palermo_en

Population:676 000

Currency:1 Euro = 100 cents

Opening hours:Shops in Palermo are usually open9.00-13.00 and 15.00-20.00.Large department stores areusually open all day.

Internet:www.palermotourism.com

Newspapers:La RepubblicaLa SiciliaGiornale di SiciliaBrochures about the city can befound at the visitor informationbureau.

Emergency numbers:Fire brigade: 115Medical: 118Police: 112

Tourist information:Address: Piazza Castel Nouvo 34Telephone: +39 091 605 8351

PALERMOPUBLISHING DATE: 2009-01-23 | COUNTRY CODE: ITContents: The City, Do & See, Eating, Cafés, Bars & Nightlife, Shopping,Sleeping, Essential Information, Maps

Copyright © 2007 Fastcheck AB. All rights reserved. For more information visit: www.arrivalguides.com

©Peeter Viisimaa

PALERMOPalermo is a hidden gem! After years of mafia rule andpoverty, the city has reclaimed its place among Europe’scultural cities. Palermo is full of sights and treasures, frombaroque churches to modern Sicilian restaurants.

Make your trip start at hoMe | www.arrivalguides.com

THE CITY #THECITY#

©Bart Parren

The Phoenicians founded Palermo as atrade port in 700 B.C., and a long string ofrulers followed. Carthage was the first toconquer it, followed by the Romans, whonamed it Panhormus. After the fall of theRoman Empire, the Vandals took over,followed by Arabian rulers who turnedSicily in to an emirate. Palermotransformed in to a magical city withmosques, minarets and markets. It is saidthat its beauty measured up well withCordoba and Cairo.

During the crusades the city’s wealth wasdiscovered by the Normans who conqueredthe city, but continued building on theArabian legacy of tolerance andenlightenment. That era is known as "thegolden years.

Today tourists are discovering a city withan exciting mix of medieval areas wherewashing is still hung on lines betweenbuildings to elegant residential districtswith palm trees and palatial villas. Andthen there’s also the city’s intensemarkets.

DO & SEE #DOANDSEE#

©iStock

Thanks to its rich and varied history,Palermo and its surrounding areas are fullof architectural treasures. There is aNorman cathedral, several baroquechurches, opulent palaces, Doric templesand converted mosques - just to name afew.

The CatacombsThe Catacombs of the CappucciniMonastery have fascinated visitors forcenturies - and it is easy to understandwhy. 8 000 mummified former residents ofPalermo line the walls. If you like horrorand the macabre, this is your destination.

Address: Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Via Cappucini 4 / PiazzaCappuccini 1Opening hours: Daily 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-17.00 (until 19.00in summer). Closed monday and sunday morning and onholidays.Phone: +39 091 212 117Price: 1.50€

Santa Caterina ChurchA masterpiece. The style the church is builtin is known as Sicilian baroque, and thewalls are covered with ornaments -paintings, statues of saints and theMadonna, fruits and wild animals. Is itkitsch? Make up your own mind.

Address: Piazza Pretoria / Piazza BelliniPhone: +39 338 451 2011Price: €1

Museo Archeologico RegionaleThe museum has art and handicraftspanning most of Palermo’s history. The

|DESTINATION: PALERMOPUBLISHING DATE: 2009-01-23


most exciting exhibits are the statues fromthe lost city of Selinunte.

Address: Piazza Olivella 24Opening hours: Mon 8.30-18.45, Tues-Sat 8.30-13.45, Sun8.30-18.45Phone: +39 091 611 6805Price: €6 adults, €3 children

Teatro MassimoOne of the largest theatres in Europe(7730 mq), a neoclassical masterpiecestarted by Giovanni Battista Basile in 1875and completed by his son Ernesto in 1897.Recently restored, it is now the lyricaltemple of the city, staging the opera andballet official season.

Address: Piazza G. VerdiPhone: +39 091 605 3111Internet: www.teatromassimo.it

Palazzo dei NormanniThe palace was built in 1130, wich was theyear of King Roger II’s crowning. It´slocated inside the Norman Palace, which isdefinitely one of the most famous sights inPalermo. Covered in dazzling Byzantinemosaics (akin to those in the church of theMartorana and in the Monreale Cathedral),it is a symbol of the political and culturalunion operated by the Normans.

