Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Palermo, Italy, Europe
Palermo is the capital city of Sicily region or island belonging to the country of Italy. It comes under the Palermo province covering an area of 158.9 sq. km. Palermo is famous for its rich culture, history and gastronomy as well as sublime nightlife activities. With its upgraded industrial and commercial sectors, Palermo is the centre of Sicily Island’s economy.
Geography of Palermo:
Situated on the north coast of the Sicily Island with an elevation of 14 meters, Palermo coordinates with 38°07′ N latitude and 13°22′ E longitude.
History of Palermo:
According to the various archeological findings, Palermo is around 2,700 years old settlement, initially settled by many Greek tribes and the Phoenicians were the founders of Palermo, founded in 734 BC. Palermo derives its name from the Greek Panoremus and it also witnessed the rule of the Roman Republic, Arabs and Normans in the past.
How to reach Palermo?
Palermo is served by the Falcone–Borsellino Airport situated in Cinisi, around 35 km away from the heart of Palermo with scheduled flights to many prominent European cities including London and Paris.
By bus, it costs €6.10 from the airport to the city centre, €5.80 by train and for private airport transfer, tourist can refer any of the following companies:
- Suntransfers
- Easy Private Taxi
Palermo is connected by boat with Cagliari, Naples, Malta and Genoa. Purchasing day ticket for €4 will be better to move around by buses.
Culture, Food and Shopping in Palermo:
The culture of Palermo is influenced by the Roman Catholicism. The feast day of the cathedral is celebrated on July 15. The colorful fruit and vegetable market, called Vucciria is famous all around the island.
Isola Saporita is shop, ideal to buy wine, oil and sauces. The major food corners in Palermo include:
- Al Chioschetto
- Le pergamene
- Antica Focacceria S. Francesco
- Pizza Gaetano
Places to see in Palermo:
Palermo Cathedra:
Being one of the identities of Palermo, the Palermo Cathedral is situated in the Corso Vittorio Emanuele in Palermo and was constructed by Walter Ophamil in 1185. It is a must see.
Palazzo dei Normanni:
The Palazzo dei Normanni (Royal Palace of Palermo) is one of the spectacular palaces in Italy. It was earlier used by the Kings of Sicily as a seat and currently it houses the administrative centre of the regional parliament of Sicily. The palace is situated in Piazza Indipendenza of Palermo.
Regional Archeological Museum Antonio Salinas:
The Regional Archeological Museum Antonio Salinas is concentrated on the Punic and Ancient Greek art in Italy. It is sited on the Via Bara all’Olivella 24 of Palermo.
List of other places of interest in Palermo includes:
- San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi
- Palazzo Abatellis,
- San Giovanni degli Eremiti
- Chiesa della Martorana
- Santa Maria della Catena
- San Cataldo
- Palazzo Chiaramonte
- Santa Maria dello Spasimo
- Church of the Jesus
- Palazzo dei Normanni,
- Palazzo dei Normanni
- The Teatro Massimo
- Quattro Canti
- Palermo Botanical Garden
Best time to visit Palermo:
The best time to visit Palermo is from April to June and September to October.
Accommodation options in Palermo:
Palermo is prosperous city housing dozens of world class hotels welcoming tourists year around with amazing amenities such as mini bar, free Wi-Fi, private bathrooms, LCD TV, air conditioning, hair dryer, heat, freezer and doctor on call service. The prominent hotels in Palermo include:
- Massimo Plaza Hotel
- Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa
- Hotel Giardino Inglese
- Hotel Principe di Villafranca
- Hotel Ucciardhome
- Ambasciatori Hotel
- BEST WESTERN Ai Cavalieri
- Hotel Palazzo Sitano
- Hotel Plaza Opera
- Albergo Cavour
- Residenza d’Aragona
- Hotel Columbia Palermo
- Ibis Styles Palermo
- Villa Bonocore Maletto