of Mondadori at Piazza Roma 18 (Mon–Sat 9am–8pm; 095 716 9610).

DIRECTORY

Hospital Ospedale Garibaldi, Piazza S. Maria di Gesù 7 095 759 1111,
emergencies 095 759 4368.

Internet Internetteria, Via Penninello 44 (Mon–Fri 9am–1am, Sat & Sun 5pm–1am;
may close earlier in winter). There’s a cluster of other points on Via Vittorio
Emanuele II and Via Garibaldi.

Left luggage At Stazione Centrale, Piazza Giovanni XXIII (daily 7.30am–1.30pm &
2.30–8.30pm; €3 per bag for 12hr).

Pharmacies Caltabiano, Piazza Stesicoro 36 ( 095 327 647); Croce Rossa, Via
Etnea 274 ( 095 327 232); Europa, Corso Italia 111 ( 095 383 536); Cutelli, Via
Vittorio Emanuele II 54 ( 095 531 400). All open daily 8.30am–1pm & 5–8pm; late

openings are indicated by a rota posted in the shop windows.

Police In emergencies call 112. Otherwise, the Carabinieri are at Via Teatro Greco