Top 8 Things to Know Before Traveling to Palermo, Italy
There’s a lot to know about a city that’s almost three thousand years old, never mind a three-thousand-year-old city that’s transitioned from one empire or civilization to the next more times than you can count on a hand. Palermo is a museum, seaside resort, gourmet restaurant and architectural school combined. It’s the kind of destination you need to see for yourself because the google image search has you asking if a place can really be that beautiful. Spread across 60 square miles on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean—sound like heaven? Certainly can’t be far off. Travel startup AllTheRooms has made a list of things to know before embarking on your adventure to the city of Palermo.
Know your history
If you don’t know the city’s history, you’ll be walking around the island playing a constant game of catch-up. Pick up a history book or do a little online reading to get a general sense of the city’s historical eras and influences. We’ll give you some of the basics to get started: Palermo was founded in the 8th century BC by the Phoenicians. Over the years it became part of the Carthage, the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire. It also came under Arab rule in the 9th century. This brief history emphasizes how the city has had a long list of owners, each leaving their mark in a different form. Having some historical grasp will add an extra level of enjoyment to your city explorations. Whether it’s visiting a historical site or just walking the streets and recognizing a style of architecture, your time in Palermo will be enhanced.
It wasn’t always this nice
Palermo, and Sicily in general, are no strangers to hardship. Past generations of economic stagnation and a declining tourist industry had left the country with what seemed would be a permanent dip. However, Palermo is undergoing a revival and there is a new feeling of optimism among the population. Going now is the perfect time to see the city in its “spring” phase. The country is by no means out of the woods, but Palermo is feeling new life.
Eat up
Palermo is a gastronomic expert of a city. It’s chefs practice cooking like a traditional art and emphasize the fundamentals of the region’s flavors. The city is packed with top-end restaurants. Arancini, pesto alla Trapanese, anything with sardines, and cannolis for desert are some of the staples dishes. Don’t take the food lightly, pick from the best restaurants and go all in.
The beaches are more than worth your time
The photos make you wonder if it’s really all that. A few minutes on the water will have you convinced that it certainly is all that, and probably more. Mondello and Cefalu are two of our favorites, but hop around and check out a few different ones to soak up more of what Palermo’s nature has to offer.
Don’t skip the catacombs
The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo contain over eight thousand corpses, of which over 1,200 are mummified. It is an extremely creepy tour into the city’s past and walking down the catacombs’ halls with corpses appearing to turn their heads at you, is enough to shake-off the about ground heat and send a chill down your spine.
Black markets and exploited migrant labor are major themes
Due to its location, Palmero is a major trading point and has been for thousands of years. Some of the trade is legit, some not so much. With a strong history of organized crime, Palermo has plenty of influence in smuggling and trading of all sorts of illegal products. With the migrant crisis plaguing the region, the smuggling business has only increased, seeing migrant labor be widely exploited. So in case you drift away with the beauty of the city, know that there are some darker operations under the city’s pretty surface.
The food markets make for excellent exploring
Food is a big deal when it hits the table in Palermo. It’s also a big deal when its initially purchased. Palermo has food markets showing off the freshest ingredients the area has to offer. Whether you’re looking to buy or to be entertained, the markets should not be skipped.
The Palermo Cathedral has quite a story to tell
Used as a crypt and a mosque in different eras, the Palermo Cathedral is perhaps the best place to see Palermo’s history combined in one place. The structure is awe-inspiring both inside and out, and its attention to detail is worth hours of exploration. – Travel Feeder
The writer of this article, Alistair Thompson, is a journalist by trade currently learning the ropes in Medellin, Colombia. Although the football to futbol transition is off to a rough start, the rest of the equation is balancing out well. If he wasn’t an AllTheRooms content writer, he would almost certainly be neck-deep in the Medellin reggaeton scene.
About The Author
Cecil Lee
The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.
