Planning a trip to Palermo

Fast Facts

American Express -- The local agency is at Giovanni Ruggieri e Figli, Emerico Amari 40 (tel. 091-587144), open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 7:30pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm. In the event of a lost or stolen card, call tel. 06-72900347.

Bookstores -- Bestsellers and classics in English can be found at la Feltrinelli, Via Cavour 133 (tel. 091-781291; www.lafeltrinelli.it) or at Mondadori, Via Ruggero Settimo 18 (www.librimondadori.it). Both are open daily from 9am to 8pm.

Consulates -- The U.S. Consular Agency, on Via Vaccarini 1 in the new part of town (tel. 091-305857), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 1:30pm. The British Consulate, Via Cavour 117 in the city center (tel. 091-326412), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm. Note: Consulates observe both their home county's and Italy's national holidays, and will therefore be closed on those days.

Emergencies -- For the police, dial tel. 112; the Carabinieri (army police corps) can be reached at tel. 113. For an ambulance dial tel. 118; to report a fire, tel. 115. For road assistance call ACI (Italian Automobile Club) at tel. 803116 or toll-free tel. 800-116800.

Hospital -- The two main hospitals are Ospedale Civico at Via Carmelo Lazzaro (tel. 091-6661111) and the Policlinico at Via del Vespro 129 (tel. 091-6551111). The Children's Hospital is at Piazza Porta Montalto (tel. 091-6666224). In the new part of town the closest hospitals are Villa Sofia, Piazza Salerno 1 (tel. 091-6700350), and Ospedale Cervello, at Via Trabucco (tel. 091-6802111).

Internet Access -- Though most areas in the center have Wi-Fi coverage, the computer-less can check e-mail at the Aboriginal Internet Café at Via Spinuzza 51 (tel. 091-6622229; www.aboriginalcafe.com), which has 20 computers and charges 1.90€ per half-hour; open Monday to Saturday 9am to midnight. For free Internet service go to Palazzo Ziino on Via Dante (tel. 091-7407618); open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 6:30pm and Sunday from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Note: ID is required to use the Internet at public points.

Laundromat -- L'Oblò is located at Via Volturno 62 (tel. 333 8032824), just steps away from the Capo market. Open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 7pm and Saturday from 9am to 2pm.

Lost Property -- This service is handled by Ufficio Oggetti Smarriti at Via Macello 21 (tel. 091-7405082). It's open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9am to noon. To reach it, take bus no. 211 from the Stazione Centrale.

Luggage Storage -- You can leave luggage at the storage at the Central Station, open daily 6am to midnight. It charges from 4€ per suitcase for the first 5 hours to 11€ for 24 hours. For information, call tel. 091-6033440. A photocopy of ID is required to leave luggage.

Pharmacies -- Pharmacies in the city center are found at Via Roma 113 (tel. 091-6164339); Via Mariano Stabile 175 (tel. 091-334482); and Via Emerico Amari 2 (tel. 091-585383). Non-prescription, over-the-counter medicine can be found at Parafarmacie; these have a blue cross to distinguish them from full pharmacies, denoted by green crosses. Note: Pharmacies are closed on weekends; check the listings posted next to the door of each pharmacy for the closest one on weekend duty. There is a surcharge applied to items bought at night-duty pharmacies.

Post Office -- The main post office is at Via Roma 320 (tel. 091-7535193), open Monday to Friday 8am to 6:30pm, Saturday 8am to noon. Branches can be found at the train station (no phone), observing the same opening hours as the main post office, and at the airport (tel. 091-212176), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm. The branch at Via Mariano Stabile 277 (tel. 091-7494811) has the friendliest staff; it's open from Monday to Friday 8:30am to 1:30pm and on Saturdays 8:30am to 12:30pm.

Shipping -- If you want to send back all those heavy souvenirs via parcel as fast as possible, go to Mail Boxes Etc. Point Service at Via XX Settembre 62/A (tel. 091-6251830).

Transit Information -- Local transportation is run by AMAT (tel. 848-800817, or from a cellphone tel. 199-240800; www.amat-pa.it).

