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Via Vittorio Emanuele Palerrmo

Palermo or Ziz

February 16, 2017 By Jan Robinson 18 Comments

This post may contain compensated links. We may earn a small percentage if you book through a compensated link, but it won’t cost you any more by doing so. You can read our full disclaimer here.


The Phoenicians founded Palermo back in 734BC naming it Flower, aka Ziz. It seems fair that Modern Day Palermo, known for it’s onerous traffic, glorious art, still active Mafia and challenging piles of garbage should own such a name.
[pinit]

Palermo the Ziz

Marty, a firm believer in visiting Capital Cities, says you can’t gauge a country without visiting theirs. He dragged me to Zagreb, Croatia for which I am forever grateful and insisted on four days in Palermo. Bring it on!

In Palermo the African Influence is becoming stronger by the day. With the increasing Migrant population the mayor said in 2016 (from Daily Mail Australia Feb 13th 2017) –

‘Palermo is a Middle Eastern town in Europe. It is a mosaic city and we are happy about that.’

Palermo is exotic. It has palm trees, Africans and African Food and it’s inhabitants eat gelato in brioche, going about their lives with stoicism and bravado. Let’s just say that the Mafia is not as welcoming of the migrants as the Mayor. However, this is just background noise for a traveller and won’t affect your visit to Ziz.

Walking the streets is the best way to get to experience Ziz – the people, their markets, ruined palazzos, beautiful churches, art and food – it’s a crazy ride.

Walking down Via Vittorio Emanuelle, the street connecting Porta Felice – the City Gates at La Cala (the port) and Porta Nuova – the northern City Gates, is a good way to get connected to the city. There are diversions on either side of the street and indeed the landmark Quattro Canti is midway along it, but it seems that all roads lead back to Vittorio Emanuelle.

This photo taken one Sunday belies it’s normal pace.

Via Vittorio Emanuele Palerrmo

Let’s start this street walk with two of my favourites photos.

Flea market vendor at Piazza Marina, near our Airbnb apartment in Via Allora in the old Arab district of La Kalsa. La Kalsa had a bad reputation once upon a time but it is gradually getting some TLC and we enjoyed living there.

Palermo Stall Holder Sleeping

And his dog. The park behind the fence is Giardino Garibaldi, home to a 150 year old weeping fig.

Palermo Dog in Chair, Sicily

We’re close to the Port here so let’s divert to Porta Felice and La Cala.

Porta Felice Palermo City Gate

Palermo Boat Harbour

Leaving Piazza Marina we cross over Via Vittorio Emanuele to the area known as Vucciria. Once a bustling market selling meat, fish and vegetables, it wasn’t flourishing at all when we went through.  Good to see some of the buildings finally getting some love and attention though.

One market stall.

Fruit and Veg and old buildings in Palermo

The Fontana del Garraffello built in 1591 survived WWII bombing, unlike the rest of the buildings in Piazza Caracciolo. Maybe it was divine intervention, because the waters of this fountain are said to have medicinal properties.

Palermo Ruins and drinking Fountain

But before we go marketing lets sneak back to Via Vittorio for some gelato.

Palermo's Gelato in Brioche

Mercato del Capo and Ballarò are still thriving markets.

Palermo Street Market

Palermo Streets and Dome

Palermo Market

Palermo Market Curtains

Estratto di Pomodoro – The rich tomato paste that forms the taste of Sicilian Cooking.

Palermo Market Items, Sicily

A good price for Lumache Nostrane or Homegrown Snails.

Snails for Sale Palermo Sicily

Sale di Trapani – Salt from Trapani and Capers of all sizes.

Trapani Salt & Capers Palermo Sicily

Coffee in Sicily is always a pleasure. Las Vegas Cafe is squeezed between Mercato del Capo and law courts in Via Pagano Giovan Battista.

Palermo Coffee at Bar Las Vegas

The markets have the freshest looking fish.

Palermo Fish at Market

Palermo Market Stall

Mercato del Capo and Porta Carini Palermo, Sicily

Palermo Market Side Street

Palermo Walls and Washing

Palermo Archway

Palermo Street Scene

Quattro Canti or Four Corners is the central point of Palermo. The curved facades of each corner capture the sun as it progresses through the sky, earning it the name of Theatre of the Sun.

The below photo shows one quarter of the baroque square formally known as Piazza Vigliena. Other names for this corner are Quattro Canti, Four Corners or Theatre of the Sun.

Palermo Quattra Canti

Nearby in Piazza Pretoria is Fontana Pretoria . The Fountain and it’s attending sculptures are in a circular setting which can be walked around. It arrived in the City from Florence in 1574 and in the 18th and 19th Century became a symbol of the corrupt government, gaining the name Piazza della Vergogna” (Square of Shame). The nudity of the statues only compounded the shame.

Palermo Fontana Pretoria

Teatro Massimo is situated on Via Maqueda, the street that intersects on Via Vittorio Emanuele at Quattro Canti. When coming from Porta Felice end, turn right and walk along the pedestrianised street bordered by flower boxes toward the Theatre that first opened it’s doors in 1897 to accolades of the third biggest in Europe. In 1974 it closed it’s doors for quick renovations and opened it’s doors again 23 years later in 1997. That kind of thing happens in Sicily.

Palermo Cathedral by night

Teatro Massimo

Street Band performing outside the Teatro. Not only did these guys play, but performed street theatre as well, darting away into the crowd when finished.

Palermo Street Band

Palermo Cathedral lies just before our destination of Porta Nuova.  It has had many renovations since it’s inception in 1185 and now sports a mix of styles, even spending time as a mosque in the 9th Century. An interesting place to visit.

