Palermo

Like most of the cities bordering the sea, Palermo too has based - and continues to base - its fortunes on the fact that for centuries it has been one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean . Every day, in fact, the Palermo port has to cope with a huge naval traffic.

Despite the objective difficulties deriving from the management of a continuous tourist-commercial flow of considerable proportions, it must be acknowledged that Palermo proves not to feel the blow and, indeed, to be at the forefront in many respects. This is also due to the port of Termini Imerese (about 40 km away) which absorbs part of the passenger traffic from Naples and Civitavecchia.

The strategic nature of its port, on the other hand, had been known since the times of the Phoenicians. The subsequent peoples (Romans, Arabs and Normans) also exploited its position in the Mediterranean, making it the fulcrum of their commercial exchanges.

It should be emphasized that the populations that dominated Palermo - and Sicily in general - made it great also from a cultural and artistic point of view: the city, in fact, boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Norman palace with the Palatine Chapel, the Cathedral, the Martorana Church, that of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, that of San Cataldo, the Palazzo della Zisa and the Ponte dell'Ammiraglio). If this were not enough, Palermo was also the seat of the very prestigious Sicilian School, born at the court of Frederick II of Swabia.

However, there is also another type of culture that has decreed the greatness of Sicily. The reference is to the great food and wine tradition of Palermo: on the table, pasta with sardines, baked anelletti, caponata and arancina (to be strictly feminine!) Triumph. Among the desserts, the cassata, the Martorana fruit and, last but not least , the delicious cannoli can never be missing.

Are you planning your trip to Palermo? Find out what are the 12 things to do and see in Palermo!