Palermo Holiday
Palermo was once known as the grandest city in 12th century Europe and this charming city has certainly not lost any of its splendour and glamour.
Palermo is the capital of the autonomous region of Sicily and located in the island's north-western region, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. A one-time Arab emirate and centre of a Norman kingdom, Palermo is positively dripping with history and culture. Flight offers abound so there is no excuse not to find flights online and book that last minute holiday right away.
Traditions and culture in Palermo
Palermitan cuisine, as can be expected, is rich, diverse and very hearty. The city's main signature dishes include pasta with sarde, cuttlefish ink, maccheroni timballo and pasta ncasciata.
Dishes typical of the region also include stigghiola, panelle di ceci and guastelle, as well as important local cheeses such as caciocavallo, pecorino and ricotta.
Tourists who like to dine out will find that typical entrees are usually seafood based and are likely to consist of tuna with cipollata, gratin swordfish, sarde with anchovy, grape and cinnamon fillings and oven-baked octopus.
Recommended in Palermo
Those eager to sample Palermo's night life should definitely head to La Cuba, which is located in the city's Centro district. The trendy club opened in 1997 and has maintained its place as one of Palermo's most fashionable bars ever since.
Also in the Centro district is the Teatro Massimo, which plays host to musical concerts, ballets and opera productions. Its programme runs from October to May.
Palermo is noted for its fabulous architectural heritage - particularly its Norman buildings, so visitors are encouraged to keep an eye for these. The city also has dozens of beautiful medieval churches to boot, including the Cathedral of Palermo, San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi and San Giovanni degli Eremiti.
Weather in Palermo
Palermo has a typical Mediterranean climate - long, hot summers and relatively moderate winters with daytime temperatures averaging not too far below ten degrees C (50 degrees Fahrenheit). The city also experiences the humid sirocco (southerly wind) during summer months
Destination checklist for Palermo
Palermo has a population of 680,000 residents.
Italian is the official language spoken so a holiday guide with useful local phrases is recommended.
The currency in use is the euro, the international dialling code is +39 and the city uses the metric measurement system.
