When Jon and I were lucky enough to squeeze in a trip to Sicily in 2020, we knew that Palermo had to be on the list. Jon’s family has roots in Sicily, and it was important for us to see the capital city before we went to relax at the beach in Taormina.
Palermo is an incredible city. Historically, Sicily acted as a gateway to Europe. Since the island is completely surrounded by water, it was pretty easy to capture and therefore changed hands many times throughout history. It’s not until you visit the city that you really see the Greek, Roman, French and Arab influences that have shaped the city. Our first day walking around the city, Jon and I remarked that the city feels like a cross between Marrakech and Italy, a very unique blend.
We spent two days in Palermo, Sicily, which felt like the right amount. Not going to lie, we primarily spent our time in Palermo eating. The food is SO good! Visiting Palermo is definitely more of a city trip filled with food and architecture, so my recommendation is to tack on a trip to Taormina to get in some beach time, as well.
Keep reading for all we did (and ate!) during our two days in Palermo, Sicily. And if you’re looking to travel elsewhere in Italy, my guide to Amalfi can be found here.
Xx, Kelsey
WHEN WE WENT
We traveled to Palermo in September of 2020. It was an interesting time because Europe was temporarily open for the summer before going into tight lockdowns in the fall. We felt so safe in Palermo. Mask-wearing and temperature checks were common. In fact, Palermo felt safer than the Netherlands at the time. September was also a nice time to visit Sicily, since it was towards the end of tourist season and a tiny bit cooler. August would be too hot in my opinion, but September felt like a wonderful last burst of summer before fall in Amsterdam.
WHERE WE STAYED
We stayed at the Hotel NH Palermo, particularly because it had a pool. We spent one afternoon sipping a spritz by the pool, which was a great respite from walking miles through the city. I also particularly loved that our hotel room looked out over an ancient neo-gothic building, Palazzo Forcella De Seta, with the ocean in the background (photo above).
WHAT WE DID
As I mentioned above, we primarily spent our two days in Palermo, Sicily eating. But we also spent a lot of time walking around the city and exploring the architecture. Below are some of the places we found particularly interesting.
Orto Botanico – Our first order of business after arriving in Palermo, Sicily was to grab coffee and wander through the botanic gardens next to our hotel. This was our first taste of the mix of influences in Palermo. There were Greek and Roman busts throughout along with palm trees and Arab architecture.
Foro Italico – We also took a nice stroll along the waterfront before making our way into the city, itself.
Fontana Pretoria – Totally worth seeing, this fountain is from the 1500s and features tiered architecture and nude statues. We wandered around and admired the statues of mythological creatures. There were plenty of tours, but we just wandered on our own.
Piazza Quattro Canti – This street corner is just incredible. It’s a bit hectic, filled with people and cars. Each corner of the intersection features fountains topped with statues in front of the most gorgeous buildings.
Cattedrale di Palermo – This is the only thing we paid to do a tour because we wanted to go up on the roof of the cathedral. The cathedral itself is free, but it cost 12 euros each to see the rooftop. The rooftop tours happen about every half hour, so you can explore the crypts and other areas of the church while you wait.
Mercato di Ballaro – We also decided to wander through the market in order to try the cactus fruit that someone had recommended to us. They didn’t disappoint and only cost something like one euro.
WHERE WE ATE & DRANK
Seven Restaurant – We made reservations at the rooftop bar at Hotel Ambasciatori for sunset, which was incredible. The drinks were great and the sun setting over Palermo was absolutely worth it. The photo above is from that night after sunset.
Passami ù coppu – Not going to lie, we stopped at this spot more than once. Get one of their giant cannolis and some arancini, Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with bread crumbs and deep fried.
A Tavula è Cunzata – We stopped here for lunch one day and were not disappointed. The pasta e rucola was absolutely incredible.
Il Bar – Another rooftop spot. We unfortunately arrived when they had an event so didn’t get as great of a seat. This bar and restaurant overlooks Piazza San Domenico and provides stellar views. The pizza was tasty and I had some amazing mozzarella.
Pizzeria Frida – Hands down the best pizza we had in Sicily. We tried one of their square pesto pies and a traditional margherita and were stuffed! Definitely make a reservation because it’s a very popular spot.
Enotequa – A lovely wine bar with an amazing selection. We stopped here to digest our pizza and people-watch. The interior is just adorable, so it’ll be worth checking out when indoor dining is open again.
Casa Stagnitta – We sat outside this adorable coffee spot one morning. It’s located on the cutest street and makes a great latte.
