PALERMO

The first time someone introduced me to this place, they explained that focaccia here is not the one most people know outside Palermo. This is our local version, the one used to serve meusa. To put it simply, Palermo focaccia is a soft bread roll for sandwiches (forgive the[…]

Once I was invited to the wedding of my Sicilian friends, who were living abroad for work. I wasn’t sure what to give Sicilians who undoubtedly missed home. In the end, I chose two Teste di Moro paintings. At first I wondered if they were just a tourist cliché,[…]

As I’ve mentioned before, here in Palermo we rarely throw anything away.Of course, I wouldn’t compare our flea markets to those in Rome or Paris. But when I first moved here and had to buy almost everything from scratch, they definitely helped me stay within budget. Besides the markets,[…]

Whenever I’m really hungry and need something quick to eat, arancina is always my lifesaver. The first time I tried this Sicilian classic was in Catania, where it’s masculine — arancino. Palermitans, however, believe that everything beautiful should be feminine. That’s why here in Palermo it’s arancina. In souvenir[…]

I love fountains and statues. So Palermo gave me a wonderful gift: the Fountain of the Genius of Palermo in Piazza Rivoluzione. It’s elegant, charming, and a little mysterious — just like its story. The Genius is the spirit and symbol of our city. Once, I tried to explain[…]

The first coppola I bought in Palermo turned out not to be quite a real coppola. Still, it protects me from the sun, and believe me, Sicilian caps are not just for decoration. A light linen cap that stays firmly on your head in gusty winds and is barely[…]

Saint Christopher is considered the patron saint of travelers, sailors, porters, drivers, and even postal workers. That’s why on Via Roma, to the left of the enormous Poste Italiane building — a fine example of Fascist-era architecture — you can see a large statue of Saint Christopher. According to[…]

This place is known as the Crossroads of Spirits, the Theater of the Sun, and occasionally by its official name, Piazza Vigliena. Most of the time, though, everyone simply calls it Quattro Canti — one of the main meeting points in Palermo. Let’s start with the official name. Villena[…]

If you walk from the Cathedral towards the Capo Market, the first thing you’ll notice in the square at the market entrance is a kiosk with the old sign “Chiosco Beati Paoli.” By the way, it’s a nice place to sit down with an Aperol for just €3. And[…]

One of my absolute favorite parks in Palermo is Villa Giulia — the city’s first public park. In fact, I’m writing this right here, tucked away in the cool shade of the cypress trees. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once called it “the most beautiful corner of the earth.” They[…]