What To Do In Palermo After You've Already 'Done' Palermo
You simply cannot conquer the world’s most conquered city in a day. For both first time visitors and veteran tourists, Palermo offers an array of activities that will make your time disappear faster than melting granita. To make the most of your trip to the Sicilian capital, take the trademark Sicilian passeggiata through our itinerary of these lesser known wonders.
Instead of the traditional Italian cornetto, try: your choice of decadent cakes at Cioccolateria Lorenzo
At Cioccolateria Lorenzo, you’ll be tempted to head straight for the dreamlike garden attached to the cafe where fairy lights and wicker chairs create the perfect ambiance for your afternoon merenda. Maintain some self restraint and first savor the cafe’s beautiful display of pastries, impeccable wall decor, and cozy tea-room atmosphere. You can take your pick of gelato, brioche, and, yes, croissants, but you can also choose between specialty cakes and trademark truffles. Wash down your decadence of choice with a cappuccino best enjoyed under the outdoor canopy. You’ll start your day transported to another realm straight from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Instead of the golden mosaics inside Palazzo Reale, try: the graffiti’d walls of Palazzo Chiaramonte
A few steps away from Cioccolateria Lorenzo, Palazzo Chiaramonte lets art tell the city’s history. The palace first belonged to the Chiaramonte family during the Norman rule and later became a prison during the period of Spanish Inquisition. Inside the cells you’ll find artworks depicting Catholic figures and religious iconography - the prisoners’ desperate attempts to prove their innocence. Not exactly the “grafitti” of today, the artworks in Palazzo Chiaramonte are not to be missed and are accessible through daily guided tours.
Instead of the botanical gardens, try: Giardino Garibaldi
Right in front of Palazzo Chiaramonte, Giardino Garibaldi is the perfect place for a midday stroll. Walk through the gardens and you won’t even need to keep an eye out for its trademark trees; it’s impossible to miss the towering branches, slithering roots, and winding leaves that create an air of mysticism sidled up to the sea.
Instead of the high ends stores on Via Maqueda, try: the handmade artisanal shopping streets along Via Alloro
As you start to make your way toward the city center, peek into the shops that hide between the narrow streets. Palermo is home to over 60 art laboratories where artisans paint, sew, and design their next creations in-shop. Start on Via Alloro and continue toward Discesa dei Giudici for a sample of pottery, jewelry, leather, and other handmade goods. If you’re looking to practice your Italian, don’t hesitate to chat up the artists. Conversation is the best way to learn about local trades and make a friend or two along the way.
Instead of sampling street food at a restaurant, try: a ricotta and sundried tomato sandwich at Ballarò market’s Napoli Da Nunzio
Not exactly a hidden gem of Palermo, Ballarò Market is the city’s largest outdoor open air market. Instead of the traditional street foods - milza, arancine, panelle - head for the cheese display at Napoli Da Nunzio: a deli stand tucked in a corner of the market with a table full of fresh meats and more ricotta than you can imagine. Opt for a ricotta of your choosing (the ricotta with oregano is my personal favorite) and enjoy it on a fluffy roll with sundried tomatoes and olives. If you ask nicely, you can have your sandwich heated but be sure to take extra napkins for the gooey cheese.
Instead of any of the 300+ churches in Palermo, try: Baroque beauty, ll Gesù
Located at the end of Ballarò market, Il Gesù is your standard Baroque church with frescoes that are anything but standard. With fifteen chapels as well as a sacristy, oratory, museum, and crypt, there’s no shortage of details or history. Start with the brightly colored ceiling frescoes and work your way toward the stain glass images inside the dome.
Instead of an opera at Teatro Massimo, try: a puppet show at Teatro Argento
No visit to Sicily is complete without a puppet show. While Palermo has no shortage of puppet museums, performances, and workshops, Teatro Argento is one of the city’s best. Walk up the corso before the show and you can duck your head into the workshop beside the cathedral where the puppeteers create and paint the same puppets they use on stage. Though the shows are all in Italian, the humor is universal and you’ll laugh alongside an audience that comes from all over the world. Be sure to stay through the end for an opportunity to hold a 20-pound puppet for yourself.