At first, I translated Porta Felice as “Happy Gate,” and I really loved the name. But it turned out that the gate was actually named after a woman called Felice, the wife of the viceroy. Porta Felice is the city’s gate on the sea side, at the opposite end of Via Vittorio Emanuele (Cassaro), facing Porta Nuova.
The gate has an unusual design, as it is not topped by an arch like most city gates. Several Palermo legends—or rather, high society gossip—are connected to this. The most popular story says that in the 18th century people jokingly called it i corna a luna — “horns under the moon.” It was the only city gate that closed very late at night. The promenade was right next to the gate, and the aristocracy loved taking evening walks there, especially romantic ones. People joked that the arch had deliberately been left open at the top so that deceived husbands could pass through Porta Felice without their horns hitting it.
When I first arrived in Palermo by sea, this was the view I had been waiting for. I wanted to see the city from a different perspective. Historic palaces, the waterfront and the parks appear first, leading to Porta Felice, which opens onto the city’s main street.