Parks & Gardens

The Arabs, a people who knew the joy of a green oasis, were the ones who introduced gardens into Palermo. The Normans extended the idea by creating parklands and summer palaces to escape the heat. Today, you can wander among gardens and greenery and encounter incredible banyan trees and other exotic plantings. If you have limited time to visit Palermo's parks, the most rewarding are Orto Botanico and Giardino Inglese, both described below.

Giardino Garibaldi -- In the very heart of Palermo, at Piazza Marina, lies this beautiful garden. Stunning banyan trees, with their exposed, trunklike "aerial" roots, grace this park along with fig trees and towering palms.

In the 16th century, Aragonese weddings and military victories were celebrated at Piazza Marina. Sadly, it was also the site of public executions. After a long period of neglect, Piazza Marina has been spruced up and is once again a gathering place for residents. At night, it's an animated square with outdoor tables spilling from several pizzerie.

The largest palace on the square is Palazzo Chiaramonte, constructed in 1307 for one of Sicily's noblest and richest dynasties during the Aragonese era. Its most attractive feature can be seen on its facade -- two tiers of delightful windows with magnificent stone inlays. The palace is sometimes open for concerts.

Giardino Inglese -- The English Gardens lie to the north of the center, bordering Via della Libertà past Piazza Crispi. They were designed at the end of the 19th century. Always known as Palermo's prettiest little park, the gardens in the 1990s degenerated into a hangout for Palermo's drug-addicted population. Recently, however, the police have cracked down; unless conditions change, the park has been returned to its former self.

Orto Botanico -- This is our favorite Palermo park, located at Via Abramo Lincoln 2B (tel. 091-6238241). These botanical gardens were laid out in 1795; the circular water lily pond from 1796 is still here. If for no other reason, make a visit just to see the amazing banyan tree, the tallest and most impressive specimen in the garden. This fig tree with its "aerial" roots is more than 150 years old.

The garden is known to botanists the world over thanks to the richness and variety of its plant species, which range from gigantic tropical plants to spiny kapok trees with their bottle-shaped trunks. Among the curiosities are the Bombacaceae and Chorisias plants shipped here in the late 19th century from South America. These have swollen, prickly trunks and, in spring, bloom with beautiful pink flowers that turn into a strange fruit. Upon ripening, the fruit bursts open and drops its seed on the ground along with a thick hair "padding." Locals once harvested this padding and used it like horsehair.

Admission to Orto Botanico is 2€ ($2.40). Open April to October daily 9am to 7pm; November to March Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 9am to 2pm. Take bus no. 139, 211, 221, 224, 226, or 227.

Parco della Favorita -- Reached by going 2.8km (1 3/4 miles) north of Palermo along Viale Diana is this large park at the foot of Monte Pellegrino. Parco della Favorita was part of an estate acquired in 1799 by Ferdinand of Bourbon, who came here after he was driven out of Naples by Napoleonic troops. He ordered that the land be laid out according to his rather Victorian taste. In time, it became the ruler's private hunting estate.

The fantastic Palazzina Cinese (Chinese Palace) built for Ferdinand is still standing. It was in this exotically decorated palace that the king, along with his wife, Maria Carolina, entertained Horatio Nelson and Lady Hamilton.

Note the marble fountain with a statue of Hercules. This is a copy of the celebrated Farnese Hercules that the king tried to abduct from Naples. Instead of the real thing, he got a copy.

In the 18th century, many noble families built summer villas around the park to escape the intense heat of the city. The most famous of these is Villa Niscemi, Piazza Niscemi (tel. 091-7494801), which is also a venue for occasional cultural events. The villa is sometimes open on Sundays from 9am to 1pm; call ahead to confirm.

Villa Bonanno -- Behind the Palazzo dei Normanni lies Villa Bonanno, among the most beautiful public gardens of Palermo. Enter from Piazza della Vittoria. The city added palm trees in 1905, making the park look like an oasis in North Africa. Note the roof covering the ruins of a trio of ancient Roman houses, the only such artifacts of their kind left in Palermo. Villa Bonanno adjoins Piazza del Parlamento, with its mammoth statue of Philip V of the House of Bourbon.

Villa Giula -- Next door to the Orto Botanico, also opening onto Via Abramo Lincoln, is this Italianate oasis, created in 1778 and enlarged in 1866. This was the city's first public park and was named for its patron, Giulia Avalos Guevara, the wife of the ruling viceroy. Goethe came this way in 1787 and had much praise for the garden, which is also called "La Flora." Its beautiful trees and flowers are in better shape than the monuments. The best-known statue is called Genius of Palermo, by Marabitti.