Palermo

Palermo sits in the North West of Sicily and is the Sicilian Capital. Palermo's history means that there are plenty of sights to visit, some of these are listed below. A word of caution though, as with all large cities it is worth being careful particularly with your baggage. My husband and I fell victim to a street robbery as a man on a moped drove by and snatched our camera, a few years ago. Don't let this put you off visiting though as a few days spent in Palermo will give you a real experience of the hustle and bustle of a large Sicilian City.

Brief history of Palermo

Palermo was founded in the 8th Century BC by Phenician tradesmen who were attracted by its natural harbour. Some say that Palermo is the most conquered city in the world, as the following demonstrates.

After the Phoenicians it was ruled from Syracuse by the Romans, then after the Roman Empire split the Byzantines ruled.

In 878 it was the turn of the Saracens. It was these Arab rulers that named Palermo as the capital of Sicily.

In 1072 the Normans extended their crusade to Sicily and overthrowing the Arabs, they became the next to rule.

In 1194 Sicily became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1479, Sicily became part of the Kingdon of Spain.

In 1734 Sicily was unified with the Bourbon ruled Kingdom of Naples. As the Royal court was located in Naples, Palermo was no longer the capital city. Palermo rebelled against this in 1848 and held out for one year.

In 1860 Sicily was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy , and this led to economic and industrial development in Palermo.

In July 1943 Palermo suffered heavy damage during the Allied invasion fo Sicily. In 1947 Palermo once again gained importance as Sicily became an autonomous region.

Of course there is a lot of history to cover and a few paragraphs can't do it justice. Follow the links below to find out more in depth information, or better yet, maybe pay Palermo a visit and see the effects of it's fascnating history for yourself.

Places to visit in Palermo

There is a lot of sightseeing to be done in Palermo. We must confess that we still have a lot to see. Firstly we would advise you to buy a good guide book. Secondly we would also advise that once you have exhausted Palermo, then maybe wander further into the Province of Palermo and explore some of the other beautiful sites that it has to offer.

Some of the main sites in Palermo include:

Piazza Vigliena, a Baroque Piazza with four palaces.

The Palantine Chapel, built in 1140 it has many Eastern influences.

The Regional Gallery of Sicily in Palazzo Abatellis. The gallery houses the famous VIrgin Annunciate by Antonello da Messina.

In the district known as the Capo, you will find the Teatro Massimo, the opera theatre. This quarter also has its own market.

For shopping and a drink maybe visit Via Ruggero Setimo and Via della Liberta. Here you will find fashion boutiques, cafes, and antique dealers.

The Catacombs have 8000 mummies and is an unusual sight.

The Cathedral is also a must see when in Palermo.

These are examples of just a few places that we have been to. There is obvioulsly a lot more to see and do. Make sure that you have a good guide book, research your trip well, and also take the time to relax and enjoy watching the Palermitani go about their day to day business.

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