discovering sicily.pdf

7/27/2019 Discovering Sicily.pdf

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Background information 2

Geography 2History 2Art 3Handicrafts and traditions 5Cuisine 5

Discovering Palermo 6

1. Must-see Palermo 62. The Kalsa 133. From the Cala to the Capo 184. From the Albergheria to the Piano della Cattedrale 23

More still... 26The museums 27Curious ant theme-based Palermo 28Villas and Gardens 28Serpottas stuccoes 29The modern city 30Tunnels and mysteries 31Where to eat 32The old markets 34Palermo for children 35

Palermos seaside resorts 36The environs 38

Practical information 40

Where to stay 43

Index 48

Key

Contents

unmissablesights

further informationand curiosities a detour


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Backgroundinformation

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A necessary part of the Grand Tour undertaken in the18C and 19C by writers, poets and artists, attracted bythe citys oriental atmosphere and its eclectic andvaried sights, Palermo has managed to preserve the

fascination of the peoples who lived here:Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans,Swabians, Angevins and Spaniards all left their imprinton the citys art and life.

GeographyPalermo which, with a population of nearly 700,000,is one of the largest cities in Italy is located in abeautiful position in the centre of a large bay enclosed

by the imposing headland of Monte Pellegrino to thenorth and Capo Zafferano to the south. Behind it lies asmall plain known as Conca dOro (Golden Basin)to the fertility of its land where citrus and olive grovesthrive. An important feature of the layout of the cityshistoric centre is the intersection of Corso VittorioEmanuele and Via Maqueda, determining the divisionof the city into four districts, calledmandamenti.

HistoryPanormus (from the Greek all harbour) was foundedby the Phoenicians in the 7C BC on a site that wasalready densely populated thanks to its mild climateand fertile soil. In 254 BC it was conquered by theRomans, few traces of whom are to be found in thecity. Its golden age began under the Arab rule (9C),when Balarm became one of the main Islamic centres

in the West. As the city expanded, new districts grewup, such as the Kalsa, a fortified quarter on the seaand the emirs residence.In 1072 the city fell into the hands of the Normansunder Count Roger de Hauteville, who, however,allowed merchants, craftsmen and the Muslim (andJewish) population in general to continue to freelypractise their occupations. This led to the developmentof the Arab-Norman style in art and architecture.

In the 13C Palermo and Sicily were taken over byFrederick II of Swabia (1212). The Swabians were thenfollowed by the Angevins, who were expelled by thepowerful local families (the Ventimiglia, Chiaramonteand Sclafani) with the War of the Vespers (12821302),after which it was governed by Frederick III of Aragon.From the 15C to the 17C Sicily was an Aragoneseprovince ruled by a viceroy: its institutions, culture andcustoms were modelled on those of Spain.In 1713, as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht, whichended the War of the Spanish Succession, VictorAmadeus of Savoy became king of Sicily, a title thatpassed to Charles VI of Hapsburg after only five years.Vienna was a long way off and real power wasin the hands of the barons, the agrarian aristocracy


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that started an intense building activity with theconstruction of villas in Bagheria, in the Piana dei Colliand towards Monreale.In 1735 the Spaniards regained power under CharlesofBourbon and Sicily was once again ruled by aviceroy. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna united the

crowns of Naples and Palermo, thus establishing theKingdom of the Two Sicilies, which lasted until 1860,when Garibaldi landed at Marsala with his Thousandand, after a plebiscite, Sicily was annexed tothe newly founded Kingdom of Italy.A leap forward of nearly a 100 years brings us to 1943,when, during the Allied invasion of Sicily, code-namedOperation Husky, Palermo was heavily bombed,seriously damaging its historic centre.

After the end of the war, in 1946, a royal decreeapproved the statute of the Sicilian Region, whichconferred autonomous government on the island,one of the five Italian regions of special statute.

ArtOne of the most outstanding periods of Sicilian artwas the remarkable stylistic fusion represented byArab-Norman architecture (12C) with buildings

combining Islamic, Romanesque and Byzantineelements. In the large churches the classical structure(the basilican model of the Benedictine type, towersand portals) is wedded to Byzantine decoration(mosaics) and Islamic forms (horseshoe arches,arabesques and honeycomb work).In civil architecture, the Palazzo Chiaramonte inPiazza Marina marked the birth of the Chiaramonte

style, with solid, austere buildings sparely adornedwith elegant decorative motifs.The arrival of the Aragonese at the end of the 14Cbrought Sicily into the Spanish sphere and led to theintroduction ofCatalan Gothic, characterized bysobriety, a sense of proportion that favoured breadth rather than the verticality of northern Gothic and ornate and elegant decoration. This style iswonderfully expressed by Matteo Carnelivaris works:

Palazzo Abatellis, Palazzo Ajutamicristo and thechurch of Santa Maria della Catena.Rather than in architecture where it was necessaryto wait until the first half of the 16C the Renaissancearrived in Sicily through sculpture thanks to the worksof two outsiders: the Dalmatian Francesco Laurana(1430-1502) and Domenico Gagini from Bissone onLake Lugano (1420-92), who, with his son Antonello(1478-1536) opened a flourishing workshop inPalermo, where elegant works were executed inCarrara marble.From the end of 16C onwards art felt the effectof the Counter-Reformation (founded in 1540 by theSpaniard Ignatius Loyola, the Company of Jesus wasvery powerful in Sicily) and the exuberance of


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Baroque, which in Palermo was influenced by thecurrent styles in Rome, while in other parts of the island

it assumed more Hispanic forms. One of the leadingarchitects was Giacomo Amato (1643-1732), whointroduced the models of Roman Baroque to Palermo(Santa Teresa alla Kalsa, Santa Maria della Piet).Baroque opulence is also expressed in the decorationcovering the interiors of churches and chapels,especially the refined technique of the marmi mischi,which consists of inlaid marble of various colourscreating remarkable effects. With regard to painting, the

most outstanding figure was Pietro Novelli (1603-47),who was influenced by both Caravaggio (who stayed inSicily) and Van Dyck, whose Virgin of the Rosary is inthe Oratorio del Rosario in the church of San Domenico.Around the end of the 17C and during the 18C a lighter,more playful style developed: known as Rococo, it wasvery much in vogue for the decoration of the numerousvillas and palaces built by the aristocracy in this period.Leading painters included the Flemish artist Guglielmo

Borremans (1672-1744), Vito dAnna (1718-69) andGioacchino Martorana (1735-79). It was also aremarkable period for sculpture thanks to the talent ofGiacomo Serpotta (1652-1732), who ennobled the artof the stucco with extremely refined works (see p. 29).At the end of 18C the Neoclassical style caught on inSicily too, partly as a result of the excavations ofHerculaneum and Pompeii promoted by the Bourbons.

Important exponents were the sculptors VenanzioMarvuglia (1729-1814) and Ignazio Marabitti (1719-97)and the painter Giuseppe Velasco (1750-1827).In the 19C the unification of Italy led to a new concept ofpublic space that was reflected by the construction ofthe two largest theatres in Palermo: the Teatro Massimo(1864-97) and the Teatro Politeama (1867-74).In 1885, as part of the urban development planintended to renew the citys old quarters, the opening

up of Via Roma radically changed the appearance ofthe medieval historic centre. The citys social hubmoved to Via Ruggero Settimo and Viale della Libert,where fine houses were built in the Stile Liberty (theItalian equivalent of Art Nouveau), featuring decorativeelements in wrought iron and glass, floral motifs andintegrated design of the structure, furnishings anddecoration. At the end of the century, it was ErnestoBasile (1857-1932) the son of the architect, GiovanniBattista Basile, who designed the Teatro Massimo who dominated what had become one of the centres ofthe belle poque, animated by the ambitions of twopowerful entrepreneurial families: the Florio and theWhitakers. World War I marked the beginning of adecline in local business activity and also the end of theprolific Art Nouveau period. The heavy damage inflictedby the air raids of 1943 caused the abandonment of the

citys historic centre in favour of the outskirts, whereuncontrolled development took place.

From the 1980s onwards there was renewed interest inthe centre, which, in the following decades, led to anintense process of upgrading and renovation of manybuildings for both residential and cultural purposes.


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Handicrafts and traditionsUNESCO has proclaimed the Sicilian puppet theatre a

masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage ofhumanity. The most classic and codified forms of thepuppet theatre date from the mid-19C, when storiesof bandits and saints, Shakespearian dramas and thepopular tales of the paladins of France were staged.The arrival of the puppets was a major event in the livesof the poorer classes: the puppeteers took advantageof the suspense element by spreading theperformances over a number of evenings, necessarily

ending with a battle scene. Some of the puppets wereadapted to create special effects, such as losing theirheads or splitting into two (only to become wholeagain as if by magic in the following performance),or witches whose faces could be transformed from anangelic expression to a death mask.There are two types of puppet: Palermitan andCatanese. The former are between 80 and 100 cm in

height, weigh 8 kg, have jointed knees and can drawand sheathe their swords. Their relatively limitedweight allows the puppeteer to control them easily:they are very agile and with fast, nimble movementsseem to dance on the stage as they deliver and wardoff sword blows in the duels. The puppets are operatedfrom the sides, so the puppeteer stretches out his armto reach the centre of the stage.The Catanese puppets are 140 cm in height and weigh

between 16 and 20 kg. Their legs are unjointed andtheir swords are always drawn, ready to deal blows.Their movements are more composed and emphatic,their steps and sword blows slower and more realistic.In Palermo the puppet theatre is linked to the Cuticchiofamily, who also make the puppets, complex objectsthat require many days of work to complete(on average, the armour consists of 35 hand-madepieces that have to be fitted together).

CuisineDiscussion of the Sicilian cuisine takes us on a journeyback in time, conjuring up images of different places.The dishes comprise a wide variety of foodstuffs,spices and flavours, reminding us that the island hasalways attracted peoples from near and far.Not only has domination by numerous foreign powersleft traces in the lifestyle of the Sicilian people but it hasalso had a profound impact on the landscape thanksto the crops they introduced.In the western part of the island, where the Arabinfluence and the traditions of the court left their mark,the cuisine is complex, with audacious combinations.Drawing an analogy with the landscape, the austeresimplicity of the Greek temples is replaced by therefinement worthy of the Arabian Nights!

of Arab-Norman Palermo. The Arabs introduced citrusfruit, sugar, cinnamon, saffron and rice, which are usedhere in different ways from further north, but areequally widespread the arancine, for example, havebecome a symbol of the islands cuisine and are oftenthe first speciality that visitors encounter.For further details of Palermos cuisine, see p. 32.


