Nightlife

For such a large city, Palermo has a dearth of nightlife. In the hot summer months, the townspeople parade along the waterfront of Mondello Lido to cool off. Although they are improving somewhat, many Palermo areas with bars and taverns (such as La Kalsa or Alberghiera) are not safe for walking around at night. And some of the bars and taverns in the medieval core of Palermo have the life span of sickly butterflies. The safest places for drinking, making conversation, and meeting like-minded companions are the many bars in the deluxe and first-class hotels. They are also the most sanitary.

The liveliest squares at night -- and the relatively safest because lots of people are here -- are Piazza Castelnuovo and Piazza Verdi. Another "safe zone" is a pedestrian strip flanked by bars and cafes, many with sidewalk tables, along Via Principe di Belmonte, between Via Roma and Via Ruggero Settimo. Some of these bars have live pianists in summer. If you like the sound of things, drop in for a glass of wine or a beer.

If you're interested in the arts and cultural venues, stop by the tourist office and pick up a copy of Agenda, which documents cafes and other venues offering live music in summer.

The Arts

Palermo is a cultural center of some note, with an opera and ballet season running from November to July. The principal venue for cultural presentations is the restored Teatro Massimo, Via Maqueda (tel. 091-6053555), across from the Museo Archeologico. It boasts the largest indoor stage in Europe after the Paris Opera House. Francis Ford Coppola shot the climactic opera scene here for The Godfather: Part III. The theater was built between 1875 and 1897 in a neoclassical style, and reopened after a restoration in 1997 to celebrate its 100th birthday. During the Festival di Verdura, from late June to mid-August, many special presentations, most often with international performers, are presented here. Ticket prices range from 10€ to 97€ ($12-$116). The box office is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Note: The Teatro Massimo can be visited Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 3:30pm. Visits cost 5€ ($6). Guided tours in English are given Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 2pm and 3 to 4pm. Bus: 101, 102, 103, 104, 107, 122, or 225.

If you have only one night for theater in Palermo, make it the Teatro Massimo. However, Politeama Garibaldi, Piazza Ruggero Settimo (tel. 091-6053315), is also grandiose, and it, too, presents a wide season of operatic and orchestral performances. Again, the tourist office will have full details on what is being performed at the time of your visit. Bus: 101, 102, 103, or 124.

Cafes

We like to start off an evening by heading to the century-old Caffè Mazzara, Via Generale Maglicco 15 (tel. 091-321443), to sample wonderful ice cream, sip rich coffee, or try heady Sicilian wine. You'll run into us hanging out at the espresso bar and pastry shop on the street level. The cafe is open daily from 7:30am to 11pm. Bus: 101, 102, or 103.

Dance Clubs

Palermo's most popular dance clubs lie in the city's commercial center, although one good one is in north Palermo. The city's main club is Candelai, Via Candelai 65 (tel. 091-327151). Mainstream rock blasts throughout the night in this crowded complex of gyrating 20-year-olds. The club is open Friday through Sunday from 8pm, with no set closing time. There is no cover, but it is necessary to buy a membership card (valid for a month) for 15€ ($18).

Pubs

One of our favorite pubs, Nashville, Via Belgio 4A (tel. 091-522980), is a good place to spend an evening in fun company. You can order snacks or dessert here along with your drinks. A backdrop of rock, pop, or disco livens up the atmosphere. The pub attracts a mainly young crowd nightly from 8pm to 1:30am. Bus: 100, 164, 529, 544, or 616.

Villa Niscemi, Piazza Niscemi 55 (tel. 091-6880820), has a rustic bar, plus overflowing sidewalk tables in summer. The pub also has musical instruments; if you're the master of one (or even if you're not), you can play an instrument and hopefully entertain the patrons. Live music is featured on Fridays. A crowd of mostly 25- to 45-year-olds patronizes the joint, open daily from 7pm to 3am. Closed Mondays in July and August. Bus: 614, 615, 645, or 837.

Gay & Lesbian

Gay and lesbian bars in Palermo are as scarce as a virgin at the Playboy mansion; most gay encounters occur on the streets, in cafes, and around squares. That said, gays and lesbians from 18 to 70 converge at Exit, Piazza San Francesco di Paola 39-40 (tel. 348-7814698), daily from 10pm to 3am. Live rock or pop is often presented. In summer, tables are placed outside, fronting the beautiful square. Bus: 108, 118, 122, or 124.

The Local Nerve Center

While in Palermo, you might want to make Kursaal Kalhesa, Foro Umberto I 21 (tel. 091-6167630), your official headquarters. It's a beehive of activity and a great way to meet locals, most of whom are young and fluent in English. Situated in a restored palace near Piazza Marina, this is where Sicily meets New York's SoHo. An attractive crowd congregates at the bar, which is flanked by discreetly lit stone walls and a bookstore-cum-lounge. You can read English-language newspapers, listen to live music, get online at the Internet cafe, or pick up tourist info at the travel agency.

For serious eating, head upstairs for Sicilian and Tunisian fare. The chef's delectable dishes are served in a cavernous room decorated with blue and white tiles; in warm weather, there's terrace dining. The best dishes include artichoke pasta with a radicchio cream sauce, lemon-flavored swordfish with shrimp, and the famous lentils grown on the island of Ustica and flavored with squid ink, a local delicacy. Main courses cost from 5€ to 10€ ($6-$12).

The Kursaal building is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30am to 2pm and 4pm to 1am. As one local told us, "It's where I always go to hang my hat, even if people don't wear hats anymore."