Right at the beginning of Ballarò Market, if you’re entering from the Casa Professa side, there’s a small alley named after one of the most mysterious people ever born in Palermo. In fact, one of the most mysterious figures in Europe of his time.
You’ll probably never spot it without a hint, so use your map and look for Vicolo Cagliostro. They say that sometime in the late 18th century, a certain Giuseppe Balsamo was born right here. Later, the whole world would come to know him as Count Cagliostro.
Cagliostro’s story is so unbelievable that even today no one really knows who he was. A great adventurer, a gifted con artist, an alchemist, a healer, or simply a man who knew how to tell a convincing story. During his lifetime he travelled across Europe, became a welcome guest in aristocratic salons, found himself at the centre of scandals involving royalty, and turned into a legend while he was still alive.
Some believed he possessed secret knowledge, could heal the sick, and even turn metal into gold. Others considered him a brilliant fraud. He never admitted where he was really from and was always inventing a new age for himself. One surviving document even records him as being 1,400 years old.
Just imagine the scale of the man if even Goethe, one of the greatest writers of the time, came to Palermo and searched for the truth about him among the people of our city. Two hundred and fifty years later, Cagliostro still fascinates historians, and his real story remains just as unreal.
When your map finally brings you to the right alley, look up and you’ll see his name. These days the street is home to the tables of Shapur, an Afghan restaurant. By the way, the food is simple and very good. If you feel like taking a break from Sicilian cuisine, it’s a great alternative. For many people, it might even be their first taste of the exotic East.