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6Ph Pietro Lupo - Palermo 2009

DiscoveringPalermo

Cappella Palatina For opening times and conditions ofadmission consult the publications by the

Regional Province of Palermo.

A two-day tour starting from the Palazzodei Normanni. The buildings described,apart from the Zisa and MonrealeCathedral, are located in the historiccentre and may be reached on foot.

Palazzo Reale or dei NormanniPiazza Indipendenza, tel. 091.6262833.Always the seat of political power, thisimposing building, now housing the SicilianRegional Assembly, stands on the site of theresidence of the emirs, which was linked to thesea by the Cassaro. In the 12C the Normancourt resided here: from this period remain thecentral part of the palace and the

1. Must-seePalermo


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Cloister of San Giovanni degli Eremiti

PortaNuova

Near to the sanctuary there is a

splendid ambo and a slender andrichly decorated paschalcandelabrum. The remarkablewooden ceiling of the nave, the workof North African artists, containsvarious representations of everydaylife: scenes of the court and hunting,drinkers, dancers, chess players andanimals.

Royal Apartments2nd floor. Besides the Sala dErcole(where the Regional Assemblymeets) and other more recent rooms,it is possible to visit

Torre Pisana, topped by the dome ofthe observatory installed in 1791.After a period of neglect, the building

was restored in the 17C by theSpanish viceroys: dating from thisera are the impressive south faadeand the splendid courtyard. Theentrance with the monumentalstaircase was built in the 18C.

Cappella Palatina

1st floor. Tel. 091.6262833Built by Roger II c. 1130, this famouschapel is noted for the remarkableharmony between its architectureand its decoration. Particularlystriking are the mosaics, made ofenamel and gold leaf incorporated inglass tesserae, a technique thatmakes them especially brilliant.They recount stories from the OldTestament (nave) and episodes fromthe lives of Christ (sanctuary) andsaints Peter and Paul (aisles).Part of the mosaics in the nave andthe apsidal area are 18C-19Crestorations.

In the scene representing theSeparation of the Earth from the Waters,the terrestrial globe is a sphere of waterwith, in the centre, three areas of land(America and Oceania are missing) di-vided by strips of sea forming a Y, thesymbol of the Trinity. In the Nativity (rightof sanctuary), the Magi are shown bothduring their journey (on the left) and be-fore the Child, while Joseph, to the left ofMary, is sitting on a typical Sicilian chair.

the only surviving Norman rooms:the Sala dei Venti, formerly acourtyard, and the Sala di

Ruggero II, where the mosaicsdepict hunting scenes alternatingwith symbolic animals such as thepeacock (eternity) and the lion(majesty and strength), set amongpalms and citrus trees.

Beyond the nearby Porta Nuova,built in the 16C to celebrate the

entrance of Charles V into Palermo,lies Corso Vittorio Emanuele;formerly called the Cssaro (fromthe Arabic Kasr, castle), it leadsstraight to the sea.

San Giovanni

degli EremitiVia dei Benedettini, tel. 091.6515019.This complex, comprising a churchand the remains of a Benedictinemonastery, is an enchanting oasis ofpeace with its luxuriant gardenof palms, agaves, bougainvilleasand orange and mandarin trees.The interior of the church, whichRoger II had built in the 12C byIslamic workers, is simple andunadorned and extends to the rightwith an older building, perhaps amosque. All that remains of themonastery is the


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Campaniledella

Cattedrale

delightful 13C cloister with coupledcolumns.

Villa BonannoIn this public garden are the remainsof Roman houses where mosaicsdepicting the seasons and Orpheus,now in the Museo ArcheologicoRegionale, were found.

CattedraleTel. 091.6726085 - 329.3977513.This imposing edifice, built towardsthe end of the 12C over pre-existingstructures, has been much altered,especially in the 18C, the periodfrom which the majestic dome andthe interior date. The original style isvisible in the apses, which havepreserved their geometricdecoration, while the porch on thesouth side, in Catalan Gothic style,is 15C. The faade giving onto ViaMatteo Bonello, which has kept its14C/15C appearance, is linked bytwo arches to the campanile on theother side of the street.

To the north of the cathedral is theLoggia dellIncoronazione (late16C), where traditionally the kings

appeared before the people afterbeing crowned.

The cathedral houses the tombs ofFrederick II, his wife, Constanceof Aragon, Henry VI, emperor ofGermany, Roger II and his daughterConstance of Hauteville. From thesouth transept there is access to thetreasury and crypt.

Attesting to the varying fortunesof the cathedral, which was an early-Christian basilica, then a mosque, andthen a Christian church again underthe Normans, is the first column to theright of the south porch, bearing a pas-sage from the Koran.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele proceedspast the Renaissance PalazzoCastrone-Santa Ninfa (no. 452,on the right), with a fine courtyardcontaining a fountain; on the left isthe former Jesuit college (16C),

now housing the Regional Library,and, again on the right, the church ofthe Santissimo Salvatore, built inthe 17C by Paolo Amato, now usedas a concert hall.Next is Piazza Bologni, surroundedby 18C palaces including the PalazzoAlliata di Villafranca, adorned with thearms of the Bologna family, who,in 1566, laid out the square, wherea statue of Charles V stands.

San Giuseppe ai TeatiniPiazza Pretoria - via Vittorio EmanueleTel. 091.331239. This splendidBaroque church is particularlystriking for its original campanile,

adorned with twisted columns, and itssoaring dome covered with majolicatiles. The interior has a theatricalappearance thanks to the ceilingwhere white and gold stuccoesalternate with frescoes, and the richdecoration of the chapels.

I Quattro Canti(piazza Vigliena)

Formed by the concave faades offour 17C buildings divided into threestoreys, this elegant and harmonioussquare lies at the intersectionof Corso Vittorio Emanuele


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Cattedrale

and Via Maqueda. On the lower levelare placed fountains surmounted bythe statues of the four seasons, onthe middle one are statues of theSpanish kings and, on the upperone, those of the patron saints of thefour mandamenti (districts) lyingbehind each of them: St Christina,St Nympha, St Oliva and St Agatha,who was subsequently replaced bySt Rosalia.

PiazzaPretoria

This is bounded by the church of

Santa Caterina and the PalazzoSenatorio; also known as thePalazzo Pretorio or delle Aquile, thisis the town hall. In the centre is aspectacular fountain designed

The opening in April 1600 of ViaMaqueda by the viceroy De Cardines,duke of Maqueda, made a fundamen-tal change to the layout of Palermo,which had hitherto developed along thelongitudinal axis of the Cassaro and itsparallels. The crossroads formed by itsopening is laden with symbolic mean-ings: four are the seasons and the ele-ments and three (the storeys of thebuildings) are the persons of the Trinity,while the sun, which constantly bathesat least one of the corners, makes thesquare a true theatre of the sun.

in the 16C by two Florentinesculptors. This work is a riot of gods,nymphs, monsters, animals heads,allegories, flights of steps,balustrades and water features thatanimate it without spoilingthe balance of its composition.

Quattro Canti


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La Martorana

Ph Ciro Grillo, arch. AAPIT Palermo

Fontana Pretoria

The four reclining statues representthe rivers of Palermo: the Gabriele,

the Maredolce, the Papireto and theOreto. Among the statues flankingthe steps is Ceres, the patrongoddess of Sicily, portrayed withears of corn and a cornucopia.

Piazza BelliniOne of the most delightful corners

of the city, it epitomizes Palermoshistory with its jumble of styles andspecial atmosphere.Here are located the churches ofSanta Caterina, the Martorana andSan Cataldo, which, with its threepink domes, lends an oriental air tothe place.

La MartoranaTel. 091.6161692. The churchs truename is Santa Maria dellAmmira-glio because it was built 1143 byGeorge of Antioch, Roger IIs admiral.Its more common designation refersto Eloisa Martorana, who in 1194founded the Benedictine convent to

which the church was given in 1433.The original Norman structure wasnotably changed in the 16C and 17Cwith the addition of the Baroquefaade and alterations to the layout.The porch under the elegant 12Ccampanile gives access to theinterior, which is cearly divided intotwo parts. The first two bays, addedin the 16C, are decorated with 18Cfrescoes, while the original sectionof the church is all aglitter withsplendid Byzantine mosaics.Services are conducted according tothe Greek Orthodox rite.

Thefrutta di martorana orpastareale, one of the most typical products

of the Sicilian confectioners, originatedhere. Already in medieval times, for AllSouls Day, the nuns of the Benedictineconvent of the Martorana preparedmarzipan cakes shaped and colouredto resemble real fruit.

San CataldoTel. 091.6161692. Seat of the Orderof the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre,this church dates from the 12C.The severe square form crownedwith notched battlements,the openwork windows in thefaade and the pink domes recallArabic buildings.The bare, atmospheric interiorpreserves the original altar and floor.

The piazza is completed by thelate -16C church ofSanta Caterina,with an 18C interior richly


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Teatro Massimo

decorated with stuccoes and marmimischi: note the curious marble relief

on the right depicting the Shipwreckof Jonah.

La VucciraThe most famous food market in thecity (its name derives from theFrenchboucherie, butchers)developed as early as the 10C - 12Caround Piazza Caracciolo and Via

Argenteria. There is a particularlyfascinating atmosphere at duskwhen the large lamps on the stallsare turned on.

Parcodella Zisa

Piazza Guglielmo il Buono,tel 091.6520269. Bus 124 from thePoliteama. What remains ofal-aziz,the magnificent, is the fascination ofthe unadorned architecture createdby the Arab builders for William I andWilliam II from 1165 to 1180.In the 17C the Sandoval familyconverted La Zisa into an aristocratic

palace, modifying its structure.

The heart of the building is thesplendid Sala della Fontana on theground floor; its equivalent on thetop floor is the Sala Belvedere, whichwas originally open. Note theingenious air-conditioning system:ducts cut into the walls of the sidetowers allowed the air

In the Arab and Norman peri-ods large parks were located just out-side Palermo: one of these, the

Genoard, (lit. earthly paradise), to thewest of the city, was chosen by thekings to build sollatii, pleasure palacesin the oriental sense of the term, placesfor relaxation surrounded by gardenscontaining exotic plants, fish-ponds,fountains and watercourses, as well aswild animals brought from distantlands. Thus were born La Zisa, La Cu-

ba (see p. 26) the castle of the Us-cibene (much altered, it is visible from

Viale Tasca Lanza), the Cuba Sopranaand the Cubula (incorporated in the Vil-la Napoli, see p. 26).

