48 HOURS IN… Prosperous Palermo
Stunning street food, evolutionary art and a bohemian feel, Palermo is the Italian city that will treat your senses and won’t hurt your wallet
Sicily, and in particular Palermo, has had to endure a chequered past. Even now, anyone who knows you went to Sicily will enquire, even jokingly, about the Mafia.
While there are reminders across the city – take the numerous murals of assassinated prosecutor Giovanni Falcone, who was responsible for hundreds of Mafioso convictions before his death in 1992 – Palermo is very much in the throes of evolution.
In fact, it’s right at the good bit: before Johnny Tourist has saved under Favourite Cities, before there are golden arches on every street corner and before it realises it could probably get away with charging double.
WHERE TO EAT
Via Orologio
A street just back from the Teatro Massimo (Big Theatre), Via Orologio is crammed with restaurants and bars from every opening in the wall – often you can only tell the difference by the staff uniforms (if they wear them) or the colour of the napkins. But there are two stand-outs on the road if you’re looking for a sit-down meal. Il Siciliano and Vespa Cafe are both inside and outside restaurants and bars with lots of atmosphere, live music and flair. You may have to wait for a table, but not for long, because the key is their sharing platter. For10€ per person, you get a drink plus a board comprising all the best Sicilian street food as well as local meats and cheeses. It’s a winner.
Via Maccheronai
If you like casual eats and street food, you won’t go wrong on Via Maccheronai. There are dozens of vendors, but with grab-and-go carts, as well as tables and chairs – some of which are made from tomato boxes and pallets – to pick up all your favourites. Recommendations are the many and varied arancini (risotto rice balls covered in bread crumbs and filled with anything from mozarella to mushroom to chorizo), the panelle (chickpea fritters fried and put in brioche – imagine the best chip butty you ever tasted) and of course cannoli (sweet ricotta cream and a variety of toppings in a fried dough case). Ridiculous.
Via Vittorio Emanuele II
The oldest street in Palermo, Via Vittorio Emanuele II is packed full of places to enjoy Sicilian food. Running from the Quattro Canti (perfect for a selfie with four identical statues) all the way to the harbour, it is lined with restaurants using products unique to the island such as Pachino tomatoes and the ancient wheat Perciasacchi – which are used in making pizzas –in venues such as Cagliostro Ristorante.
Look out for the famous Zagaloro Meat Factory, as well as arancini extraordinaires Arancinando and Ke Palle.
WHERE TO DRINK
Qvivi, Piazza della Rivoluzione 5
A two-minute short walk off the Via Roma (main thoroughfare) the roads continue to narrow before exploding out into hubs of activity. One of them is the Piazza della Rivoluzione. As the name suggests, there are murals and tributes to figures changing history from Falcone through to Jim Morrison. Continue down via D’Aragone for more bohemian bars, or drop off at Qvivi. A self-confessed music bar, you can pick up local beers at a good price and some spectacular cocktails while being entertained.
Bar Garibaldi, Via Alessandro Paternostro, 46
One for substance over style, Bar Garibaldi is merely a conduit for the drinks, books and art inspiring the new crop of Palermo’s creatives. A rough and ready interior offers a great selection of drinks including the best house wine I have ever tasted. Allow the locals to flow past and just watch.
Monkey, Piazza Sant'Anna, 19
Opposite the stunning church of Saint Anne is probably not the first place you’d expect to find Monkey – an alternative pub that offers chill-out vibes, craft beers (including Brewdog on tap) and free food. The street food snacks are brought in nightly for those partaking of the liquids, while there’s a stacked programme of DJs and live music and more than a few familiar scents.
Look out for the sticker wall… take your own and stick it up!
WHERE TO GO
Ballarò Mercato, Via Ballaro
There are two renowned markets in Palermo – Ballarò and il Capo. The larger of the two, Ballarò, will steal a good few hours from your trip as you gaze at all the colours, fruits and vegetables that look delicious though decidedly unidentifiable. From fish being filleted to hanging sausages and freshly squeezed juices, I imagine this market hasn’t changed all that much in the past few centuries (minus the sunglasses sellers). You can choose to dine in among the stalls, but I would recommend eating on the move to avoid touristy ‘sit-down’ fees.
Mondello
For just a couple of coins on the 806 bus, the small coastal village of Mondello is just 15 minutes away.
A central piazza is surrounded by small restaurants and bars as well as a stunning beach and cove vista. It’s a great option if you feel like you need a break from the intensity of the city.
Palermo Tattoo Expo
Autumn is a great season to go to Palermo for a number of reasons; it is still warm – registering 25°C into November – and there are a number of events out of the intense heat of the summer, including the Palermo Tattoo Expo in mid-October. With artists from all over the world, exhibitions, live music and theatrical performances, the three-day Expo is one for any inkheads.
Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Piazza Cappuccini, 1
Home to the largest collection of mummies in the world, the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo is where the wealthy families of Palermo used to have their deceased loved ones preserved.
Something of a macabre spectacle, the mummies provide a glimpse into society from the 17th to the 19th century, with the clothes and sometimes haircuts still intact.
A unique cultural heritage that in many centuries has attracted and fascinated onlookers from all over the world – not for the faint-hearted but a must-see.