Getting Around

I highly recommend walking to see the city, but there are alternative means of getting around -- after all, feet can only do so much walking!

By Bus

The vast bus network will get you to all the main sites in Palermo and its environs, including Monte Pellegrino, Mondello, and Monreale. Municipal bus service is run by AMAT, Via Borrelli 16 (tel. 848-800817; www.amat-pa.it).

A ride on a bus costs 1.40€. Tickets are sold at AMAT kiosks and at most tabacchi (tobacco shops) and newsagents (tickets expire after 90 minutes). If you buy them on board, you will pay 1.80€. Once on board, put the ticket in the validating machine, or -- if that's not possible -- on the top part of your ticket write the date and start time of your journey (month/day/year and time, using a 24 hr. clock). Not having a validated ticket will land you a hefty fine, and ticket-checkers love nothing more than stopping unknowing tourists. If you plan on using the bus extensively during the day, a good option is to purchase a 24-hour ticket (3.50€), which expires at midnight of the day you use it. If you are not venturing beyond the city center, you can use one of the three convenient circular bus lines (Linea Rossa, Linea Gialla, Linea Verde) at a fraction of the cost of a regular bus ticket (.52€, valid all day). Four tram lines, with the same fares, service outlying districts.

A tourist bus called City Sightseeing, also operated by AMAT, begins and ends its circuit at the landmark Teatro Politeama (the Emerico Amari side). It stops at many major monuments, including the Duomo and the Royal Palace. From April to November 4 departures are daily at 9:30am; from November 5 to March 31, departures are at 10am. Tickets are sold on board; there are no advance reservations. The cost is 20€ per person, children 11 and under 10€. For information, call tel. 091-589429. Another sightseeing bus, a red double decker, is operated by WorldWide City Sightseeing (tel. 091-589429; www.city-sightseeing.com) and offers a 24-hour hop-on, hop-off service on two different routes around the city. Adults ride for 20€, children 15 and under for 10€; families (2 adults, up to 3 children) ride for 50€; advanced booking is available. Departures are from Via Emerico Amari (Politeama) on the corner of Via Wagner.

By Taxi

Getting around the inner core of Palermo by bus is very time-consuming and not easy, and driving a car around Palermo is a nightmare. In most cases, taxis are the best way to navigate the city center. Taxi stands are found at the main rail depot, at Piazza Verdi, at Piazza Indipendenza, and at Piazza Ruggero Séttimo, among other locations. The meter starts at 3.80€ and charges 2.55€ for the first 154m (505 ft.), plus .85€ per kilometer thereafter. If you can't find a taxi on the street, call Auto Radio Taxi tel. 091-513311.

If you can afford it, consider renting a taxi for the day to explore Palermo attractions; it will cost 70€ to 100€. Most drivers speak only a few words of English, but somehow they manage. You can request an English-speaking driver; perhaps one will be available. For further information on taxi sightseeing, call tel. 091-512737.

By Metro

Palermo has a very limited metro system that operates on the same line as the national railway. At press time it is undergoing major expansion. From the central station, it is the easiest way to get to the tourist area around the Norman Palace, as many sites are concentrated there. It's also convenient if you are staying in other parts of town, such as Notarbartolo. Tickets cost 1.30 €.

By Car

Driving around Palermo can be done, but it is guaranteed to take years off your life. Roberto Benigni, in one of his films set in Palermo, joked about "the traffic" (vehicular and otherwise), but traffic in Palermo is no laughing matter. Each driver seems to have his own personalized road rules; mass transit can be painfully slow, and main thoroughfares can have cars backed up for miles. You may want to rent a car for side trips to places such as Monreale, however. Rentals can be arranged at airport desks or at offices within central Palermo. Try Avis, Punta Raisi Airport (tel. 091-591684; www.avis.com), and Via Francesco Crispi 115 (tel. 091-586940), or Hertz, at the airport and at Via Messina 7/E (tel. 091-331668; www.hertz.com). There are two leading Italian car-rental firms: Maggiore (tel. 091-591681; www.maggiore.com) is at the airport, with another branch at the Notarbartolo Railway Station (tel. 091-6810801); Sicily By Car (tel. 091-591250; www.autoeuropa.it) is also at the airport, as well as at Via Stabile Mariano 6A (tel. 091-581045).