If you still have a little time left,be sure not to miss one of Serpottasmarvellous oratories (see p. 29), vis-itable in the morning, and a walk in theKalsa as far as Piazza Marina, thePalazzo Chiaramonte and Santa Mariadella Catena (see p. 15-16).

Flanked by artisans workshops,restaurants, focaccia shops, barsand cafs,Via Bara allOlivella andthe parallel Via dellOrologio leadto Piazza Verdi.

Teatro MassimoTel. 091.6053515, toll free number

800.907080.An imposing Neoclassi-cal edifice, it was started by GiovanniBattista Basile in 1875 and completedby his son Ernesto, who alsodesigned the two little Art Nouveaukiosks giving onto Via Maqueda.The interior is elegantly decorated.


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Cloister of Monreale Cathedral

to circulate, cooling the variousrooms. The palace houses the

Museo di arte islamica, with acollection of objects coming mainlyfrom Egypt exemplifying the stylethat could have been found in thepalaces original furnishings.

reigns supreme leaves the visitorspellbound. With more subdued

colours than those in the CappellaPalatina although the figures aremore expressive they wereexecuted in the late 12C and early13C by Venetian and Sicilian

Monreale Cathedral(Santa Maria la Nuova)

Tel. 091.6404413 - 327.3510886Bus 389 from Piazza Indipendenza.For the description of the town seeThe environs.

Built by William II in the 12C, thechurch is a wonderful combinationof two styles: Arabic (decorationof the apses) and Norman(massive towers and structures).The porch is dominated by thesplendid bronze door by BonannoPisano (1185), while the door onthe north side, which is Byzantine

in character, is by Barisanoda Trani (12C).Inside the church, the beautifuldisplay of mosaics in which gold

craftsmen and depict scenes fromthe Old and New Testaments.The cathedral houses the tombs ofWilliam I and William II, and, in analtar, the heart of St Louis, who diedin Tunis in 1270 when his brother

Charles I reigned in Sicily. Dont missthe climb up to the roof, where theresa magnificent view over the cloisterand the Conca d'Oro.

CloisterTel. 091.6404403.A masterpieceof stylistic synthesis of the westerntradition and Islamic decoration,

it offers views of the abbey complex.Particular remarkable are the capitalsof the columns, for both their varietyand the freedom of execution.

The scenes are not lacking in realistic details: the ropes holding together thescaffolding of the Tower of Babel, the knives on the table of the Marriage at Cana,the coins rolling off the table overturned by Christ in the Cleansing of the Temple orthe great variety of fish depicted in the Creation and the Miraculous Draught of Fish-es. Note also the cloud indicating sleep (for example, the appearance of the angelto Joseph on the south side of the crossing) and the dark man representing the devilcast out from the bodies of the possessed or the wicked. Depicted as a little redman because of the blood spilled, Abels soul is particularly curious.


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Chiesa di Santa Teresa alla Kalsa

Mandamento Tribunali. Tour starting from Via Roma.

2. The Kalsa

The name of the mandamentoTribunali derives from the Palazzo

Chiaramonte, seat of the Inquisitionand then the law courts. La Kalsa (al-khalisa, the pure) originated as afortified citadel where the emir resided.In time the district grew up round thepiazza of the same name and Via

Alloro, where, from the 15C, the nobilitybuilt numerous houses. From the 18Clarge aristocratic palaces were erected

on the seafront, their terraces facingthe Passeggiata alla Marina (now ForoItalico). Razed to the ground by the airraids of 1943, the district paid a heavytoll in loss of lives and environmentaldamage. The rubble was thrown intothe sea, distancing Foro Italico fromthe sea. Fascinating and contradictory,the area is now a vast building site

thanks to renewal schemes that havepermitted the rebirth of piazzas,palaces and other historic buildings,and the opening of internationallyrenowned cultural centres.

church ofSantAnna (17C-18C),which is flanked by a formerconvent.

Nearby is the 18C PalazzoValguarnera-Gangi (in PiazzaCroce dei Vespri) with its lavishinteriors where Visconti shot theball scenes for his film Il gattopardo(The Leopard).

Piazza SantAnna,

the heart of the ancient market of theLattarini (see p. 34), is dominated bythe splendid animated faade of the


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Chiesa di Santa Maria dello Spasimo

Via Aragona leads to the smallPiazza della Rivoluzione, where the

anti-Bourbon rebellion of 1848started; in the centre is a fountainadorned with the 17C Genio diPalermo, a statue representing aking feeding a snake, a symbol ofthe city. A short way along ViaGaribaldi is the PalazzoAjutamicristo, a splendid late-15Cbuilding designed by Matteo

Carnelivari; its courtyard contains anelegant two-storey loggia. Charles Vstayed in the palace in 1537.

Church of La Magioneor the Santissima TrinitPiazza Magione 44,tel. 091.6170596 - 328.8039833.Reached by a pleasant palm-linedpath, the church was founded in the12C by Matthew of Aiello, William Isgrand chancellor. Severelydamaged by the World War IIbombs, it has been partially rebuilt.The interior is simple and bare. Tothe left of the church is the beautifulcloister of the former Cistercian

monastery, where remainsof pre-existing constructions arevisible, including a 10C Arabic tower.

In front of the church, the vastPiazza Magione has been laid outwith lawns.

Santa Maria

dello SpasimoVia dello Spasimo, tel. 091.6161486.Built from 1506 onwards, the churchand the adjacent convent were usedas a fortress, theatre, lazaretto(hospital for the diseased, especiallylepers), poorhouse and, until 1986,as a general hospital. After a periodof dereliction, restoration has

allowed the complex to be convertedinto a space for cultural events ofvarious kinds (it now houses theEuropean School of Jazz).The church is tall and slender, andthe nave, which is roofless, ends in asplendid polygonal apse.From here there is access to the oldSpanish ramparts (constructed nextto the building as a defence againstthe Turkish threat in the 16C), whichare now laid out as a garden.The complex is particularly attractivein the evening.Further along Via dello Spasimo,

Giacomo Basilic, the patron ofthe church, commissioned Raphael topaint Christ Falls on the Way to Calvary,also known as Lo Spasimo di Sicilia(now in the Prado in Madrid). The nameSanta Maria dello Spasimo derivesfrom this work (spasimo = anguish).

on the left, is the complex of theformer church of Santa Maria dellaVittoria (15th-18C), which has awooden door from the Arab citadel,and the adjacent Oratorio deiBianchi, decorated with 18Cfrescoes.The street leads to Piazza dellaKalsa, which is overlooked by themonumental Santa Teresa allaKalsa, built between 1686 and 1706by Giacomo Amato. At the end of thestreet is the Porta dei Greci,erected between 1553 and 1581.


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Chiesa di Santa Maria della Catena

In Via Torremuzza there are a numberof interesting buildings, especially

the Noviziato dei Crociferi and theformer church of San Mattia (17C),with their fine stone faades, and,on the opposite side, Santa Mariadella Piet, designed by GiacomoAmato (17C-18C).After the crossroads with Via Alloro,it is possible to climb up to

the Passeggiata delle

Cattive, built in 1823 on thewalls delimiting the Passeggiata allaMarina, a meeting-place for the citysfashionable nobility and a favouritevenue for festivities and parades (areminder of the glories of yesteryearis the Neoclassical bandstand).Here there are numerous aristocraticpalaces with terraces commandingsuperb views over the sea. The raisedpromenade owes its curious nameto the popular expressionmura di licattivi, wall of the widows prisoners of mourning (cattividerives from the Latin captivae) whoenjoyed greater privacy here. Amongthe palaces flanking the promenade,

the 18C Palazzo Branciforti diButera was a true status symbol ofthe powerful Branciforti family.Steps lead down from thepromenade to the monumental PortaFelice (1582), marking the easternend of Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Nearby, the remains of the 17CLoggiato di San Bartolomeo, part

of an old hospital destroyed by theair raids, house exhibitions and othercultural events. On the opposite sideis Piazza Santo Spirito with theFontana del Cavallo Marino byIgnazio Marabitti (18C).

Santa Mariadella Catena

Piazzetta delle Dogane,tel. 091.321529. Its name derivesfrom the catena (chain) closing theharbour that was fixed to thechurchs outer wall. A splendidexample of the Catalan Gothic style(15th-16C), it is attributed to MatteoCarnelivari and is entered through a

large porch concealing portalsdecorated by Vincenzo Gagini.On the other side of the Corso, SanGiovanni dei Napoletani is a small16C-17C building with stuccoes byProcopio Serpotta.

Piazza Marina

One of the favourite haunts ofPalermitans, this large piazzacontains the pretty GiardinoGaribaldi and is surrounded by finepalaces: Palazzo Galletti (no. 46,note the faade on Vicolo Palago-nia), Palazzo Notarbartolo (no. 51)


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Palermo,il maestoso ficusdel giardino Garibaldi

Ph Pietro Lupo - Palermo 2008

and Palazzo Chiaramonte.On the opposite side of the piazza isthe Fontana del Garraffo (late 17C).

PalazzoChiaramonte o SteriTel. 091.6075306. The faade of thesevere and elegant palace, built in1307 by the Chiaramonte, one of thewealthiest and most powerfulfamilies in the kingdom, is adornedwith two tiers of splendid three-lightwindows, a motif that was so

successful that it gave rise to theChiaramonte style, used in manycivil buildings of this period. Fromthe courtyard, embellished with a

In this district is the excellentGalleria Regionale della Sicilia in thePalazzo Abatellis (see p. 27). Not farfrom Piazza Kalsa, furthermore, are twodelightful open spaces: Villa Giulia andthe Botanical Garden (see p. 28).

Work on the palace, alsoknown as Lo Steri (from Hosterium,

fortified palace), started in 1306 and itwas progressively modified until 1392,when Andrea Chiaramonte, hostile toKing Martin of Aragon, was beheadedin front of the building and his familysproperty confiscated. Passing into thehands of the Spanish viceroy, it was theseat of the Inquisition from 1601 until1782, when this institution wasabolished in Sicily. It now houses theuniversity rectors office.

above all, the interior, which is mainlyBaroque in appearance, eventhough the single elements are fromdifferent periods. Amidst the

surviving stuccoes by the Serpotta,note the delightful little child friarpeering down from a cornice in thechapel to the left of the altar.