Address: Piazza IndipendenzaOpening hours: Check opening hours before you visit, as theymay vary.Phone: +39 091 705 1111Price: €6

MonrealeThis little town with a population of 30 000lies in the mountains southwest ofPalermo. Its postcard perfect views areonly rivalled by the Norman Catedrale diMonreale, Italy’s largest medieval building.It holds 6 000 square metre´s of Byzantineart.

Internet: www.monreale.net

EATING #EATING#

©Roberto Gennaro

Sicilian cuisine is rustic but exciting;mainly thanks to the influence the manyrulers of the island have had over theyears (see above). The Arabiansintroduced couscous and raisins, theSpanish brought hearth sausages and frieddishes. Eating at small neighbourhoodtrattorias is recommended, as is visitingthe market in La Vucciria where a freshlycooked chickpea rissole can be had.

Osteria dei VespriMany would argue that this is Palermo’sbest restaurant. Located in the CentroStorico area, it has a Modern Sicilianmenu. Try the 6 variazioni di crudo dalmare antipasti - six variations of raw fishand seafood, and the home made pastadish casareccia with tuna fish ragout.

Address: Piazza Croce dei Vespri 6Phone: +39 091 617 1631Internet: www.osteriadeivespri.it

Gusto DivinoIgnore the fact that the exposed brick andvaults is reminiscent of the 1980’s. GustoDivino is a superb restaurant with a rangeof refined Sicilian dishes, like the linguinecon bottarga di tonno (a pasta with tunaroe and shredded lemon peels). Divino isalso considered to have Palermo’s besttorta sette veli, a traditional chocolate cakemade with seven kinds of chocolate.



Address: Corso Pisani 30Phone: +39 091 645 7001

Casa del BrodoThis classic restaurant opened its doors in1890 and is one of the city’s oldestrestaurants. The interior is worn and hassome less attractive modern details. Thisdoesn’t stop it from being full on mostevenings. The menu offers Sicilianspecialties such as pasta alle sarde (freshsardines with raisins and pine nuts).

Address: Via Vittorio Emanuele 175Phone: +39 091 321 655

Al GenioA popular and appreciated trattoria. Trythe seafood and fish risotto, or the spadainvoltini (stuffed swordfish).

Address: Piazza San Carlo 9/10Phone: +39 091 616 6642

Antica Focacceria di San FrancescoWhile the pizza was born in Naples, thefocaccia was invented in Sicily. Try thesewarm sandwiches at this local bakery thatstill uses century old cast iron ovens. Thisis also a good place for a pani cu’ la meusa(sandwiches with sliced veal spleen andcacciocavallo cheese) or a selection of friedappetisers, the fritto misto.

Address: Via Alessandro Paternostro 58, across from the churchby the same name.Phone: +39 091 320 264Internet: www.afsf.it

Il MulinazzoMany locals gladly drive for 45 minutes toreach Villafrati so that they can eat at IlMulinazzo, a restaurant managed by NinoGraziano, one of the islands’ most famouschefs.

Address: Località Bolognetta Nord, VillafratiPhone: +39 091 872 4870

CAFÉS #CAFES#

©Peeter Viisimaa

The people in Palermo are almost asparticular about their coffee as theRomans, and they don’t mind travelling toget it. They know exactly which placeserves the best granita al caffè, frozen icewith coffee and whipped cream. Or thebest cup of gran caffè (a cappuccinowithout milk). These are some of the city’smost popular cafés:

RoneyThis is the most elegant café in Palermo,attracting lawyers, politicians and bankers.

Address: Via Libertà 13

Caffe del KassaroA destination for the city’s youngintellectuals.

Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele 390-394

La PreferitaThis is as much an ice cream parlour as acafé. Try the tartuffo; La Preferita’s owntake on the Calabrian chocolate dessert.

Address: Via Villareale 49



BARS & NIGHTLIFE #BARSANDNIGHTLIFE#

©Peeter Viisimaa

The nightlife in Palermo follows the samepattern as in other Mediterranean cities.Much of the gathering happens beforedinner, and when the meal is over -sometimes not until midnight- it’s time tohead back to the bars. The nightclubs don’tfill up until late in the night. Thanks to thestudent population, Palermo has a vibrantnightlife. As always, the trendiest nightclubs of the moment can be found byasking the locals.

La TerrazzaThis little bar and outdoor patio is in thegarden of the Grand Hotel Villa Igeia. Ithas romantic, almost overly romantic,views of Palermo.

Address: Salita Belmonte 43

Kursal KalhesaThis unique bar is also a bookstore,internet café, and fish restaurant (with agreat fish ravioli). Situated in an oldpalazzo ruin by the port, this is wherePalermo’s youth come to see and be seen.

