Travelling alone? It’s an experience worth trying
Discover Palermo where East and West merge in a blend of style, craftsmanship and flavour
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Sometimes, you feel a strong desire to get away, to go on a trip. You try to rope in friends, partners or family, but your schedules just don't coincide. So, what can you do?
Easy, travel alone. We can assure you that travelling alone is the ultimate voyage of discover.
When you travel alone, time seems to expand. Silences become a fundamental part of the journey of discovery. It helps us admire what is in front of us, it’s a way to get to know oneself and the world around us. There’s a place where all this becomes magic. It’s in the heart of Sicily: the city of Palermo.
Nestled between East and West, Palermo welcomes and surprises with its colours, smells and whirlwind of voices and vitality. Arriving from the port, you will get the impression of having landed in a new world.
Palermo is a city of encounters, where the typical atmosphere of Italy is mixed with scenes from a thousand and one nights, while the sea envelops the city, offering unforgettable colours. The weather is pleasant all day long and in spring it already seems to give a taste of the hot summer.
Go for light fabrics and bright colours to immerse yourself in the city's Arab-Norman history.
Vucciria market
Strolling around the city of Palermo, gives the impression of walking through an Arab city, with some places and markets having the typical atmosphere of souks and bazaars. However, there’s one place that more than any other can tell the tale of Arab and Italian traditions. Let’s discover the Vucciria market together, in the heart of the city.
The name recalls the noise, the hubbub typical of markets, and the Vucciria market is the largest in the city. What can you find? Everything, but we recommend you immerse yourself in the traditional flavours of Palermo. From the world-famous arancini, which you can find in a thousand flavours, to sandwiches with the typical panelle (chickpea flour fritters) and spleen sandwiches - for the most daring!
The Vucciria is an unmissable experience, a mix of voices and flavours that you won't forget.
Here, we give way to embroidered fabrics, typical of the Sicilian tradition, flowy and light dresses, and full and generous skirts much like the wine and food offering at the Vucciria.
On the beach at Mondello
If what you are looking for is white sand, crystal-clear water and Mediterranean beauty, you will find all this within easy reach of the centre of Palermo. Mondello beach, originally a fishing village, is now one of Sicily's most famous beaches.
Here, architecture and nature intertwine to create unforgettable landscapes and atmospheres.
From March onwards, the temperatures become milder, anticipating spring by a few weeks, and when the colours of the sea meet those of spring, far from the summer crowds, Mondello is transformed into an oasis of beauty. As icing on the cake, the area is full of places and restaurants where you can be amazed by the culinary art made in Sicily.
The historic centre and fabrics
The historic centre of Palermo is one of the most beautiful scenes you will find in Sicily. Rich in art, history, architecture and tradition, it’s a labyrinth of different styles born from merging cultures. Immerse yourself in stories and legends, get lost in the city's narrow alleys and then find your way back from one of the city's many squares. A must is Piazza Vigliena, or Piazza del Quattro Canti, where the four main streets meet. The statues at the corners of the square represent the four seasons.
In the centre, there is no shortage of craftsmen's workshops making traditional textiles. One of the most traditional crafts is that of hand embroidery.
The Sicilian ‘sfilato’ is a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation.
Sicilian sfilato is an embroidery technique that is said to originate from the Arab tradition, but was made famous by Italian nobles. Originally, this particular embroidery technique arose from the need to make Sicilian women's garments unique and personalised, from dresses to underwear. Today, it’s a symbol of the all-Italian art of savoir-faire, taking centre stage in the shop windows and catwalks of haute couture. It’s a job that requires patience, dedication and passion. But above all, top quality fabrics, from linen to the fine cotton with which the embroidery is done.
Palermo is an alive and extraordinary city, which over the years has not been afraid to tell its own story and create its own personality. It has learnt to value each distinctive element that makes it. Palermo is like a woman for the courage it had in looking at itself and reinventing itself, in the resilience it has shown over the centuries and the beauty that makes it unique.