InVia Alloro note the remains of thesplendid palaces that stood in what,together with Via Lungarini, was,in the 18C, the street where the

aristocracy resided: nearby, the

In the outside wall of thechurch on Via Alloro it is possible tosee the so-called Buca della Salvez-

za, an opening made by two rebelshiding in the crypt of the church duringthe uprising against the Bourbons in1860; thanks to the help of the localpopulace, they managed to escapethrough this hole.

loggia on the piano nobile, there is

access to the Salone dei Baroni,with its superb painted woodenceiling of the 14C.The nearby Via IV Aprile skirts thePalazzo Palagonia, which housesthe Enoteca Sicilia, a permanentshow of the islands wines(Via IV Aprile 2, tel. 091.6162288).

La Gancia(Santa Maria degli Angeli)The church, built at the end of 15Cby the Franciscans as a ganca(hospice), underwent numerousalterations that modified,


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Palazzo Mirto, fontana

Chiesa di SanFrancescodAssisi

Palazzo Mirto is oneof the finest and best

preserved (Via Merlo 2, see p. 27).Another interesting feature is themagnificent courtyard still visibleamid the ruins of the bomb damagedPalazzo Bonaga (Via Alloro 58).

San Francesco dAssisiPiazza San Francesco,

tel. 091.582370 - 091.6162819Except for the rose window and the

Gothic portal in the faade, littleremains of the original 13C church,which was damaged and thenrestored on numerous occasions.Inside are statues by GiovanniSerpotta and the fine portal of theCappella Mastrantonio (fourth on theleft). Next to the church is the

Oratoriodi San Lorenzo,

with masterpieces by GiacomoSerpotta (see p. 29).

Ph Pietro Lupo - Palermo 2008


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Castellammare and Monte di Piet districts. Tour starting fromPiazza Vigliena (Quattro Canti).

3. From the Calato the Capo

San MatteoCorso Vittorio Emanuele,tel. 335.7490960 - 338.4512011.Built around the middle of the 17C,

it has a faade animatedby alternating niches and projectingsurfaces. It contains works by PietroNovelli and Giacomo Serpotta, who

is buried in the crypt.

At the intersection with Via Romaturn left. After the church ofSantAntonio Abate, built in the13C, but much altered (thecampanile, built by the Chiaramonte,served to convene the citysassemblies), there is a descent to

the Vucciria (see p. 11).In Via Argentari, amid stalls andshops, stands the church ofSantEulalia dei Catalani, foundedin the 15C.Continue along this street to Piazzadel Garraffello (the fountain datesfrom the late 16C), where thePalazzo Lo Mazzarino-Merlo islocated; Giovan Pietro Mazzarino,father of Cardinal Jules Mazarin,future chief minister to the Frenchking, was born here in 1576.Turn into Via Materassai to reachPiazza San Giacomo La Marina,

The mandamento Castel-lammare (north-east of the QuattroCanti), transformed by the opening of

Via Roma at the end of the 19C andbadly damaged by the air raids of1943, grew up round the harbour (theCala) and its trading activities, in whichcommunities of Amalfitans, Pisans,Luccans, Genoese and Catalans tookpart (they were the nations that gavetheir names to many churches in thisarea). For centuries the Vucciria Markethas been located in this district.The mandamento Monte di Piet or

Capo (north-east of the Quattro Canti)was where the Muslims lived and thelocation of numerous artisanal andcommercial activities, a characteristic itstill has today with the bustling CapoMarket.


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Oratorio di Santa Cita

where the 16C church ofSanta MariaLa Nuova stands. Built in Catalan

Gothic style, it has a loggia recallingthat of Santa Maria della Catena.The upper part, in neo-Gothic style, isa 19C addition. Take Via Meli to returntowards Via Roma.

San DomenicoPiazza S. Domenico, tel. 091.589172 -091.329588. This majestic 17C-18C

building is located in the attractivepiazza of the same name. Dividedinto three storeys, the Baroquefaade is adorned with stuccoes.The large interior is a pantheon whereSicilian artists, writers and politiciansare buried. On the left is the 14Ccloister belonging to the formerDominican convent now housing asmall Museo del Risorgimento(Piazza San Domenico 1,tel. 091.582774).

Beyond the south side of the churchis the beginning of Via Bambina.At no. 2 is the splendid

Oratorio del Rosariodi San Domenico

(see p. 29).At the far end of the street is LargoCavalier di Malta, surrounded by thevast Palazzo Pantelleria, PalazzoRequenses - Niscemi and the side

ofSanta Mariadi Valverde, entry to

which is through an elegant marbleportal by Pietro Amato (1691).

The interior is a riot of Baroquedecoration withmarmi

mischi, which, on the side altars,forms delicate draperies.

Santa Cita (San Mamiliano)Seriously damaged by air raids in1943, it has a fine marble altarpieceby Antonello Gagini and theCappella del Rosario, withpolychrome marble inlays anddelicate stuccoes.In the crypt, the Cappella Lanza

contains the remains of refineddecoration withmarmi mischi.Adjacent to the church is the

Oratorio del Rosariodi Santa Cita, an unmissable

masterpiece by Giacomo Serpotta(see p. 29).

Via Squarcialupo leads to the churchofSan Giorgio dei Genovesi,a splendid example of Renaissancearchitecture. Now deconsecratedand used as an exhibition space,it was built by Genoese merchants,who were buried here(note the interesting tombstones).Near the church is a vast

archaeological area with remainsof medieval Palermo.Beyond Via Crispi are the vestiges ofCastello a Mare, a Norman fortressthat was almost completelydemolished in 1922 to make way forthe extension of the harbourinstallations. The restoration workhas allowed what remains of this old

castle, built to defend the city,to be opened to the public.



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To return to towards the city centre,take Via Cavour. At no. 6 thePrefecture is housed in theVillaWhitaker, built in 1884 by JoshuaWhitaker in Venetian neo-Gothic

style.

Now continue along Via BaraallOlivella, where the imposingPalazzo Branciforte di Raccuja, builtin the 16C, is located. In the nearbyVia Lampedusa are the remains ofthe Palazzo Tomasi di Lampedusa,destroyed by wartime bombs.

Via Bara allOlivella leads into PiazzadellOlivella, a pleasant little squaresurrounded by fine buildings.

SantIgnazio allOlivellaTel. 091.586867.This is a handsome church built inthe 16C-17C on the site where,according to tradition, the house

of St Rosalias family stood.To the left of the church is the formermonastery of the Fathers of theOratory, which houses the

Museo ArcheologicoRegionale (see p. 27).

On the right, the Oratorio di SanFilippo Neri, designed by Venanzio

Marvuglia (1769), contains thestuccoes of a Glory by IgnazioMarabitti including a splendid angelsurrounded by putti.Nearby (Via Monteleone 50) is theOratorio di Santa CaterinadAlessandria, which has stuccodecorations by Procopio Serpotta,Giacomos son.

Now proceed to Via Patania to seethe 17C Palazzo Sammartino withunusual sloping brackets supportingthe balcony. Then turn left into ViaSan Basilio as far as the intersectionwith Via Bandiera.There are two buildings of interesthere: Palazzo Termine diPietratagliata built in 1573 in Catalan

Gothic style, with fine two-lightwindows divided by slendercolonnettes supporting stonetracery, and the Palazzo Oneto diSperlinga, an elegant nobleresidence of the 18C.

In Via Bandiera and Via

SantAgostino (the crossing withVia Maqueda marks the beginningof the Monte di Piet district) is theCapo Market, and this continues inVia Beati Paoli and Via Porta Carini(see p. 34).

SantAgostinoThis is an attractive 13C church builtby the Chiaramonte and Sclafanifamilies. The faade is adorned witha portal decorated with geometricand floral motifs and a splendidrose-window; the marble portal(15C) giving onto Via SantAgostinois also of interest. In the interior, with

its Baroque alterations, there arestuccoes by Giacomo Serpotta,whose signature is visible (a lizard,sirpuzza in Sicilian) on the shelfunder the second statue on the right.

Monte di PietBuilt in 1550 for the making of cloth(panno, the origin of the name of theadjacent Via Panneria), the edificebecame the Monte dei Pegni(pawnbrokers) in 1591.Now take Via Sedie Volanti (FlyingChairs Street), the name of whichrecalls the sedan chairs used in

In 1773 a storm obliged anEnglish ship to put into the harbour ofMarsala. On board was the merchantJohn Woodhouse, a connoisseur ofSpanish and Portuguese fortifiedwines, who sent a sample of the localwine to England to test the market.There was a positive response andWoodhouse set up the first factoryhere. Soon another Englishman cameto Marsala: this was Benjamin Ingham,who improved the quality of the wineby careful selection of the grapes. Hisfirm then passed into the hands of hisnephews, William and Joseph Whitak-er. Joseph had 12 children and, on hisdeath, his business was taken over by

the three sons who stayed in Sicily:Joseph, who set up home in Villa Mal-fitano, in Via Dante (see p. 27), Joshua,who resided in Villa Whitaker in ViaCavour, and Robert, who lived in VillaSofia (near La Favorita, now a hospital).With its cultural, artistic, philanthropicand social activity, the family left an in-delible mark on Palermo in the belle

poque.


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Chiesa di San Giorgio dei Genovesi

MuseoArcheologico

RegionaleAntonino Salinas

Ph Pietro Lupo, Palermo, 2007

the past in the narrow streets of thecity centre. It leads to Piazza BeatiPaoli, where the church of SantaMaria di Ges al Capo is located.According to tradition, there was

access from the church and thenearby Palazzo Baldi-Blandano to theunderground cemetery used by theBeati Paoli sect for their meetings(see p. 31). Continue along Via Beati

Paoli to Via Cappuccinelle 6, wherethe refined Art Nouveau sign of thePanificio Morello is displayed.

In Via Porta Carini the church of the

Immacolata Concezione (17C)conceals, behind its simple faade,a remarkably rich decorative schemethat includes marmi mischi (note thealtar frontals) and a beautiful floor.

The nearby church of Maria Santissima della Mercede stands on a low hill atthe heart of the mandamento Seracaldio (from the Arabic shari al-qadi, street of the

judge), which embraced the whole of the present district. The part adjacent to thePorta Carini was called Caput Seralcadii (upper part of Seralcadio), from which thepresent name, Capo, derives. The area where the market is held is lower than thesurrounding streets because it occupies the old valley of the River Papireto.


