Palermo is the capital city of Sicily, and as of 2025, has a population of 626,000. Yet despite everything there is to see here, sometimes I enjoy a stroll with no agenda when I visit a city in Sicily.
Although I’ve been here on several previous occasions, the city seems to have grown so much since then.
Teatro Massimo is Palermo’s famous opera house and the largest in Italy. Nearby, are small streets that overflow with eateries. Restaurants, enotecas, and trattorias will tempt you as you pass by each one.
Aromas of pomodoro sauce fill the air, and working chefs can be seen cooking inside these inviting venues. Certainly there is no shortage of choice as to where to dine in Palermo.
I loved the ambience while we enjoyed our delicious dinner in the heart of Palermo.
The bustling Via Maqueda always seems to be filled with people, unless it’s early in the morning.
Not far from the opera house is Quattro Canti, in Piazza Vigliena. At this famous intersection of two streets, Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele, are four octagonal buildings, one on each corner. The architectural detail is stunning, and one can stay here for quite some time studying each facade.
Only about an eight-minute walk from here is one of most stunning landmarks of Palermo, the beautiful Palermo Cathedral.
The cathedral is one of Sicily’s many buildings which portray mixes of different architectural styles. Due to rebuilding numerous times, this Duomo features designs of Norman, Gothic, Byzantine, Arab, Swabian (from Germany), romanesque, and baroque influences. For a more in-depth post about Palermo’s Cathedral, you may want to check out an earlier post, like Sicily Travel – The Palermo Cathedral
Palermo is known for its street food and colorful carts, which can be found wherever crowds gather. These low-overhead businesses thrive in a Sicilian city like Palermo.
Sicily has has so much to offer, and if you haven’t already read my Sicily travel memoir, it’s available in paperback, kindle, and audiobook. You can listen to a sample, narrated in my own voice here. Open this link and click on preview. My Love Affair with Sicily audiobook
Have you visited Palermo or other cities in Sicily? I’d love to your stories, so please leave a comment.
Grazie and Ciao.
Un po' di pepe
Bellissime foot! Uffa-i still haven’t been to Sicilia! Need to visit more Caravaggios! I just finished writing about Castel del Monte and found out Federico II is buried in the cathedral in Palermo. I need to visit soon. ciao, Cristina
margieinitaly
Ciao, Cristina! Yes, absolutely. I know that you will love Sicily and I think there are many flights to Palermo from where you are.
Un po' di pepe
I am a total archeology nerd -so it surprises everyone that i haven’t been!