Finding a place to park your car is like finding a needle in a haystack, as free parking is scarcer and scarcer. Note: Those blue spaces you might see along the street are subject to fees, for which you'll have to buy timed scratch tickets at a tabbacchi or newsagent. If you choose to park your car in a garage you'll find one near the rail station, Garage Stazione Centrale (tel. 091-6168297), which charges 15€ per night (closed Sun). Two other convenient garages -- identified simply by the word GARAGE -- are at Via Stabile 10 (tel. 091-321667), charging 15€ per night, and at Piazza Oliva (tel. 091-325444), charging 20€ per night. Piazzale Ungheria, an outdoor municipal car par, charges hourly and up to 30€ in a 24-hour period.

By Organized Tour

Your hotel or B&B can arrange tours to suit your interests. To contact and book a tour with a serious, highly recommended organization before traveling, go to www.palermoguide.net. For top-of-the-line personalized service visit www.sicilyconcierge.com.

On Foot

Once you arrive in Palermo, park your car, and leave it parked. Walk everywhere you can; Palermo is best discovered on foot.

Getting There

By Air

Palermo’s dramatically situated Falcone-Borsellino Airport (a.k.a. Punta Raisi; tel. 091/702-0273) is on the sea among tall headlands 25km (16 miles) northwest of the city center. Palermo is well served by flights from all over Italy and many European cities, though not by nonstop flights from the U.S. All the major rental car companies have operations here, although if you drive into Palermo with a rental car, get clear directions and parking information from your hotel. An easier way to reach the center from the airport is with the shuttle bus run by Prestia e Comandè (tel. 091/580457). The buses depart every half-hour from 5am to 12:30am (service from Palermo begins at 4am and ends at 10:30pm); the trip takes 45 minutes and costs 6.30€ one-way, 11€ round trip. In central Palermo, buses stop at several points along Via Libertà, Teatro Politeama, the main train station, and Via Emerico Amari (port). A train service, the Trinacria Express, connects the airport with the main train station, but the “express” part is a bit of hyperbole: Service is slow at the best of times, often more than an hour, and the line is often nonoperational. Scheduled service from Palermo begins at 4:45am and ends just after 8pm, and from the airport service runs from 5:54am to 10:05pm; fare is 5.50€ each way. You can purchase tickets at desks in the station and airport or from machines near the platform. Taxis are plentiful; expect to pay about 50€ from the airport to town, but be sure to settle on a price before you set off. You can share a cab for about 7€—drivers will corral you as you exit the terminal. This is a safe and reliable option, though you will have to slip the driver a little extra to take you to your destination rather than dropping you at an intersection nearby.

By Train

It is possible to get to Palermo from mainland Italy by train, coming down through Calabria and across the Strait of Messina on ferries equipped with railroad tracks on the cargo deck. It's a novel way to arrive in Sicily, but takes some time (the trip from Rome to Palermo is at least 11 hours, from Naples to Palermo 9–10 hours). Night trains between Palermo and Rome and other mainland cities usually have sleeping accommodations. All trains come into Palermo Stazione Centrale, at the edge of the historic center. Passenger rail service around the island is generally spotty and slow, but there’s decent service on routes between Palermo and Messina, Catania, and Agrigento. For more information, go to www.trenitalia.com; tel. 89/2021.

By Bus

Buses from elsewhere in Sicily arrive at a depot adjacent to the train station. Bus travel in Sicily is excellent, with good connections between most cities. Coaches are clean and modern, with comfortable, upholstered seats, A/C, and smooth suspensions. The main bus companies in Sicily are Interbus (tel. 091/616-7919; also known as Etna Trasporti, Segesta, and Sicilbus, depending on which part of Sicily you're in), and Cuffaro (tel. 091/616-1510), which operates buses between Palermo and Agrigento.