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Panificio Morello


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Mandamento Palazzo Reale. Tour starting from Piazza Vigliena(Quattro Canti).

4. From the Albergheria tothe Piano della Cattedrale

Via Maqueda leads to the churchof San Nicol da Tolentino (17C),which stands in the centreof what was the Jewish quarter

of medieval Palermo.

On the opposite side of the street,

The mandamento PalazzoReale or Albergheria (south-west of

the Quattro Canti) comprises the old-est nucleus of the city: here the Phoeni-cians were followed by Romans, Arabsand Normans, who concentrated thecentres of their civil power in the west-ern part. The eastern part was insteadcharacterized by an irregular, denselypopulated urban area that grew uparound Via Albergheria and Via delBosco, and the presence of the Jewishquarter, which extended beyond pres-ent-day Via Maqueda. In the streetsdelimiting the Jewish quarter the streetsigns are in Italian, Hebrew and Arabic.

the 17C church ofSantOrsolawas the seat of the CompagniadellOrazione della Morte, whichburied the dead in the district. In the

last chapel on the right, decoratedby Giacomo Serpotta, the usualriotous display of putti is replaced bydangling skeletons and bones.

Palazzo ComitiniVia Maqueda 100, tel. 091.6628260.Built at the end of the 18C for theprince of Gravina, the palace, which

incorporates pre-existing buildings,was radically altered in 1931,when the offices of the province ofPalermo moved here.Inside the palace, the magnificentSala Martorana, where theprovincial council meets, is entirelylined with 18C boiserie and mirrorsthat enhance the splendid frescoon the ceiling.On the opposite side of the street isthe imposing Palazzo Santa Croce -SantElia, one of the most refinedcreations of Palermitan Baroque,with beautifully frescoed


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24Ph Melo Minnella, arch. AAPIT Palermo, 1995

columns over which spirals ofstuccoes are coiled, are by Giacomo

and Giuseppe Serpotta.Via Ballar takes you into the heartof the market.When you reach the piazza, a rightturn will take you through theCasa Professa Market, specializingin second-hand goods.

Church of the GesTel. 091.327334. This church, builtby the Jesuits in the 16C and 17C,was badly damaged in 1943 and hasbeen partially rebuilt. The soberfaade contrasts with the Baroqueexuberance of the interior, which iscovered with stuccoes andpietredure. The decoration of thepresbytery is remarkable:the work of the Serpotta brothers,it is a riot of putti going aboutdifferent tasks in a variety of poses.Next to the church is the vast CasaProfessa, which became a libraryafter 1767, when the

At the end of Via Maqueda, the18C Palazzo Filangeri di Cut is along building in two parts that occupiestwo blocks.

interiors housing the Guggenheim

Collection.

Lined by the fine, if rundown, noblepalaces that gave prestige to thestreet, Via del Bosco leadsto Piazza Ballar, site of the long-established and very livelyBallar Market, specializing in foodproducts (see p. 34).

Church of the CarminePiazza del Carmine, tel. 091.6512018.Built in the 17C, it has a splendiddome: lavishly decorated andcovered with majolica tiles,it is symbolically supported by fourtelamones. In the interior, the two

sumptuous altars at the ends of thetransepts, with gilded twisted

At a depth of 8 m, under thecloister of the 15C Palazzo Marchesi,(the Jesuits built the campanile of theGes on its tower) is one of the oldestcamere dello scirocco in Palermo.

These were artificial grottos in whichthe nobility took refuge when thescorching south-east wind called thescirocco swept over the city. The cal-careous soil of Palermo is particularlysuitable for this purpose and the pres-ence of numerous springs allowedsmall pools to be formed in which tocool off.

Palazzo Comitini, sala Martorana

Jesuits were expelled from thekingdom. On the first floor is theOratorio del Sabato, decorated byProcopio Serpotta in 1740.Cross Rua Formaggi, the name ofwhich has nothing to do withcheese, but refers to the Formaggibrothers, notaries who lived here.In Via Puglia note, on the left, thevast Palazzo Speciale, built in the15C and altered on a number ofoccasions.


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Palazzo Asmundo

This leads to the piazzetta where the

church ofSanta Chiara stands:this is the 17C reconstruction of thechurch and convent built bythe Sclafani in the 14C.The interior contains beautifuland refined decoration.In Via dei Biscottari(Biscuit-Makers Street: there was afamous bakery here) observe the

Palazzo Federico, an edifice of the17C and 18C incorporating a towerbuilt over the remains of anArab gate.

Palazzo SclafaniThis 14C edifice has two-lightwindows framed by the interlacing

arches typical of the Arabo-Normanstyle and an elegant cusped portalsurmounted by a golden eagle.This is where the famous fresco ofthe Triumph of Death in the GalleriaRegionale Siciliana came from.

Palazzo AsmundoVia Pietro Novelli 3,tel. 091.6519022. This is afine building of the 17C-18C, with aremarkable view of the cathedral;it has excellent original decorations,including frescoes painted byGioacchino Martorana.

In Vicolo Conte di Cagliostrostands the house where, in 1743,Giuseppe Balsamo, better knownas Count Cagliostro, was born (seep. 31).

Cross Corso Vittorio Emanuele andturn into Via dellIncoronazione.The Cappella di Santa Marialncoronata, built in the 12C,incorporates the remains of a 9Cmosque. In the same street, thechurch ofSanta Maria di MonteOliveto (called della Badia Nuova)

is an elegant 17C building with abeautiful interior.

Nearby is SantAgata alla Guilla,an unadorned church of Normanorigin rebuilt in the 15C and 16C.This area gets its name, Guilla,from the Arabic wadi(valley,of the River Papireto), then alteredtoguidda andguilla.Further down the street is thechurch of San Paolino deiGiardinieri (16C); destroyed bywartime bombs, it has beenconverted into a mosque.


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La Cuba

Catacombs

of the CapuchinsPiazza Cappuccini, tel. 091.6524156.Bus 327 from Piazza Indipendenza.Not suitable for children or nervouspeople. About 8000 mummifiedremains of Capuchin friars andfamous or wealthy Palermitans,women and children included, aredisplayed in a gloomy labyrinth of

corridors. The writer GiuseppeTomasi di Lampedusa is buried in theadjacent cemetery.

Church ofSan Giovanni dei LebbrosiVia S. Cappello 38, tel. 091.475024.Bus from the central station. Perhapsthe oldest Norman church in the city,

it was founded in the 11C or 12C.

Church ofSanto Spirito or dei VespriVia Santo Spirito, in the cemetery ofSantOrsola, tel. 091.422691. Busfrom the central station or the Vespriunderground station. Built in the 12Cunder Roger II, this church has an

incomplete faade, but the sides andapses are embellished with bichromeinterlacing arches, typical of Normanarchitecture. The interior is simpleand atmospheric.

Complexof Santa Maria di GesVia S. Maria di Ges, tel. 091.445195.Bus from the central station.Built in 1426 on the slopes of MonteGrifone, this is an oasis of peace thatmay be entered through the adjacentcemetery. The parvis of the churchis surrounded by fine

tombs of aristocrats of the 19C and20C, such as the chapel of the Lanzadi Scalea designed by Ernesto Basilein 1900. On the north side of thechurch note the portal in CatalanGothic style. On the south side isthe cloister of the convent.

CubaC.so Calatafimi 100, tel. 091.520299.Bus 105 from Piazza Indipendenza.Built in 1180 by William II, this is anedifice, notable for its simple yetbeautiful decoration, that formed partof the complex of palaces located inthe park of the Genoard (see p. 11).In the nearby Tukry barracks it ispossible to see the remains of a Puniccemetery.

Villa NapoliC.so Calatafimi 577, tel. 328.3605846.Bus 105 from Piazza Indipendenza.This 18C villa (used for exhibitions)incorporates the remains of the CubaSoprana (12C). The magnificent gar-dens, now planted with citrus trees,contain La Cubula, one of the pavilionsthat were dotted over the Genoard.

Places of interest

in alphabetical

order reachable

by car or public

transport

More still...

On 31 March 1282, during ves-pers in the church of Santo Spirito, aFrench soldier insulted a Sicilianwoman, provoking the reaction of thebystanders and offering a pretext for thegrowing discontent with the invaders tobe expressed. This was the beginningof the War of the Vespers with which the

French were expelled from the island.


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The museums

27

Joseph Whitaker, who waspassionately fond of ornithology andarchaeology, travelled to Tunisia in or-der to study birds and started a seriesof excavations on the island of Mozia,which he had purchased. Another ofhis interests was botany: he had treessent from all over the world and plant-ed them in his garden. They includedrare and exotic species: palms, thedragons blood tree, the only speci-men in Europe of the Araucaria ruleiand a huge Ficus magnolioides.

Galleria dArte ModernaEmpedocle RestivoVia SantAnna 21, tel. 091.8431605.This attractive Art Nouveau spacehouses a collection of 19C and 20Cpaintings and sculptures by artistsfrom Sicily and elsewhere.The gallerys collection of plastercasts is displayed in the NeoclassicalPalazzo Ziino(Via Dante 53, tel. 091.7407631).

Galleria Regionaledella Sicilia

Palazzo Abatellis, via Alloro 4,

tel. 091.6230011. In a striking buildingin Catalan Gothic style, designed byMatteo Carnelivari towards the end ofthe 15C, the museum contains,above all, medieval paintings andsculptures. Not to be missed: thefresco of the Triumph of Death (15C),a bust ofEleonora of Aragon byFrancesco Laurana (15C), VirginAnnunciate by Antonello da Messina(1473), the Malvagna Triptych byMabuse (1510).

Museo ArcheologicoRegionale

Piazza Olivella 24, tel. 091.6116805.Housed in the Olivella monastery,

which was founded in the 17C by theFathers of the Oratory, this museumcontains a splendid collection of findsfrom Sicilian sites, in particular thosefrom Selinunte. Not to be missed:metopes from Selinunte (575 BC), abronze ram (3C BC), mosaics fromPiazza della Vittoria in Palermo(3C AD).

Museo DiocesanoVia Matteo Bonello 20,tel. 091.6077215 - 6077111. Openafter renovation, the museum exhibitsonly part of its large collection.

Museo Etnografico PitrVia Duca degli Abruzzi, 1 - Trasferitotemporaneamente in via dellePergole, 74 (via Maqueda),tel. 091.6177004. This museum has alarge number of objects relating tolocal crafts and folklore.

