PALERMO: AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
The capital province of Sicily is a longstanding symbol of multiculturalism. Since ancient times it has been a meeting place for art forms, traditions, languages, flavors and scents of the many civilizations that have conquered and inhabited it over the centuries and that have left their distinctive imprint here in an indelible way.
Rarely does a place arouse so many feelings and emotions, often conflicting with each other.
Layered civilisations and cultures emerge in various corners of the historic centre. Palermo has been Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Swabian, French and Spanish. A stroll through the monumental area is enough to realize that the city’s millenary heritage fully reflects the heterogeneous aspect of its history. Here you will find unique styles such as the Arab-Norman (a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2015) or the Gothic-Catalan, both evidence of the continuous alternation in the past of cultures that are so different from each other, but that in these places merge into a surprising and, at the same time, harmonious unicum.
Wandering around the city is like travelling through the centuries, often simply turning a corner is enough to change the atmosphere completely. Not one, but many cities in one. Visitors will be fascinated by the city’s long streets and, at the same time, by the narrow, winding alleyways that wind through the heart of the old town. It will be surprising to discover that the old town is home to one of the most incredible concentrations of date palms, a kind of “urban oasis”. And what about the famous food markets, clearly of Arab origin, a riot of colours, smells and voices, where the many gastronomic traditions still present on the island come together? The key words that will accompany you during your exploration of Palermo will be “variety” and “contrast”, combined with the warmth and cheerfulness of the locals.