Address: Foro Umberto 1, #21Phone: +39 091 616 2282Internet: www.kursaalkalhesa.it

Bar CostaA cornucopia for those who like theselection of snacks, coffees and liqueursthat Italian bars do so well.

Address: Via G. D’Annunzio 15Phone: +39 091 334 835

Kandinsky FlorioThis is Palermo’s first attempt at leavingthe 1980s disco aesthetic behind, andmove towards a rougher industrial style.KF is located in a converted tuna fishpacking plant.

Address: Via Discesa Tonnara 4 in Arenella, one of Palermo’ssuburbs.Phone: +39 091 637 5611

Gorky ClubPopular nightclub that occasionally has liveshows. Good DJ’s and high atmosphere!

Address: via Ugo La Malfa, 96

MikalsaFairly new and hip place that calls itself Ilprimo Bar à Bière della Sicilia, which is amore or less correct description - Sicily’sbest beer bar. It is possibly also the onlyone.

Address: Via Torremuzza 27Phone: +39 339 314 6466

SHOPPING #SHOPPING#

©Peeter Viisimaa

The large traditional Italian fashion brands,from Armani to Versace, can be foundaround Viale della Libertà.

There are a number of stores sellinghandicraft products that make for uniquememories of the island. Piccolopunto, onVia Villareale 52, is good for embroideredSicilian bed linen and curtains. Antique



embroideries can be found at AlCancellato, Via Paolo Paternostro 82.

Palermo has plenty of shops selling verykitsch ceramics. For more elegant wares,head to the northern end of Via Maqueda.Le Cittecotte di Vizzari, on Corso VittorioEmanuele 120, sell exquisite hand paintedmodels of Palermo’s palazzo’s andchurches.

For those looking for bargains and uniqueshopping, this can be explored at one ofthe many street markets. The largest ofthem all is La Vucciria. It specialises infood, though some of the stores andstands carry interesting or eclectic itemsthat will look good in your home. Bewareof the pickpockets at La Vuicciria.

SLEEPING #SLEEPING#

©Peeter Viisimaa

EXCLUSIVEGrand Hotel Villa IgieaA grandiose belle époque hotel, with plushcarpeting, beautiful wood works, heavydrapes, gardens and uninterrupted viewsof the Mediterranean.

Address: Salita Belmonte 43Underground: Acquasanta, 2.5 miles north of PalermoPhone: +39 091 631 2111Internet: www.villa-igiea-palermo.com

Grand Hotel et des PalmesThis hotel is nothing but a hidden gem withit´s sumptuously decorated rooms, filledwith antiques and large, heavy furniture,.It shows life the way it was for the Palermosocialites before WWI.

Address: Via Roma 398, close to La VucciriaPhone: +39 091 602 8111Internet: www.hotel-despalmes.it

GOOD VALUEAlbergo OrientaleOrientale is located in an 18th centurypalazzo, close to the railway station. It’sclean, tidy and has a nice and friendlyatmosphere.

Address: Via Maqueda 26Phone: +39 091 612 5727 / +39 091 616 3506Internet: www.albergoorientale.191.it

BASICHotel PetitThis small boarding house style hotel is ona calm pedestrian street.

Address: Via Principe di Belmonte 84Phone: +39 091 32 3616

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

©Claudio Arnese

AirportPalermo International Airport is located 32kilometres (20 miles) from Palermo. TheTrinacria Express train departs for the cityevery hour. Tickets for the 45 minutejourney can be purchased onboard for €5.The buses stop several times along theway, including at some hotels, and reachPalermo in 50 minutes. One-way ticketsare available onboard for €5.60.

Internet: www.gesap.it

Public transportUse the AMAT network of buses and trainsto get around the city. AMAT also run night



buses, while Trenitalia manage the trainsnetwork. Tickets are approximately €1 andvalid for two hours.

Phone: TRENITALIA SICILY: +39 091 6170224 AMAT: +39 199240 800Internet: www.trenitalia.it www.amat.pa.it

TaxiTaking a taxi in Palermo can be expensive,especially in the evenings and if you havea lot of luggage. Always agree on a pricebefore starting the journey.

Phone: +39 091 225455 / +39 091 513311

PostStamps can be purchased fromtobacconists that carry either the blue andwhite "Tabacchi" sign or are simply markedwith a "T".

PharmacyPalermo’s pharmacies have alternatingopen hours during weekends and nights.