By Car

The northeastern tip of Sicily is separated from mainland Italy by the 5km- (3-mile) wide Stretto di Messina (Strait of Messina), which is crossed by regular car ferries between the Calabrian port of Villa San Giovanni (just north of Reggio Calabria, essentially the “toe” of the Italian peninsula's boot) and the Sicilian city of Messina. From Messina, which lies on the well-maintained A20 and A18 autostrade, it's a straight shot west to Palermo (233km/145 miles; about 2 hrs.). If you’re planning to drive down from Naples or Rome, prepare yourself for a long ride: 721km (448 miles) south from Naples or 934km (580 miles) south from Rome.

By Sea

Palermo's large port is served by passenger ferries from the Italian mainland cities of Naples, Civitavecchia (near Rome), Livorno, and Genoa, and from the Sardinian city of Cagliari. Nearly all are nighttime crossings, departing between 7pm and 9pm and arriving the next morning between 6am and 8am. Some of these ferries are tricked out like miniature cruise ships, with swimming pools, beauty salons, discos, and cabins in various configurations, from four-bunk dorms to private rooms. Ferries from Naples are the most numerous, operating daily year-round. The Naples–Palermo route is run by SNAV (tel. 081/428-5555), Tirrenia Lines (tel. 800/804-020), and Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV; tel. 010/209-4591). The ferry trip takes 11 hours. GNV also operates overnight ferries to Palermo from Civitavecchia (the cruise ship port for Rome) and from Genoa. Schedules vary depending on weather conditions, so always call on the day of departure even if you’ve already confirmed your reservation.

Neighborhoods in Brief

Palermo is divided into four historical districts, or mandamenti, that spread out from Quattro Canti, or Four Corners. (Time was, and not too long ago, that it was unthinkable for Palermitani from one of these districts to marry someone from another.) The actual name of the square is Piazza Vigliena, after the viceroy who commissioned it; it marks the intersection of north-south Via Maqueda and east-west Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The square is also known as Theater of the Sun, because at any given time of day, the sun is shining on one of its four corners. Each corner of the square is decorated with a three-tiered niche: The first tier of each holds a fountain and a statue representing one of the four seasons; the second tier displays a statue of one of the Spanish Habsburg kings; and the third tier has a statue of the patron saint of whichever neighborhood adjoins the niche.

Albergheria

Southwest of the Quattro Canti, this is the oldest of the four mandamenti, also known as the mandamento Palazzo Reale because the royal palace was set here, in the highest part of the city. The Albergheria is filled with narrow, dimly lit alleyways and decaying buildings. Still, there are some exquisite corners—especially the splendid Piazza Bologni, with its noble palaces and statue of Charles V, and the historic market Il Ballarò extending from Piazza Bologni to Corso Tukory.

Il Capo

The northwestern neighborhood, enclosed within Via Maqueda, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Via Papireto, and Via Volturno, is a warren of tiny winding streets and alleyways spread out behind the Teatro Massimo. At its heart is the largest of Palermo’s markets, Il Capo, once the headquarters of the secret society of the Beati Paoli, who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. Pickpockets still adhere to this age-old principle, so watch your wallet.

Castellammare

Owing its name to the castle that once overlooked the sea, this northeastern quadrant is bordered by Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Via Cavour, Via Roma, and Via Crispi. Though heavily bombed in World War II, the neighborhood still has some spectacular palazzi and churches, such as the Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Cita and the Oratorio di San Lorenzo. The centuries-old market La Vucciria, once the beating heart of Palermo, is here, with a few remaining butcher shops, fishmongers, and hole-in-the-wall eateries—and, more recently, a nightlife scene.

La Kalsa

Settled a thousand years ago by Arabs, this southeast quadrant, bounded by Via Lincoln, Via Roma, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, and the Foro Italico, still has an exotic aura. Some patches were never rebuilt after 1943 air raids; the never-completed church Santa Maria dello Spasimo (Via dello Spasimo; tel. 091/616-1486) is a skeleton of broken Gothic vaults. Even 10 years ago, walking down La Kalsa’s narrow lanes was risky business (it’s still wise to avoid empty areas after dark), but a rash of hip restaurants and bars have recently opened in old palazzi. The excellent Galleria Regionale della Sicilia is here, as is a delightful shady park in the middle of Piazza Marina, cooled by breezes off the nearby sea.