Museo dellaFondazione Mormino

Via della Libert 52, tel. 091.6085974.Bus 101 from Via Maqueda.On the first floor of the Villa Zito, it hasGreek pottery, coins, majolica, aphilatelic collection and engravings,mainly from Sicily.

Museo Internazionaledelle Marionette

P.tta A. Pasqualino, 5 tel. 091.328060.This museum has a superb collectionof Sicilian puppets, marionettes,shadow puppets, backdrops andpanels from all over the world.

Palazzo MirtoVia Merlo 2, tel. 091.6167541.In its present form, the palace datesfrom the late 18C. The public mayvisit the piano nobile, which still hasits elegant original furnishings.Not to be missed: the Chinese andPompadour rooms.

Villa MalfitanoVia Dante 167, tel. 091.6816133 -091.6820522. Bus 106 from PiazzaCastelnuovo. Surrounded by abeautiful garden, this Art Nouveauvilla, built in the late 19C by JosephWhitaker, is one of the masterpiecesof the belle poque in Palermo, whenit was a venue for important social

events and was visited by thesovereigns of Britain and Italy.

The furnishings are remarkable.Not to be missed: Ettore de MariaBerglers decoration of the SaladEstate.


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Curious and

theme-based Palermo

28

Orto Botanico

Villas and Gardens

Giardino ingleseViale della Libert.A well-kept publicgarden, it has numerous palms,cacti, maritime pines and a Ficusmagnolioides.

Orto Botanico

Via Lincoln 38, tel. 091.6238241 -toll free number 800.903631.Founded in 1789, the botanicalgarden has numerous exotic andoriental species, including a majesticFicus magnolioides.

Parco della FavoritaPiazza Leoni. La Favorita, which

started life in 1799 as a hunting parkfor King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon,lies at the foot of Monte Pellegrino.It contains various sports facilities,the Citt dei Ragazzi and thePalazzina Cinese, a building withexotic forms and dcor designed byVenanzio Marvuglia at the end of the18C. The adjacent building, once theservants quarters, now houses theMuseo Etnografico Pitr.The park also comprises theVilla Niscemi (Piazza Niscemi),a country house surrounded by anattractive garden.

Villa GiuliaVia Lincoln. Laid out at the end of the18C, this delightful garden containsa splendid fountain by IgnazioMarabitti (1780) sited in a spaceenclosed by four exedrae. Towardsthe Orto Botanico there is fountain,adorned with the Genio di Palermo,

by the same sculptor.

Villa MalfitanoVia Dante 167, tel. 091.6816133 -091.6820522, see p. 27.

Villa dOrlansand its park

Piazza Indipendenza.Built in 1797, the villa was LouisPhilippe dOrlanss home duringhis exile (1810-14).Now the seat of the Sicilian regionalgovernment, it has a delightful parkwith a small zoo.

Villa TrabiaVia A. Salinas 3, tel. 091.7405905This is a splendid park (the largest inthe urban area of Palermo)extending around an 18C villa. Nowhousing municipal offices, the villais also a venue for cultural events.


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Serpottas stuccoes

29

Oratorio del Rosariodi San Domenico

Via Bambinai 2, tel. 091.8431605.The stuccoes frame a series ofpaintings representing theJoyfuland Sorrowful Mysteries.The allegorical representations ofthe Virtues are personified byremarkable female figures,notable for the elegance of theirdemeanour and the delicacy of thedraperies clothing them.

Anthony Van Dycks famous picture,the Virgin of the Rosary(1628),is located on the high altar.

Giacomo Serpotta (1652-1732), a member of a family ofstuccoists, ennobled the technique ofstuccowork with remarkable creations.Chapels and oratories in Palermo teemwith his elegant figures, their vitalityparticularly evident in the putti,portrayed in the most fanciful poses.His son Procopio (1679-1755) was anexcellent continuator of his work.

Oratorio del Rosariodi Santa Cita

Via Valverde 3, tel. 091.8431605.This is a completely white hall inwhich angels, putti and allegoricalfigures exult in a wide variety of

poses and expressions.The entrance wall is covered with astucco drape borne by a host ofputti; in the centre is a reliefdepicting the Battle of Lepanto.

Oratoriodi San Lorenzo

Via dellImmacolatella,tel. 339.2376652. The masterpieceof Serpottas mature period, it hasbeen described as a grotto of whitecoral. On the walls, stuccoesalternating with statues of the Virtuesillustrate the lives of St Francis

and St Laurence. CaravaggiosNativity, painted in 1609 for theoratorys altar, was stolen in 1969.

By Giacomo Serpotta: Orato-rio dei Bianchi (see p. 14) with stuc-coes from the monastery of the Stim-mate, Oratorio di San Mercurio (Via deiBenedettini). By Procopio Serpotta:Oratorio di Santa Caterina dAlessan-dria (see p. 20), Oratorio del Sabato(see p. 24), Oratorio del Carminello (ViaPorta Sant Agata), Oratorio dellImma-colatella (Via Immacolatella), Oratoriodi San Giuseppe dei Falegnami (ViadAlessi, at the monastery of SanGiuseppe dei Teatini).


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Other buildings worth seeing, starting from Piazza Verdi:

Ribaudo and Vicari kiosks, Piazza Verdi (1894-97, E. Basile)

Ribaudo kiosks, Piazza Castelnuovo (1916, E. Basile)

Teatro Politeama, Piazza Ruggero Settimo (1867-74, G. D. Almeyda)Cinema Nazionale, formerly Kursaal Biondo, Via Amari 168 (1913, E. Basile)

Bandstand, Piazza Castelnuovo (1874, S. Valenti)

Villino Favaloro, Piazza Virgilio (1889-1914, G. B. F. e E. Basile)

Palazzo Dato,Via XX Settembre 36 (1903, V. Alagna)

Palazzo Utveggio,Via XX Settembre 62 (1901, E. Basile)

Villino Ida Basile,Via Siracusa 15 (1903-04. E. Basile)

Palazzo Landolina di Torrebruna,Via Agrigento 5 (1901, G. Tamburello)

Villa Chiaramonte Bordonaro,Via delle Croci (1896, E. Basile)

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Themodern

city

Villa Igiea

Sala Basileat the Villa Igiea

Salita Belmonte 43. Originally anursing home for Igiea Florio, atuberculosis sufferer, the villa was

designed by Ernesto Basile, whoconverted a pre-existing neo-Gothicbuilding into a comfortable dwelling,now a luxury hotel. The dining room,now the Sala Basile (ask the hotelstaff for permission to visit it), waslined withboiserie and decorated byEttore de Maria Bergler with beautifulevanescent female figures

surrounded by delicate flowers.

VillaMalfitano

Via Dante 167, tel. 091.6816133 -091.6820522, see p. 27

Villino FlorioViale Regina Margherita 38.This charming house built by theFlorio is one of the finest examples ofArt Nouveau in Palermo:designed by Ernesto Basile in 1899,it was originally surrounded by alarge park. The interior was

destroyed by a fire in 1962.

Palchetto della Musica


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The qanats

The QanatDating back to the Norman

period, the qanat of Palermo areartificial underground channelsconstructed to collect water and takeit for a long distance down a gentleslope. A tour through them is anunforgettable experience: wearingoveralls and a speleologists helmet,visitors are accompanied by a ClubAlpino Italiano guide. For bookingscontact: Palermo SottosopraCoopertiva Solidariettel. 091.580433 - 091.6520067.

In the footstepsof the Beati PaoliAccording to legend, the terrible sectthat from the 15C to the 18C secretly

sought to avenge abuses andwrongdoing met in the tunnelsforming part of a vast network ofcatacombs located, above all, in theCapo district. Basing himself on oraltradition (historical sources werepractically non-existent), Luigi Natoliwrote a fascinating and very popularnovel, published in instalments in1909 and 1910 in the Giornale diSicilia. The tour includes visits to theplaces mentioned in the novel.For bookings contact:Cooperativa Cagliostrotel. 091.583218 - 091.334277.

Count CagliostroGiuseppe Balsamo was born inPalermo in 1743. Passionately fondof the occult sciences and the

founder of a Masonic lodge, hestyled himself Count Cagliostro andtravelled round Europe practisingthe arts of the healer and magicianwith his miraculous water of eternalyouth. After various adventures hewas imprisoned in the fortressof San Leo, near Urbino, where hedied of privation and his body wastaken to Palermo cemetery.His birthplace is near Piazza Ballar,in Via Cagliostro.For bookings contact:Cooperativa Cagliostrotel. 091.583218 - 091.334277.

Tunnelsandmysteries


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Whereto eat

Palermitan fast foodIn addition to the court cuisine(see p. 5), there is the popular farethat may be described asPalermitan fast food or streetfood; this is available from

fried-food shops, bakers and stallsserving tasty dishes that you can eatwhile strolling in the street.Here are the most commonspecialities:

arancine di riso: rice balls filled withmeat sauce or ham and cheesebabbaluci: small marinated snailscrocch: fried potato croquettespanelle: pancakes of chick-pea flourserved on their own or with breadcaponata: a mixture of friedvegetables in a sweet-and-soursaucecardoni: stalks of fried artichokes

sarde a beccafico: sardinesstuffed with bread crumbs, raisinsand pine nutssfincione: a kind of pizza toppedwith tomato, caciocavallo cheese,anchovies, onions and herbs

panino con la milza: the spleen(fried) may beschietta ormaritata(single or married) that is,served with just lemon or with ricottaand caciocavallo

At the restaurantThe meal can start with variousantipasti: sardines in oil or abeccafico, vegetables in batter,caponata, sweet-and-sour pumpkin,aubergine rolls, insalata di musso(calfs gristle), fishcakes of sardinesor novellame (newbornfish, often served with pasta).


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The first course will often be themain dish, especially if this is baked

pasta, such aspasticcio di anelletti.First dishes usually followed byanother course include pasta withsardines, anchovies or cuttlefish intheir ink,alla carrettera (garlic, oil,red pepper and pecorino), withbroccoli oralla Norma (tomato andaubergine). A soup worth trying isthemaccu di fave (broad bean soup

with fennel and tomato).

wide variety of flavours, some ofthem very original, such as

scurzunera (jasmine) and mulberry.