DentistsPalermo’s 20 private dentists alternate inproviding emergency dental care. Thehotels have up to date listings of the rotas.

Telephone and ElectricityCountry code: +39

Area code: 091 (do not omit the zero) /230 V, 50 Hz

#ESSENTIALINFORMATION#


ViaDa

lia

ViaCa

ltanis

setta

ViaSir

acusaVia

Agrig

ento

ViaNicolo

Garzilli

ViaR

ViaG Car

ducci

ViaXII

Genna

io

ViaXXSettem

breViaPrincipi di V

illafranca

ViaSam

martino

ViaCo

stanti

noNig

ra

ViaGiacom

oCusm

ano

ViaG La

Farina

ViaCa

tania

ViaG V

iaGDeSpuches

ViaF F

errara

ViaMe

ssina

ViaG Ma

rconi

ViaE P

ariso

ViaCorleo

ViaGaetano

Daite

IsodorCarini

ViaE A

lbanese

ViaArc

himede

ViaIsidoro

LaLum

ia

ViaGBonom

o

Gravin

a

Ortega

Gravin

a

Viadel

la Spez

iale

Guard

ione

Via S Spinuzza

CorsoCamillo Finocchiaro

Via Malaspina

V G Geme

llaro

Via

Argisto

Giuffred

i

Via

Vito

LaMantia

Via

ReFederico

Via

PRanzan

o

AGagini

ViaVal

verde

GMeli

Viadel

Cassari

Via Venezia

ViaCa

pp

uccinelle

Viadel Carrettieri

Via del Cande

lai

VSchia

vuzzo

ViaTorin

o ViaMil

anoViaFiu

me

Vi

a del B

osco

Viadel Bastio

ne

ViaAvolio

ViaG Gra

sso

Via Gabriele VulpiVia Danisinni

ViaAn

tonioMo

ngitore

ViaGCristina

CorsoPietro

Pisani

ArcoleoVia

Petro

d’Arag

ona

Via

delV

espro

ViaSalam

one M

arino

ViaFilippo

Corazza

ViaAntonio

Marinuzzi

ViaPaolo

Emiliani G

iudici

ViaFrancesco

Paolo

Perez

ViaRosario

Gregorio

Via Silvio Buccone

ViaAntonio

Ugo

ViaMichele

Cipolla

ViaVol

turno

Via Sant’ Agostino

Via del Celso

ViaPapireto

ViaPri

ncipe

di Belm

onte

ViaPrincipe

di ScordiaViaPrincipe

di Scordia Via FilippoPat

ti

Via d’ Ossuna

Via

Imera

Via

Imera

Via

Marco

Polo

Via Giovanni Pa

cini

ViaArchirafi

ViaAlloro

Riolo

Turrisi

Via

ViaB

ViaF

ViaAm

m.

ViaF

Via

Via

ViaG

ViaMa

gione

Divisi

ViaPo

rtadi C

astro

ViaAlb

ergheria

V della

Viadella

Vetriera

ViaTorrem

uzza

ViaButera

Vialle

dellaLiberta

ViaSOliva

V P Pater

nostro

ViaHou

el

ViaEm

erico

Amari

RSettim

o

Via

ViaMa

riano

Stabile

Via

Goeth

e

ViaGaribaldi

Corso

Alberto

Amedeo

ViaColonna

Rotta

Via Cappuccini

CorsoReRuggero

Corso

Tukory

Corso T

ukory

ViaOreto

Corsodei M

ille

ViaDom

enicoScina

ViaDan

te

Via Dante

ViaAb

ramo L

incoln

ViaMaqueda

ViaMaqueda

ViaAPatern

ostro

ViaFrancesco

Crispi

Viadel B

arilaiVia della Ca

la

Corso

Vittor

ioEm

anuele

Corso

Vittor

io Ema

nuele

Corso

Calatafimi

ViaRom

a

ViaRom

a

ViaRom

a

ForoUmberto

I

La Cala

Staz. Maritima

MuseoArch.

