Side Trips

In spite of the fact that Palermo holds Sicily's greatest artistic monuments and treasures, it is also a city of noise and pollution. One of the pleasures of a visit to the island's capital is to escape it. A side trip makes a welcome respite.

At your doorstep are any number of treasures, ranging from the golden sands of Mondello Lido to Ustica, an offshore volcanic island of mysterious origins. The cathedral town of Monreale contains an ecclesiastical compound greater than anything in Palermo. But that's not all: You can also wander at leisure through the decaying aristocratic villas of Bagheria and later stroll among the ruins of the Greco-Roman town of Solunto.

If you don't have time to range far in your explorations, however, you can take an excursion to 600m (1,969-ft.) Monte Pellegrino, towering over the city.

Monte Pellegrino

The parkland and nature preserve of the crown-shaped Monte Pellegrino looms over north Palermo. This green oasis and haven from the heat is where the Palermitani retreat on a summer day. During his visit, Goethe pronounced it "the most beautiful headland on earth." Avoid heading up this promontory on a Sunday, however, when half of the world's cars seem to have the same goal.

The mountain rises sharply on all sides except to the south. The headland here, known for its autumnal gold color, was occupied by the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca in the First Punic War and defended between 247 and 244 B.C. before it fell to the Romans.

You can reach the mountain from Piazza Generale Casino in Palermo, close to Fiera del Mediterraneo, the fair and exhibition grounds. From here, take Via Pietro Bonanno, following the signs toward the Santuario di Santa Rosalia .

After a 14.5km (9-mile) drive to the north, you will reach the peak of Monte Pellegrino. Along the way to the top, you'll be rewarded with some of Sicily's most panoramic views, taking in the old city of Palermo and a sweeping vista of Conca d'Oro, the coastline. The paved road you see today dates from the 1600s, when it was a footpath for people climbing the mountain.

The chief attraction of Monte Pellegrino is Santuario di Santa Rosalia (tel. 091-540326), a cave where the patron saint of Palermo lived. As you near the top (past endless souvenir shops hawking kitsch), you'll approach a belvedere, dominated by a statue of Santa Rosalia. If you stop here, you're treated to a magnificent view of the sea.

Santa Rosalia holds a special place in the hearts of the Palermitani, who have affectionately nicknamed her La Santuzza, or little saint. You enter the sanctuary through a little chapel constructed over a cave in the hillside, where the bones (read: alleged bones) of Rosalia were found in 1624.

Goethe has already given us his approval, finding the setting "so natural and pleasing one can hardly help expecting to see the saint breathe and move about." Supposedly a niece of William II, Santa Rosalia lived and died as a hermit on this mountain, retreating here in 1159.

Inside, a 17th-century statue of the saint, the work of Gregorio Tedeschi, is covered by a gilded silver mantle. Before the statue you'll find a massive pile of euros, a gift to her from the faithful. We suspect that someone else hauls in the loot at night -- not the saint herself.

As a curiosity, note the thin spikes of flattened "steel cobweb" hanging from the ceiling. This isn't contemporary art; it's done to direct the water seeping from the ceiling into a container. The liquid is supposedly miraculous, and is highly prized by devout followers of the saint.

Admission is free, and the sanctuary (in theory, at least) is open daily from 7am to 8pm (closed at 6:30pm in winter). Frequent masses may disrupt your visit.

Note the little pathway leading to the left of the chapel. If you take it, after about 30 minutes, you'll be at a cliff-top promontory with a view and a statue of the saint. The pathway to the right of the sanctuary leads to the top of Pellegrino, a leisurely hike of about 40 minutes. Families use the grounds and trails on Pellegrino as a picnic site.

If you're not driving, you can take bus no. 812 from Piazza Sturzo (Politeama) in Palermo (trip time: 30 min.). You can take the bus back or else descend from the mountain along the Scala Vecchia, a stepped path that winds down the mountain by the sanctuary going all the way to the Fiera del Mediterraneo fairgrounds.