WineSicilian wines are undergoing a truerenaissance thanks to thecommitment of the islandsproducers and a remarkable outputof wine, which, after having beenregarded as good only for blending

due to its high alcohol content,

For the second course you canchoose between falsomagro (meatstuffed with crumb of bread andvarious herbs), stewed cuttlefish,stuffed squid and sardines served in

various ways.

SweetsOne of the highlights of the Siciliancuisine, they deserve specialattention. The specialities includethe famous cassata, sponge cakeand ricotta covered with richly

decorated icing, cannoli andcannolicchi(fried cones filled withricotta), thebuccellato (a doughnutof dried fruit, candied orange, honeyand spices),gelo di mellone(watermelon jelly),sfince di SanGiuseppe (fritters eaten on StJosephs feast day) and, naturally,the superbpasta reale or frutta dimartorana (a paste of almonds andsugar), used to make colourfulmarzipan fruit or forms linked tospecial events (for example, pigletsfor carnival).Ice-creams are produced with a

is now expertly produced to obtainoutstanding results with an excellentrelationship between quality andprice. Nero dAvola is one of thegreat Italian red wines and, with itsplum and morello cherry bouquet,is a pleasure to drink. Sicilys dessertwines, especially Marsala, Moscatodi Pantelleria and Malvasia delleLipari, have long been famous.


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La VucciraPiazza Caracciolo and adjacent

streets. Food market (see p. 11).

BallarPiazza del Carmine and PiazzaBallar. This is the oldest foodmarket in the city, crowded withPalermitans when they return fromwork, which explains the presence

of cooked-food stalls (boiledvegetables, potatoes,panelle, ...).

Casa ProfessaPiazza di Casa Professa.Next to Ballar, this specializes insecond-hand goods and new andused clothing.

Il CapoThe stalls devoted to food arelocated in Via Cariniand Via BeatiPaoli, while those selling clothingand shoes are in Via SantAgostinoand Via Bandiera.

Mercato delle PulciPiazza Peranni and Corso Amedeo.Bargaining is de rigueur in this fleamarket selling furniture, frames, toysand bric-a-brac.

LattariniPiazza SantAnna and adjacentstreets. The old sukal-attarin(spice market) now deals mainly inironmongery, especially tools,clothing and cloth.

The old

markets


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Museo delle Marionette

La Citt dei Ragazzi

Palermo for children

Small zooat the Parco dOrlansPiazza Indipendenza, see p. 28.

Museo Internazionaledelle MarionettePiazzetta A. Pasqualino 5(vicolo Niscemi, crossroad via Butera)tel. 091.328060, see p. 27.

Museo del Giocattolo(Toy Museum)Bagheria - Via Consolare 5, villa Cuttel. 091.943801 - 335.6651025A collection of toys and dolls from the18C to the 20C.

Citt dei RagazziChildrens play centreDay care centre - Viale Duca degliAbruzzi 1 d (Parco della Favorita)tel. 091.6714373 - 091.7404998

Puppet theatresArgento, Via Pietro Novelli 1,tel. 091.6113680 - 333.2935028

Mimmo Cuticchio, Via BaraallOlivella 95, tel. 091.323400

Teatro Ippogrifo, Vicolo Ragusi 6,tel. 091.329194 - 333.8979443

Teatro Arte Cuticchio, Via Benedettinin. 9, tel. 091.8146919 - 347.4547613

Acquapark (Water park)Monreale - contrada Fiumelatovia Pezzingoli 172, tel. 091.6460246www.acquaparkmonreale.it


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Then the coast gets more rugged andMonte Pellegrino more imposing.The road passes a 16C tower and,after Punta di Priola, the beach of theAddaura, situated in a naturalamphitheatre formed by themountain slopes, where numerouscaves are to be found.

MondelloBus 806 from the Politeama.This elegant resort, which grew up onwhat was once a marshy area, was afavourite with well-to-do Palermitansfrom the beginning of the 20Conwards. This explains the presenceof the attractive Art Nouveau villas on

the seafront and in Viale Principe diScalea, Via Margherita di Savoia(above all, in the first part) and thestreets lying behind.

36

Palermosseaside resorts

Golfo di Mondello

Kursaal - Mondello SantElia

The first place on this route isArenella, which grew up in the 18Caround a tunny-fishery that wasconverted by the Florio intoa neo-Gothic villa in the mid-19C.After the Rotoli Cemetery isVergine Maria, clustered aroundthe picturesque Tonnara

Bordonaro (16C).

Probably linked to an initiationceremony or ritual, remarkable rockengravings have been found in thecaves, which were already inhabited in

the Palaeolithic. To see them, contactthe Soprintendenza Archeologica diPalermo, tel. 091.6961319.

A tour of 40 km along the coast from Palermo to Terrasini.Take Via Papa Sergio I and then LungomareCristoforo Colombo.


Ph Massimo Lo Verde, arch. AAPIT Palermo, 1997


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Faraglioni di Terrasini

The seafront is dominated by thehuge Kursaal, an early-20C bathingestablishment. The oldest nucleus ofthe resort is a fishing village huddled

around the tuna fishery, a tower ofwhich still stands.To the north of the bay is Capo Gallo,a headland with sheer rocky cliffs thatcan be reached by sea or along aprivate toll road from Mondello.

From Mondello, passing throughPartanna, a road leads to Tommaso

Natale, a village that grew up in the18C around the villa of the marquisfrom whom it gets name.Going away from Palermo,Sferracavallo is a picturesque villageclustered round a harbour wheresmall restaurants serve excellentseafood dishes.Isola delle Femmine (the derivationof the name is uncertain and hasnothing to do with women) is anisland 300 m from the coast thatstill has the remains of a lookouttower; today it is a nature reservecreated to protect the bird

communities found there.The village of the same name on thecoast has a fine sandy beach.

After the Lido di Capaci and PuntaRaisi (which, besides the airport, hasan old tuna fishery with access to

the sea), the road continuesto Terrasini, which overlooks

the sea from the top of sheer cliffs ofred rock, where there are smallsandy inlets.

Seventeen km east of Palermo,the SS 113 main road comes to SantaFlavia, which is dominated by MonteCatalfano where Solunto is located(see below). Nearby is Porticello, atypical seaside village that boasts oneof the largest fish markets in Sicily.SantElia is another picturesquevillage, while Solanto (further south) issmall village clustered around theremains of tuna fishery.

Along the main road (Via Tommaso Natale) leading back to Palermo it is stillpossible to see the more or less complete remains of the numerous Baroque villasconstructed by the Palermitan nobility in the 17C and 18C in the Piana dei Colli,towards San Lorenzo. In their most widespread form, these villas had extensivegardens allitaliana and double access staircases.



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Ruins of Solunto

Monte Pellegrino14 km to the north.From Viale della Libert turn right intoVia Imperatore Federico and thencontinue along Via Bonanno.Bus 812 from the Politeama.The road, crossed repeatedly bya steep paved path (used by thosemaking the ascent on foot) offerssplendid views of Palermo and theConca dOro.On the way up the road passes the

Castello Utveggio, a huge buildingalso visible from the city.At the top is the Santuario di SantaRosalia (17C), a sanctuary builtaround the cave where, according tolegend, St Rosalia lived.Tel. 091.540326.

The environs

It is recounted that in 1624 thesaints bones were discovered here,after which they were carried inprocession and this freed the city fromthe plague. Following this event, StRosalia became the patron saint ofPalermo. The cave is covered with zincgutters used to collect the water which is regarded as miraculous oozing from the walls.

Further up is an observationpoint offering magnificent viewsover the sea.

Monreale12 km south-west of Palermo,taking Corso Calatafimi(the continuation of Corso VittorioEmanuele) and theSS 186 main road to Monreale.Bus from Piazza Indipendenza.The towns historic centre extendsalong the slopes of Monte Reale(310 m), located in a splendidposition overlooking the ConcadOro (the view from the belvedere

behind the cathedral is superb).The central Piazza Vittorio Emanueleis enclosed by the 18C town hall andthe west side of the cathedral(for a description of this, seeMust-See Palermo).Leading off the main square is amaze of little streets lined withnumerous souvenir shops,

cafs and restaurants.Apart from its famous cathedral,Monreale has other placesof interest such as the seminary(housed in the old Norman palace),the archbishops palace, the churchof the Monte, decorated withstuccoes by Serpotta,and the 17C collegiate church.On the top of Monte Caputo, 3 kmwest of Monreale, are the ruins of theCastellaccio, a late-Norman castlethat has a belvedere where thereis a magnificent view.On the road to Pioppo there is thebeautiful wooded area ofCasaboli;this comprises a wildlife reserve

containing boar, fallow deer andTibetan goats.

San Martino delle Scale(Monreale)10 km west of Monreale.The road leading to it offers splendidviews of Monreale and Palermo.Located at a height of 548 m,the village is a popular holiday resortderiving its name from a Benedictinemonastery that was founded in the6C by St Gregory the Great and isbuilt round a series of cloisters andcolonnaded courtyards.


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Bagheria, villa Valguarnera

Duomo di Monreale

Bagheria

16 km to the east. This town is notedfor its splendid Baroque villas,(there are over twenty) recalling thesplendour and grandeur of thePalermitan aristocracy in the 17Cand 18C. The most famous,Villa Palagonia, is embellished withthe grotesque sculptures thathorrified Goethe. Tel. 091.932088.Villa Cattolica houses the GalleriadArte Moderna e ContemporaneaRenato Guttuso and Guttusos tomb,designed by Giacomo Manz.Tel. 091.943902 - 091.943906.

Ruins of Solunto

19 km to the east. Tel. 091.904557.Located in a splendid position on theslopes of Monte Catalfano,a headland overlookingCapo Zafferano, Solunto was aCarthaginian city that came underRoman influence in the 3C BC.The archaeological site comprisesthe remains of the baths, agora,theatre, streets, houses, channels andnumerous cisterns. Via Ippodamo daMileto leads to the top of the hill fromwhere there is a magnificent viewof Palermo and Monte Pellegrino.


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Public transportThis is operated by AMAT,tel. 091.350111. Besides tickets valid

for one hour there are one-day ticketsand blocks of 20 tickets.The city centre is served by standardbuses and three routes with electricbuses at a lower fare:yellow route: Kalsa, Ballar andPoliclinico; red route: central stationto the Giardino Inglese alongVia Roma and Via Maqueda;green route: Via Vittorio Emanuele.

City Sightseeing Palermo:the service carried out by open-topdouble-deckers, red coloured.Ticket valid 24 hrs for the two routes.Information: via Emerico Amarin. 144 (kiosk), tel. 091.589429.

