Beautiful Palermo: The power of diversity, drawing together different cultures and times!

Palermo is a unique city where today you can breathe all the richness and variety of its long history. 

Hello from the mooring pier of Società Canottieri Palermo, in the heart of the historic center near the Vucciria and Ballarò markets and the Arab quarter of Kalsa. 

The Club has four piers for mooring boats, for a total of about 150 seats, mainly sailing boats. Most of the seats are reserved for members only!

TOP 8 THINGS TO DO IN PALERMO

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Palazzo Butera, my No.1 !!!

Massimo Valsecchi, one of Europe’s most prominent art collectors, bought Palazzo Butera (Via Butera 18) to exhibit his collection (which includes works by Gerhard Richter and Gilbert & George, plus site-specific pieces by Anne and Patrick Poirier) to the public. The power of diversity, drawing together different cultures and times! Today we had a private guided tour of the three restored halls of the noble floor of Palazzo Butera, where part of the collection of Francesca and Massimo Valsecchi is exhibited.The three halls, usually for private use and not open to the public are “incantevole”

PALERMO CATHEDRAL

The cathedral is one of the most prominent examples of Norman Arab architecture in Sicily that incorporates other architectural elements from the past that are highly admired by visitors from around the world.

NORMAN PALACE (PALAZZO DEI NORMANNI) 

This is an impressive site that was once the seat of the kings of Sicily and is now the seat of the regional government.

THE FOUR CORNERS SQUARE

One of the most beautiful and central areas in the city is the Four Corners Square where you will find fountains and statues from 1611 for which the King of Spain was responsible.

PALERMO FOOD MARKETS

One of the stable things in Palermo that survives crises, absent or present tourism, weather that varies according to seasons and fashions, is street food. The first thing to do: Grab a Granita and an outdoor table!

NIGHT OUT  

“Bocum (Via dei Cassari 6) in the old city center, has a talented bartender who makes a divine gin-and-tonic, but what I love best is the surreal atmosphere of the place— as if you’re in a Palermo of the past.” 

“Le Cattive (Passeggiata delle Cattive, Piazza Santo Spirito), a wine bar inside Palazzo Butera with a cavernous space that’s very antique feeling: tiled floors, ­pistachio-colored walls, but mixed with sleek pendant lighting.”

“ Ferramenta (Piazza Giovanni Meli 8). It was a hardware store that opened in the 1800s; today, the bar still has all the old little drawers where they used to store their tools and parts.

“In Palermo, so much of life happens on the street, particularly on Via Paternostro. A lot of artists, musicians, and creative people in town hang out at Botteghe Colletti (Via Alessandro Paternostro 79), a bar in a 1940s-era collar store. Their Campari cocktail with Sicilian herbs is amazing.” 

CATACOMBE DEI CAPPUCCINI 

This attraction is not for everyone but is a place worth visiting if you can.

The building is a burial site built for the Cappuccini monks belonging to the Church of Santa Maria Della Pace, with more than 8,000 monks mummified in their clothes from centuries ago. 

Hidden Gem Palermo: Cioccolateria Lorenzo

This family-run café is a true jewel In Palermo. More parisian inspired than italian but simply delicious. Besides their excellent collection of pralines and chocolates, there’s loads of brioches, cake and selections and coffee/tea choices.The outside seating area is super cozy and invites you to stay for a while, read a book and enjoy life. The chocolate shop Lorenzo is located between Palazzo Steri and the angels of the church of Gancia, in front of the ficus centenarians of Piazza Marina. (Flee market every Sunday)