PALERMO, A TREASURE TO DISCOVER
Palermo is the city of a thousand faces that welcomes visitors with its unstoppable flow of experiences and emotions, sometimes in open contrast with each other.
A treasure chest with unequaled buildings, museums, baroque oratories, Arab domes, true Byzantine, Arab-Norman, and Baroque architectural gems, and with its open-air markets, Il Capo, Ballarò, and la Vucciria, which they evoke the smells and colors of North Africa.
PALERMO
Palermo is a city rich in history, culture, and architectural beauties, recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
Starting from the heart of Palermo, the 4 Canti, the old road axis that divides its historic city center into 4 parts, we are on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, heading south there is the Cathedral of Palermo, with Arab-Norman architecture. A few steps away from Palazzo dei Normanni, the seat of the Sicilian parliament and the Palatine Chapel. In the opposite direction, to the north towards the sea, we meet the Fontana della Vergogna (fountain of shame), the church of the Martorana and the church of San Cataldo, characterized by its three red domes.
Among the major attractions are the Massimo Theater, the third-largest in Europe, and the Politeama Theater, between via Ruggero Settimo and viale della Libertà, the city's shopping center.
Unmissable to visit is also the Cathedral of Monreale and the Cathedral of Cefalù, which together with Palermo, are part of the Arab-Norman route, on the UNESCO itinerary.
THE OLD MARKETS IN PALERMO
The markets of Palermo immersed in the past and the most ancient traditions of the city are located in the heart of the historic center. Characterized by the typical "abbanniate", the cries of the merchants, and multi-ethnic colors; they are the setting for a lively and folkloristic city. There are three historical markets: Vucciria, Capo and Ballarò.
The Vucciria
The name "vucciria" derives from the French boucherie which means butcher, in the local dialect it has the meaning of "confusion", or the cries of the sellers who overlap. In the morning the market and by magic in the evening it turns into an open-air pub, a meeting place for the Palermo nightlife.
The Capo
The main entrance to Porta Carini is the setting for a multitude of voices and scents. The goods displayed outside the shops under the colored awnings, sheltered from the sun, characteristic of this market, are also surrounded by the typical voices of the sellers who invite you to buy the goods.
Ballarò
It is undoubtedly the oldest and the most characteristic historical market in the city. It winds through several streets, all paved with "balate". Here too you can find the “abbaniate” of the sellers, but in addition to being a fruit and vegetable market and fish, here you can also try the local street food.
THE SEA AT FEW STEPS
Mondello, between Monte Pellegrino and Capo Gallo is the seaside locality of Palermo a few kilometers from the city, divided from it only by the Parco della Favorita, its green lung.
Until the end of the 19th century, it was only a swamp, but in 1898 it was reclaimed by Prince Francesco Lanza di Scalea and subsequently entrusted by the municipality to the Italian-Belgian company which made it a thriving seaside village starting from the construction of the Grand Hotel, a Kursaal, and what today has become the symbol of Mondello, the “Charleston” Bathing Establishment designed by architect Rudolf Stualker. Place of masterpieces with Art Nouveau villas, linked to the Belle Epoque period, which sees the Sicilian Ernesto Basile among the most important architects. The fishing village was thus transformed into an elegant and rich seaside resort whose development progressed until the end of the 90s.
Which is the dimension
of your next vacation?
Dream is the luxury of thought, it is the comfortable realization of a dream, it is a brief escape from everyday life, it is the attempt to experience the relaxation of a hotel within a significant context of relaxing luxury.
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Emotion is a whisper of the music of nature, the rustling of trees in the evening, the good food of the earth on the breakfast table, the breathtaking color of a sunset are the ingredients for an emotional experience.
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Experience, the sky remains our only limit, you should never do the same experience twice. Whenever the guest wants to spend his holiday he should always do new and different things, from sport to culture. This is pure vitality.
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Not to be missed
CASSARO BOOKS B&B
IL BEVAIO DI CORLEONE
QUINTOCANTO HOTEL & SPA
