Palermo.

Palermo was an enjoyable experience. If you have been following my travels, you’ll know that Jacob and I usually only spent one month in any one destination. With our place of accommodation as a home base, we ventured out to do day trips, at various places.

Palermo was a two-month stay. Granted one of the months we spent in Isola delle Femmine, it’s really only forty-five minutes from Palermo city center, so, technicalities in my mind. In Palermo, we were based in the historical center, near Teatro Massimo, within close proximity to so many shops and produce options that we had practically endless choices. The night life in the area was busy and bustling. Just a short stroll and we found an alley full of various restaurants all trying to persuade travelers onto tables which would remain filled till the early hours of the mornings. Public transport in the area, we found, suited us well for sight-seeing around the city. For the especially hot days, it was an easy 45 minutes to the Mondello sea side. Aside from the city buses, there is the bus coach service Segesta on Via Domenico where you can purchase tickets to various towns that are further away from Palermo including Trapani.

While Jacob and I simply may have not been lucky enough to find a good place, I’m sorry to say Italy, your cocktails are not your strong suit. Though you can easily grab a beer for  3 Euros (Jacob was happy) and some street food for not much more, which will put you on the right path for a fun night out. Unfortunately, I myself am not a massive fan of beer so oh well. Jacob and I did come across one restaurant, Enotequa on Via Maqueda, that served cocktails and though they may not be the finest thing I have ever tasted, they were ok and I was happy to enjoy them while I ate some of the delicious food their menu offered. Enotequa also owns Makeda Food & Sweet straight across the street from it. You might spot staff walking from one store to the other with the drinks and food. Makeda Food & Sweet is a more relaxed area to eat for families rather than their more posh looking bar.

Another place on Via Maqueda that I’d like to recommend is Arancine d’ Autore. These little food franchises sell arancini (deep-fried rice balls stuffed with various fillings) all around Sicily and are amazing! Jacob and I both enjoyed the chicken curry, not very Italian but who cares; we’d been in Italy for five months already. Haha. 🙂 We also tried the Tomato, basil, and garlic, bbq and pork ribs and the gooey Mozzarella, and Prosciutto. There are a few dozen more to choose from, so I highly recommend you give them a go (definitely the chicken curry).

If you are looking for something sweet, and not the usual Sicilian sweets, but maybe cake, you must check out Angelina’s Bakery on Via Villareale, 24. They have delicious assorted cakes, one of which I had to celebrate my 22nd birthday with. Their menu is really good and the pancakes are scrumptious, they also had a muesli but I didn’t get the chance to try it.

The city of Palermo is a thriving place and regardless of most places taking a siesta, this city does not. You can find shops open all hours of the day and even some running open until late into the night. The hustle and bustle is constant. You can walk out onto the street finding a freshly-squeezed-on-the-spot orange juice to start your day. I highly recommend adding this city to your itinerary for either a weekend away or pit stop along the way in your travels. Full of beautiful architecture and yummy foods it is well worth the visit.