Here are some resources that you might find useful for planning your trip to Palermo. They are based on frequently asked questions - and there are also some for fun!
Eating and Drinking, some of our favourite places:
Traditional Palermo dishes, be warned, pasta dishes are huge so it’s a good idea to share!
Nonna Dora https://www.facebook.com/OsteriaNonnaDora/?locale=it_IT
Good fish restaurant, Modern Sicilian cuisine, very popular so it’s a good idea to book ahead.
Sardina Pasta Bar https://www.facebook.com/SardinaPastabar/?locale=it_IT
Nice Pizza, Neapolitan style
Cortille Solima https://www.thefork.it/ristorante/cortile-sollima-r740682
Cheap and cheerful, pizza and a beer for under €10 !!
Voglia di Pizza - They don’t have any official web or social media pages!! Here is their address: Via Chiavettieri, 28, 90133 Palermo
Enoteca / Wineshop for classic Sicilian and Italian wines, guided tastings available.
Picone https://www.enotecapicone.com
Enoteca / Wineshop for modern style natural Sicilian wines, guided tastings available.
Dal Barone https://www.facebook.com/dalbaronevino/
Must-try Sicilian specialities:
Best Cannolo
Segreti del Chiostro https://www.isegretidelchiostro.com
Best Arancina:
Bar Vabres https://www.facebook.com/barvabresdivabres/
Best Sicilian Espresso:
Bar del Corso (aka Bar di Baldo) https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054442421687
NB: this place is easy to miss as it does not have any signage, but it is worth the hunt.
Things to see:
There are literally too many sites to see in Palermo in any one visit, but here are a few less obvious options:
Go to a traditional puppet show, even if they are performed in Italian - they are a great spectacle and lots of fun!! Seats are first come first served so go early to get close to the action.
Figli D'Arte Cuticchios https://www.figlidartecuticchio.com
Maybe not for everyone - but definitely a curious sight to behold - are the Capuchin Catacombs. Home to over 8000 bodies of people who followed the fashion of being displayed rather than buried after death!
Catacombe dei Cappuccini https://www.catacombefraticappuccini.com/en/
If you are up for a walk, hike up Monte Gallo for spectacular views and to visit the ancient lighthouse, which is now occupied by a hermit who continues to cover the area with mosaics made mostly from materials that he finds on the mountain.
For the location, search for: Semaforo borbonico dell'Eremita Isravele.
NB: Not recommended if it is very hot.
To hook up with a professional guide or for a range of tour ideas in Palermo and all over Sicily, please contact our partners Passage to Sicily https://www.passagetosicily.com
Brush up on your Italian:
Before travelling, why not take a few online Italian classes with our Italian teacher Costanza Caminita: www.learnearme.com
Videos:
Italians are famously fussy about their recipes (and with good reason). To try and get into the Italian frame of mind, here is a video of 3 Italian chefs watching the most viewed videos on Youtube on how to make Pasta Carbonara! There are many of these videos and they are all worth watching (press the CC button for subtitles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnZ_70XyVAk&list=PLWKLqE-7K4-aq3MoyjkidwA9CADFKsr3w&index=22
Finally, a few tips to help you survive in Palermo:
Cappuccino is strictly a breakfast beverage!
Don’t ask for parmesan to put on your seafood pasta!
Don’t squeeze the fruit at the market!
We hope you have a really good visit to Palermo!