Galleriad’ ArteModerna

TeatroMassimo

Cattedrale

CapellaPalatina

PortaNuova

PiazzaD Spasimo

PiazzaMagione

PiazzaUcciardone

PiazzaCastelnuovo

PiazzaNoviziato

PiazzaMordini

PiazzaL Sturzo

PiazzaR Settimo

PiazzaS Oliva Piazza

XIII Vittime

PiazzaV EmanueleOrlando

PiazzaStazione

Lolli

PiazzaS Francescodi Paolo

PiazzaS Onofrio

Piazza Sdi Carlo VBologni

PiazzaGuilioCesare

PiazzaMarina

PiazzaBorsa

PiazzadellaKalsa

OrtoBotanico

250 m0

DCBA

4

3

2

1


|Corso Alberto Amed. A3 A4Corso Calatafimi A4Corso Camillo Fino. A3Corso dei Mille D4Corso Pietro Pisan. A4Corso Re Ruggero A4 B4Corso Tukory B4 C4Corso Vittor. A4 B3 C3 D3Foro Umberto I D3Piazza Borsa C3Piazza Castelnuovo B2Piazza D Spasimo D3Piazza della Kalsa D3Piazza Guilio Cesa. C4Piazza L Sturzo B1Piazza Magione D3Piazza Marina D3Piazza Mordini A1Piazza Noviziato A3Piazza R Settimo B2Piazza S di Carlo . B3 C3Piazza S Francesco. A2 B2Piazza S Oliva B2Piazza S Onofrio B3Piazza Stazione Lo. A2Piazza Ucciardone B1Piazza V Emanuele . A2Piazza XIII Vittim. C2Via A Gagini C2Via Abramo Lincoln D3 D4Via Agrigento A1Via Albergheria B4Via Alessandro Pat. C3Via Alloro D3Via Amm. Gravina B1 C1Via Antonio Marinu. C4Via Antonio Mongit. B4Via Antonio Ugo D4Via Archimede B1Via Archirafi D4Via Argisto Giuffr. A3Via Avolio B4Via B Gravina B1 C1Via Butera D3Via Caltanissetta A1Via Cappuccinelle A3 B3Via Cappuccini A4Via Catania A1Via Colonna Rotta A3 A4Via Corleo B1Via Costantino Nig. A1Via d’ Ossuna A3Via Dalia B1Via Danisinni A4Via Dante A2 B2Via del Barilai C2Via del Bastione B4Via del Bosco C4Via del Candelai B3Via del Carrettier. B3Via del Cassari C3

Via del Celso B3Via del Vespro C4Via della Cala C2 D2Via della Magione C3Via della Speziale B1 C1Via della Vetriera D3Via Divisi C3Via Domenico Scina B1Via E Albanese B1Via E Pariso A1 B1Via Emerico Amari B1 B2Via F Ferrara A1 A2Via F Guardione C2Via F Ortega C2Via Filippo Corazz. C4Via Filippo Patti C2Via Fiume C4Via Francesco Cris. C1Via Francesco Paol. C4Via G Bonomo C1Via G Carducci A2 B1Via G De Spuches A1 A2Via G Gemellaro A2Via G La Farina A1Via G Marconi A1Via G Meli C2Via G Turrisi A1Via Gabriele Vulpi A4Via Gaetano Daite B1Via Garibaldi C3 C4Via Giacomo Cusman. A1Via Giorgio Arcole. B4 C4Via Giovanni Grass. C4Via Giovanni Pacin. A2Via Giuseppe Crist. B4Via Goethe A2Via Houel A2Via Imera A3Via Isidoro La Lum. B1Via Isodor Carini B1Via Malaspina A2Via Maqueda B2 C3 C4Via Marco Polo A3Via Mariano Stabil. B2Via Messina A1 B1Via Michele Cipoll. D4Via Milano C4Via Nicolo Garzill. A1Via Oreto C4Via P Paternostro A2 B2Via Paolo Emiliani. C4Via Papireto A3Via Petro d’Aragon. B4Via Pietro Ranzano A3Via Porta di Castr. B4Via Principe di Be. B2 C1Via Principe di Sc. B1 C2Via Principi di Vi. A1 A2Via R Riolo A1Via R Settimo B2Via Re Federico A2

Via Roma B2 C2 C3 C4Via Rosario Gregor. C4 D4Via S Oliva A2 B2Via S Spinuzza B2Via Salamone Marin. B4 C4Via Sammartino A1Via Sant’ Agostino B3Via Schiavuzzo C3 D3Via Silvio Buccone C4 D4Via Siracusa A1Via Torino C4Via Torremuzza D3Via Valverde C2Via Venezia C3Via Vito La Mantia A2Via Volturno B2Via XII Gennaio A1 B1Via XX Settembre A1Vialle della Liber. A1 B1

DESTINATION: PALERMOPUBLISHING DATE: 2009-01-23

palermo_en

Documents

Transcript of palermo_en