Palermo Cathedral

Follow this map as a rough guide.

Thanks for reading and commenting – we really appreciate it. If you have a blog we would love you to add your travel post to the link below for Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday which we co-host with Ruth from Tanama Tales and Rachel from Rachel’s Ruminations. 

An InLinkz Link-up


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Filed Under: Destination, Italy, Ten Weeks in Europe 2015

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

Previous Post: «Duomo and Piazza, Cefalu Sicily Escape to Cefalu
Next Post: Trapani in Photos Trapani Palazzo Senatorio now City Hall»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jill

    February 17, 2017 at 2:40 am

    Once again, stunning photos! And this definitely looks like somewhere I want to go. Always adding places to the list – it’s ever growing! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Lydia C. Lee

    February 17, 2017 at 7:12 am

    We found the coolest bar in Palermo – a lot of things there are hidden, and you stumble across the most amazing things once you work it out. Great pics!

    Reply
  3. Kat

    February 17, 2017 at 9:13 am

    Every time I go to Malta I think “I should really visit Sicily”, but the sea is too choppy for the Catamaran or something comes up and I never have. Hopefully next time 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 17, 2017 at 1:29 pm

      I’ve been thinking about visiting Malta Kat. I’d like to do a trip combining Italian Croatian Greek islands and Malta. Sounds huge though! I’ll check out your blog for Malta tips.

      Reply
  4. Nancie

    February 17, 2017 at 9:51 am

    Hi, Jan! Your photos make me want to jump on a plane right this minute and wander those glorious cobblestone streets. I miss the European street performers. Where else can you listen to free music all day played by professionally trained musicians? Thanks for co-hosting this week. #TPTHursday

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 17, 2017 at 1:28 pm

      Palermo is quite an exciting/edgy place to visit but we enjoyed it. Living in an Airbnb apartment and shopping at the local supermarket was fun. It did seem to have a lively night life too.

      Reply
  5. Kathy Marris

    February 17, 2017 at 11:54 am

    Palermo looks a little rumble down and dirty! I’m not sure whether I would like to spend 4 days here. My husband is the opposite – he hates big cities and avoids them at all costs. Great photos as usual Jan.

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 17, 2017 at 1:27 pm

      Yes I don’t think you would like it Kathy. Sicily has had a chequered past, between the mafia and subsequent mismanagement of funds, but things are starting to get fixed up now in Palermo. It’s about time because most of the damage to buildings came from WWII.

      Reply
  6. Ruth

    February 17, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    I am more than sold on Palermo! It is Europe but still considered exotic. Those two first photos are great! I love how that dog is curled up in that little seat. Marty has a good eye for cities! #TPThursday

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 17, 2017 at 1:25 pm

      Palermo is quite gritty with lots of rundown buildings, but it grows on you and has lots of redeeming features.

      Reply
  7. Sharon Wagner

    February 18, 2017 at 12:13 am

    Thanks for the behind the scenes look at the city. I love the sleeping dog. It looks like that has been his chair for a long time!

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 19, 2017 at 1:51 pm

      Yep he definitely owns that chair Sharon!

      Reply
  8. Pinky Poinker

    February 19, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    Many of the exotic places you write about remind me of James Bond movies. I can just picture him running through the alleys and ducking under washing and crashing into market stalls. A very interesting post, Jan.

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 19, 2017 at 1:51 pm

      Good One Pinky. I can picture that too, but he would need a luxurious hideaway or boat to escape to!

      Reply
  9. Michele {Malaysian Meanders}

    February 23, 2017 at 4:31 am

    There’s so much to see in Palermo! I especially like the symmetrical buildings towering over the street leading to the port. That Panini di Las Vegas sign caught my eye, too. And I’m glad you had time to stop for gelato. There’s always time for gelato, isn’t there?

    Reply
  10. Marco

    February 27, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    I really enjoyed your post about my city Jan, thanks for sharing your impressions. I hope you also got to visit some places like Cappella Palatina, Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, or the baroque churches like Chiesa del Gesù or Santa Caterina, or the Oratories by Serpotta like Santa Cita or San Lorenzo.
    About the concerns for run-down buildings that came up in other posts: it’s true, there are many, but this isn’t a stuck situation. It was until the early 90s (because of mafia), but for the last 20 years a massive operation of renovation in the historic center has been brought forward, with hundreds of buildings being renovated. There is still a lot of work to do because there is a huge number of buildings in the historic center, many are aristocratic palaces whose renovation takes a lot of time and money, and Sicily is not the exactly richest of region. But the situation is getting better by the year, and already there is an impressive amount of monuments to visit. Sorry for the long comment, but it’s something I care about a lot.

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 28, 2017 at 9:00 am

      Thanks for your long comment Marco. We did indeed go to other places in Palermo and will be blogging about them in another post. We did visit one of the restored Palaces and it would indeed have taken a lot of restoration. My sympathies are totally with Sicily and as I point out in my post, things are changing. I do hope you don’t think my post was critical of Palermo and Sicily because we love them both. You can enter Sicily into the search bar on the Budget Travel Talk site to see all of our posts on Sicily.

      Reply
      • Marco

        February 28, 2017 at 9:07 pm

        My pleasure Jan. Absolutely not: I mis-wrote, but when I wrote about concerns that came up in other “posts”, I actually meant other comments to the post. I didn’t take your post as critical; or in any case, it has the kind of non-judgamental positive criticism that is absolutely welcomed. I wanted to add more insight on the present situation, because of course who comes to visit can only see the “absolute” situation, not the “relative” one.
        I also liked your other posts about Sicily, I look forward to reading the ones you’re going to write.

        Reply

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