Page 84 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Unmistakably the capital of Sicily, Palermo is fast, brash, loud and exciting. Hub
of the island since the ninth century AD, it borrows heavily from the past for its
present-day look, showing a typically Sicilian fusion of foreign art, architecture,
culture and lifestyle. In the narrow streets of Palermo’s old town, elegant

Baroque and Norman monuments exist cheek by jowl with Arabic cupolas, while
Byzantine street markets swamp the medieval warrens, and the latest Milanese
fashions sit in shops squeezed between Renaissance churches and Spanish palazzi.
And, ricocheting off every wall, the endless roar of traffic and wail of police

sirens add to the confusion. Palermo is probably the noisiest city in Italy, which –
coupled with the oppressive summer climate and frenetic street scenes – conjures
up visions of North Africa. Indeed, there’s little that’s strictly European about

Palermo, and its geographical isolation has forced this vibrant city of 700,000 to
forge its own distinct identity.

You’ll need at least three or four days to fully explore Palermo’s historic sights,
fascinating medieval quarters and chaotic markets, as well as enjoy its great
restaurants and street-food offerings; and you could easily stay here for a week if you
plan to use the city as a base for day-trips. The most essential of these is to the

medieval cathedral of Monreale and its celebrated mosaics, which is a hugely
popular (ie, tourist-thronged) destination – spending the night allows you to beat the
crowds and see Monreale at a more leisurely pace.

Fewer visitors head east along the coast, which means you can spend an unhurried
day at Bagheria and its Baroque palazzi, before taking in the fishing port of Porticello
and the fascinating Roman site at nearby Solunto.

West of the city, a series of small family resorts lines the Golfo di Carini, while
south of Palermo an enticing route heads to Piana degli Albanesi, a surviving
Albanian Orthodox enclave in a stridently Catholic island, and then further into the
mountains to the royal hunting lodge at Ficuzza and the notorious Mafia town of

Corleone. For a real change of air, though, jump on a ferry or hydrofoil to the island
of Ustica, as little as an hour and a quarter from the city. With its good, clean
swimming and lazy feel, you may end up staying longer than planned.