New City

The monumental Teatro Massimo at Piazza Verdi roughly marks the division between the Old City and the New City. Head north along Via Maqueda, which becomes Via Ruggero Séttimo, to the massive double squares at Piazza Politeama, site of the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi. North of the square, swanky Viale della Libertà runs up to the Giardino Inglese (the English Gardens). This is Palermo’s Art Nouveau quarter, though many streamlined beauties were torn down to make way for ugly cement behemoths, marring the neighborhood's elegance.

Visitor Information

Municipal tourist information offices are located at the airport (tel. 091/591-698; Mon–Sat 8:30am–7:30pm) and in the city center at Piazza Castelnuovo 35 (tel. 091/6058351; Mon–Fri 8:30am–2pm and 2:30–6:30pm). Other city-run tourist offices are in Piazza Bellini (tel. 091/740-5908; Mon–Fri 8:30am–6:30pm and Sat 9:30am–6:30pm), and elsewhere around the city, including the port. The Micro-Tourist Information Centre Palermo at Via Torremuzza 15 in the Kalsa district (tel. 091/783-8185) is a for-fee service where you can rent bikes or arrange kayaking and hiking excursions. The office also arranges some offbeat tours, such as a tour of sites in Palermo where anti-Mafia activity has centered and a visit to artisan studios in the Kalsa district.

Safety

Palermo is home to some of the most skilled pickpockets on the continent. Police squads operate mobile centers throughout the town to help combat street crime, but your best defense is common sense. Don’t flaunt expensive jewelry, cameras, or wads of bills, and be especially careful in crowded street markets and on buses; routes to Monreale and Mondello, popular sightseeing destinations, are fertile ground for pickpockets. Thieves on scooters are adept at snatching jewelry and handbags. Do not carry a wallet anywhere accessible, even in an inside jacket pocket, where someone (or a pair, as is often the case) brushing against you can easily get to it. When traveling around Sicily, don’t leave documents, cash, credit cards, expensive electronics, and other valuables in an unattended car, even out of sight in the trunk. Stash them safely at your hotel or, if you’re on the move and stopping at an attraction en route, carry them with you.

City Layout

The capital of Sicily has an Old City that built up around the old harbor of La Cala, which expanded north toward Monte Pellegrino. The street plan of the Middle Ages is still in effect in the old parts of town, so it's easy to get lost.

Two main roads cut across medieval Palermo, the Old City, virtually quartering it. The first main road is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, which begins at La Cala, the ancient harbor, and cuts southwest to the landmark Palazzo dei Normanni and the Duomo (the Palermo cathedral). Corso Vittorio Emanuele runs east-west through this ancient maze of streets known to the Arabs of long ago. The other street splitting the town into two sections is Via Roma, which runs north and south.

The Old City is split into quadrants at the Quattro Canti, the virtual heart of Palermo. This is the point where Vittorio Emanuele crosses Via Maqueda, an artery beginning to the west of the rail depot, heading northwest. Running roughly parallel to Via Maqueda to its east is Via Roma, which heads north from Piazza Giulio Cesare. Via Roma and the much older Via Maqueda, virtually parallel streets, shoulder the burden of most of the inner city's heavy traffic.

La Kalsa, the medieval core of Palermo, lies to the southeast of the busy hub of Quattro Canti. The residential neighborhood of Albergheria is to the southwest of Quattro Canti. This is the center of the sprawling Ballarò market. Like La Kalsa, Albergheria was heavily bombed in World War II.

Via Cavour divides the medieval core to the south and the New City to the north. Despite its heavy traffic, the more modern section of Palermo is much easier to navigate. At the heart of this grid are the double squares of Piazza Castelnuovo and Piazza Ruggero Séttimo. Palermitans call this piazza maze Piazza Politeama (or just Politeama). At the double square, Via Ruggero Séttimo (a continuation of Via Maqueda) crosses Via Emerico Amari.

Heading northwest from Politeama is Palermo's swankiest street, Viale della Libertà, home to smart stores and tiny boutiques. It is also the street of many upmarket restaurants, bars, office blocks, and galleries. Via Libertà races its way to the southern tip of Parco della Favorita.