There is also a service ofunderground trains, running aboutevery 20 - 30 minutes, with thefollowing stations in the city:Stazione Centrale, Vespri,Palazzo Reale- Orlans, Notarbartolo,Imperatore Federico - Stadio.Some of these trains also serve

the Falcone-Borsellino Airport.

TaxiAutoradio Taxi - tel. 091.512727Radio Taxi Trinacria - tel. 091.225455Some taxi ranks in the city centre:Stazione Centrale, Politeama,Teatro Massimo, Piazza

Indipendenza, Via Roma, Via Malta.

Opening timesThe Regional Province of Palermoissues publications with openingtimes of museums, churches andother buildings. There are variousadmission tickets, valid one or moredays: Galleria di Palazzo Abatellisand Palazzo Mirto; MuseoArcheologico Reg. and Palazzo Mirto;Galleria di Palazzo Abatellis, MuseoArcheologico Reg. and Palazzo Mirto;Chiostro di Monreale, Cuba, Zisa andChiostro di S. Giovanni degli Eremiti.

Guided toursVarious organizations offer guidedtours to Palermos historic centre and

Monreale and theme-based tours: themandamenti, the Beati Paoli, theQanat, Palermo and Cagliostro,Parco della Favorita, the catacombs,places associated with The Leopard(see below). For a complete list seethe programme publishedby Regional Province of Palermo.

Where to stayYou sees the Guide of the Hospitalityor the official list of pag. 43.

Quick mealsHere are some suggestions for aquick but not exactly frugal meal

based on local specialities:Antica Focacceria San Francesco,via Ales. Paternostro 58 (church ofSan Francesco), tel. 091.320264Focacceria Basile, via Baraall'Olivella 76, tel. 091.335628Focacceria Basile 2,piazza Nasc 5(Politeama), tel. 091.6110203Giannettino,piazza Ruggero

Settimo n. 8/11, tel. 091.6114560I Cuochini, via Ruggero Settimo 68,tel. 091.581158

Cafs andConfectionersThe outstanding quality of theconfectionery shops in Palermo

makes the choice difficult and, in asense, superfluous. Here, however,are some suggestions:

Antico Caff, Via Principe diBelmonte 107. One of the citysinstitutions: since 1860 it has servedsuperb confectionery to be eaten atthe open-air tables in the pedestrianarea. Dont miss the marzipan fruit.Bar Costa, Via V. Alfieri 13 (at the endof Via della Libert), tel. 091.345652 -091.341694. Specializing in sweets,especially gelo di mellone andorange and lemon mousse.

Practicalinformation


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Cappello, Via Colonna Rotta 68(Zisa), tel. 091.489601. Its speciality

is chocolate cakes, including theSetteveli and Volo (chocolate mousseand pistachio cream).Gelateria Ilardo, Foro Umberto I 12.Long-established ice-cream parlourserving the pezzo di gelato made withtraditional methods. The jasmine andcinnamon and cassata flavours arereally special.

Magr, Via Isidoro Carini 42.Dont miss the dolci di riposto (thismeans they can be put in the pantryand kept) and the almond cakes.Mazzara, Via Gen. V. Magliocco 15(Teatro Massimo), tel. 091.321443.This is the caf where the author ofThe Leopard, Giuseppe Tomasi diLampedusa, had his breakfast.

Be sure to try the cassata, the cannoliand the ice-cream.Oscar, Via Migliaccio 39 (at the endof Via Notarbartolo), tel. 091.6822381.Cassata, Devil cake (the housespeciality), marzipan and a thousandother delights. Its worth a trip fromthe historic centre!

Scimone, Via Miceli 18 (on the cornerof Via Imera), tel. 091.584448.Its delicious specialities include thesfince di San Giuseppe, dita degliapostoli and sweets with ricotta.Stancampiano, Via E. Notarbartolon. 51, tel. 091.6254099. Ice-creamparlour with an incredible range offlavours. Try the brioche with ice-

cream and cream.

Entertainment andcultural activitiesHere is summary of the citys maincultural venues. For theatres see theprogramme published by theRegional Province of Palermo.

For the puppet theatres see p. 35.Albergo delle Povere,Corso Calatafimi 217.Founded as a poorhouse at the endof the 18C and reserved for women inthe 19C (a weaving factory was setup), it is now used for exhibitionsand conferences.Cantieri culturali alla Zisa,Via Gili 4, tel. 091.6524942.Close to the Zisa, the old workshopsformerly belonging to Vittorio Ducrot(he made furniture for the architectErnesto Basile) now houseexhibitions, concerts and plays.

Ex Magazzini Ferroviari ai Lolli,Piazza Lolli. The passengers

building and warehouses of theformer Lolli station (late 19C)host concerts and cultural events.Ex stazione SantErasmo,Via Messina Marine. Locatedat the mouth of the River Oreto,this late-18C building is an interestingexhibition space.Kursaal Kalhesa, Foro Umberto I 21,

tel. 091.6162111. The PalazzoForcella (19C), which incorporatesthe 16C bastion of the Porta dei Greci,houses cultural spaces of variouskinds, a bookshop, a restaurant and awine bar with a summer terrace.Loggiato San Bartolomeo, PortaFelice, tel. 091.6123832, see p. 15.Palazzo Ziino, Via Dante 53,

see also p. 27. The building housesexhibitions and a media library.Parco letterario Giuseppe Tomasidi Lampedusa, Vicolo della NeveallAlloro 2/5, tel. 091.6160796 -349.8822453. The Palermo visitorscentre (other sections of the parkdevoted to the writer are in Palma di

Montechiaro and Santa MargheritaBelice) offers educational visits andsentimental tours to revive theatmosphere ofThe Leopard.Spasimo, Via dello Spasimo,see also p. 14. This complex providesa fascinating venue for variouscultural events, including concerts.

ShoppingFor information relating to themarkets see p. 34. The citys smartestshops are concentrated in Via Romaand Via Maqueda and, above all,Viale della Libert. The whole of thecity centre is full of long-establishedcrafts workshops and activities, as

numerous street names attest ViadellArgenteria (Silverware Street),Via dei Calderai (CoppersmithsStreet), Via dei Maccheronai(Macaroni-Makers Street).Corso Vittorio Emanuele has pottery,puppets and Sicilian carts, ViaCalderai specializes in the productionof tin and copper objects (firedogs,kitchenware and tableware),Via Bara allOlivella and the parallelVia dellOrologio are noted forhandicrafts shops (pottery,woodwork, puppets).Lastly, the coppersmiths of Ponte


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Ammiraglio, the silversmiths of PiazzaMeli and the fringe-makers of

Via della Loggia deserve a mention.

Here are some suggestions for thepurchase of traditional products.Bottega dArte di Angela Tripi, CorsoVitt. Emanuele 450, tel. 091.6512787.In the splendid Palazzo Santa Ninfa,a well-known workshop producesterracotta statuettes for cribs.

Enoteca Picone, Via G. Marconi 36,tel. 091.331300. Offers a wide rangeof wines and theres plenty ofexpertise (and snacks) to help youwith the tasting.Franco Bertolino, Salita Ramires 8.One of the last craftsmen makingmodels of the colourful traditionalSicilian carts, Bertolino has his

workshop, shop and a small museumin an old building located closeto the cathedral.Laboratorio Italiano, Via Principe diVillafranca 42, tel. 091.320282.A range of fine handcrafted pottery isdisplayed and on sale in the threerooms of this small workshop.

I Peccatucci di Mamma Andrea,Via Principe di Scordia 67,tel. 091.334835. With flair and goodtaste, Mamma Andrea prepares jam,sweets, liqueurs, honey and muchmore besides.Vincenzo Argento e Figli, CorsoVitt. Emanuele 445, tel. 091.6113680.An incredible variety of puppets

produced and sold since 1893.

Calendar of events

SpringPalermo Apre le Porte.La scuola adotta un monumento(March-May) Palermos schools pay

tribute to the memory of judgesGiovanni Falcone, Paolo Borsellinoand the other victims of the Mafia byopening historic buildings notnormally visitable.

Festival of the SS. Crocifissoof Monreale (late April-early May)A festival honouring the Monrealecrucifix with religious, cultural andpopular events.

Trofeo Florio Rally Internazionaledi Sicilia (May) Conceived byVincenzo Florio in 1906, this car

race takes place on the fascinatingcircuit of the Madonie.

SummerThere are numerous music andtheatre festivals:PalermoFest, Kalsart,Festival di Verdura (the summerseason of the Teatro Massimo at theTeatro di Verdura at Viale del Fante70, in the Parco della Favorita),

Palermo - Teatro del Sole Festival.

World Festival On The Beach (May)A week of sport, music and otherentertainments on the beach atMondello.

Giro Aereo Internazionale di Sicilia(JulySeptember) This air tour of theisland is over half a century old.

Campionati Internazionali Tennisdi Sicilia A tournament for men onlythat has been going since 1935.

Festino di Santa Rosalia (9-15 July).The high point of the festival is a

procession with the saints statueon a huge cart along Corso VittorioEmanuele. In the previous week,street musicians sing songs devotedto the saint and her hermitage in acave on Monte Pellegrino. The festivalends with the traditional fireworks.

OctoberCoppa degli AssiA long-established internationalhorse-riding competition withshowjumping events.

2 November (All-SoulsDay)Fiera dei Morti On colourful stallsmarzipan fruit, biscuits called ossa

dei morti (bones of the dead), sugardolls and toys are offered to thechildren on behalf of their deceasedrelatives.

Late November mid-DecemberFestival di MorganaPuppeteers and artists from all over

the world meet at the MuseoInternazionale delle Marionette.

Christmas periodKalsart Winter Winter version of thesummer festival.


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Hotels, motelsGrand Hotel Federico II *****Via Principe Granatelli, 60 Tel. 091.7495052E-mail: [email protected]

Grand Hotel Wagner *****Via Riccardo Wagner, 2 Tel. 091.336572E-mail: [email protected]

Villa Igiea Hilton Palermo *****Salita Belmonte, 43 Tel. 091.6312111E-mail: [email protected]

Ai Cavalieri Hotel ****Via SantOliva, 2 - 10 Tel. 091.583282E-mail: [email protected]

Artemisia ****

Via Roma, 497 - 499 Tel. 091.6090612E-mail: [email protected]

Astoria Palace

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