Our time in Palermo could honestly be summed up as a mix of food and cathedrals – sometimes both at once. And when we weren’t eating or admiring the stunning rooftops and towering domes, we found ourselves simply wandering, soaking in the city’s energy.
Our Airbnb was in a lovely piazza around the corner from the Chiesa di San Domenico (below is the view from our balcony). From our location, we were able to walk all over the city. Frequenting Via Vittorio Emanuele & Via Maqueda most often.
The intersection of those two streets has a name of its own: Quattro Canti (Four Corners). Each corner features a fountain and three levels of Baroque decorations. There are statues of the four seasons on the bottom level, Spanish Kings of Sicily on the middle level, and the patron saints of Palermo’s four quarters (Agata, Ninfa, Oliva, and Cristina) on the top level.
The lighting was never right for me to snap a good photo of the area, but around the corner is Fontana Pretoria and as I think everyone knows by now, I’m a sucker for fountains.
Another beautiful spot in the city is the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi. Home to the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, the building is a neoclassical dream. There are numerous benches out front where you can simply pause, take a load off, and enjoy the scenery.
But of course, the real showstopper in Palermo is its cathedral. The Cattedrale di Palermo was built in 1185 by the Normans on the site of a former Byzantine church, which had been converted into a mosque during Arab rule. Over the centuries, the cathedral underwent numerous renovations and expansions, resulting in a mix of Norman, Moorish, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles.
I was obsessed with the towers and domes and honestly, didn’t get a lot out of the interior. But real talk, the rooftop walk was one of my favorite things we did in Sicily. Climbing to the cathedral’s roof via a narrow staircase offered panoramic views of Palermo, the surrounding mountains, and the sea. But nearly all of my photos were of the facade’s details.
I loved the shifting colors of the stonework, as well as the blues and greens incorporated into the roof tiles. Being up close and personal, you get to see the intricate craftsmanship that’s impossible to see from below.
Another thing I loved about Palermo? All of the green spaces! There are parks and gardens all throughout the city.
In fact, next up was a walk to Palazzo dei Normanni (Normal Palace) through the gardens at Villa Bonanno. Also nearby is the beautiful Porta Nuova. Honestly, this part of town might have been my favorite! For all of it’s history, architecture, and green spaces.
Neither Chandler nor I had much interest exploring the palace itself, but I did enjoy a cup of fresh-pressed pomegranate juice and some final views of the cathedral towering above the palm trees.
But that wasn’t our only cathedral during our time in Palermo. We also took the bus up to the Cattedrale di Monreale. What I didn’t realize until we arrived is that the Monreale Cathedral, Palermo Cathedral, Norman Palace + Chapel, Cefalù Cathedral, and four other churches and palaces in Palermo are all part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The designation was granted in 2015 to each of the nine structures for reflecting the unique cultural fusion of Norman, Arab, and Byzantine influences in Sicily during the 12th century.
I had chosen to visit the cathedral after seeing pictures of its cloisters. The stunning gardens, surrounded by 216 intricately carved columns, looked serene and picturesque. Of course, even I was impressed by the dazzling gold mosaics inside.
The Moreale Cathedral was commissioned by King Williams II of Sicily in 1174 and was completed shortly after the Palermo Cathedral in 1189. It includes over 6,000 square meters of gold mosaics built by Byzantine artists. The cathedral also has a carved and elaborately painted wooden ceiling.
Like Palermo Cathedral, the rooftop walk at Monreale requires climbing narrow stairs, but the reward is equally spectacular – whether you’re looking at the cloisters below or the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele out front.
The walk gives you a close-up view of the cathedral’s towering domes, terracotta roof tiles (that I was obsessed with!), and decorative stonework. There are 108 double arches around the edges of the courtyard, creating the most beautiful symmetry.
The piazza out front includes a small, decorative fountain and is surrounded by historic buildings, including the Palazzo del Comune (Town Hall).
The Benedictine cloisters adjacent to the cathedral were exactly what I was hoping for, a peaceful escape from the city surrounding them. Not only are there 216 carved columns, but each is unique in its design, depicting everything from biblical scenes to floral and geometric patterns. They are considered a masterpiece of medieval art.
And now, where food and cathedrals meet. I had never had a cannolo before and we decided we’d look for the best in all of Sicily. There was a highly ranked pasticceria (pastry shop) in Taormina, but we’d read that cannoli originated in Palermo, so we decided to wait until the end of our trip.
Chandler’s lactose intolerant and since the pastry shells are stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese, this would be a dessert just for me. We heard about I Segreti del Chiostro, a renowned pastry shop located within the Monastery of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria. Finding it, however, wasn’t exactly straightforward – perhaps that’s part of the charm?
Google Maps led us to the monastery’s main entrance, where tours of the historic site begin. From there, we had to follow a series of signs pointing toward the back entrance. Even inside, the journey continued, navigating through a hushed maze of hallways and courtyards before finally arriving at the kitchens to order.
But the reward was worth it – they made my cannolo fresh with pistachios on one side and chocolate chips on the other. Eating it in the monastery’s peaceful garden felt like uncovering a hidden gem. And I can honestly say it was delicious, even if i ran out of steam on the ricotta flavor 2/3 of the way through it!
And that was just one stop on our food journey in Palermo.
Our most luxurious meal was at Michelin-recommend Osteria dei Vespri. The restaurant is situated in a historic palazzo, famously known for the ball scene in Luchino Visconti’s film “The Leopard.” We were thrilled to find a vegetarian tasting menu – and with two minor tweaks, it was made vegan for Chandler as well. Two hours later, we had lost count of the courses (one of which is photographed above, essentially a fried ball of mashed potatoes) and I was enjoying a glass of house Grillo – unsurprising, since they have over 650 wines in their cellar.
We also overate at the wonderful aTipico, since the whole menu is vegan. The mixed drinks were divine, appetizers fun, my pasta (with flower petals, photographed above) delicious, and Chandler’s vegan chicken leg and seitan cutlet a unique surprise!
But not all of our meals were high-end. We found ourselves eating at Flower Burger, not once, but twice. It’s a small chain of vegan burgers, with buns coming in a range of wonderful colors! The brand originated in Milan, but now has 19 restaurants in Europe. I think the Funghello Burger is pictured above, but I know we loved each one we ordered!
Another simple but tasty meal was at Biga Genio e Farina – we grabbed a few slices of handmade, sold-by-the-slice pizza (pictured above) on arrival and it was perfect after our drive from Cefalù. Later on, we discovered they have an even larger restaurant elsewhere in the city.
Our go-to breakfast spot was Ecologica Bio Shop & Bistro. If I remember correctly, I think their menu was pescatarian, which meant there was plenty for us to order. Some basic staples like porridge and fruit, as well as some fun twists like onigiri. Chandler also got the vegan lasagna at one point and I fell in love with their affogato – espresso and gelato!
I stuck to my practice of daily gelato and was really impressed by the flavors at Dolce Capo, if not the ambience. And we had a wine tasting night at Enoteca Picone (they’ve been in business since 1946 and are truly one-of-a-kind) – we also purchased multiple bottles to bring home to Dakar, to take a bit of Sicily back with us. In addition to our usual Grillo, we also had white (and red!) wine from Mount Etna, as well as a truly funky glass of bubbly.
Honestly, it was the perfect ending to our time in Sicily. We’ve never found a town or region in Italy that we didn’t love and Sicily was no exception.
Abroad With Ashley 