Sand Dunes and Cherry Blossoms

Hate it or love it, Palermo deserves to be seen.

Even for us Sicilians, we have a love/hate relationship with the city. The traffic drives us mad, the rubbish makes us despair and its chaotic environment makes us want to run to the countryside.
But Palermo has much to offer.

Its history spans millennia, having been founded by the Phoenicians in 734 BC and named Ziz, meaning flower.
It fell into Romans’ hands in 254 BC where it decayed but prospered after 535 CE, when the Byzantine general Belisarius recovered it from the Ostrogoths.

The Arabs conquered Palermo in 831CE, and it flourished as a centre of rich trade with North Africa, becoming a prime commercial hub, with exquisite architecture.

Palermo was thus quite prosperous when it fell to the Norman adventurers Roger I and Robert Guiscard in 1072. The ensuing era of Norman rule (1072–1194) was Palermo’s golden age, particularly after the founding of the Norman kingdom of Sicily in 1130 by Roger II.

Palermo became the capital of this kingdom, in which Greeks, Arabs, Jews, and Normans worked together with singular harmony to create a cosmopolitan culture of remarkable vitality.

After French occupation, was then captured by the Spanish under which rule it continued until 1860 when, through Garibaldi’s men, was annexed to the rest of Italy. Sicilians have a very rich and multicultural DNA.

Palermo is full of interesting buildings and many things to see and do.

But have you ever seen it from the rooftops?

What we will embark on, it’s an alternative itinerary which will bring you to discover some magical sites and beautiful views which are often left unseen.

We will start from Piazza Pretoria and its artistic fountain, also known, in the 18th century and even today, as Piazza della Vergogna (The Square of Shame) due to the presence of so many naked statues.

Piazza Pretoria is a staple in any Palermo’s tour and it is definitely worth a stop.
On the far side lays the underrated Chiesa di Santa Caterina d’ Alessandria which is an absolute gem!

Built in 1310 as a nuns monastery, its imponent navata is made up of a sumptuous display of mixed marble, stucco and frescoes that blend into a single harmonious combination, flanked by red granite columns.

Through a side door, it is possible to access a delightful cloister, which is one of the surprises of this monastery.

The cloister is an elegant structure with majolica flooring which stands in the centre of the main rooms where the common life of the nuns took place.

The floor is in eighteenth-century blue Neapolitan majolica. At the centre of the cloister, which has a garden full of fragrant plants, trees and hedges, there is a Carrara marble fountain with a statue depicting San Domenico da Guzman.

There is also a bakery where it is possible to buy delicious traditional desserts like cannoli or almond pastries, still made according to the nuns’ old recipes.

A side staircase will bring you to the rooftop. From there one can admire Palermo in all its grandeur and take in the main sites of the city centre.

Open every day from 10am to 6pm, it charges £3 to enter.
The monastery is still relatively unknown and it is definitely one not to miss!

Once out of the church, we will walk towards San Cataldo and its orange Moorish cupolas, cross the Quattro Canti and go up Corso Vittorio Emanuele II towards Palermo’s Cathedral.

Palermo’s cathedral is a well-known beauty.
It is one of my favourite sites in Palermo and its history represents the history of city.

Possibly built after the Roman conquest and after Rome converted to Christianity, it was demolished and rebuilt during Byzantine times.
After the Arab conquest, it became a mosque and the 5 pillars of Islam are still visible just before the main door.

Under the Normans, it was reconverted to Christian church and it became one of the centres of religious and cultural splendour.
Under the domination of the Normans and Swabians, the whole city witnessed a peaceful coexistence of a melting pot of races represented by the monotheistic religions of the then known world: Christians, Muslims and Jews. Palermo became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire with Frederick II, known as Stupor Mundi, the Wonder of the world.

Many of Palermo’s famous buildings are in Moorish style or what we would call Arabic-Norman style: the Normans integrated the Moorish style with their own and so did the Aragonese domination that came after.
One example is the external apse of the cathedral, where it is easy to recognise Islamic motifs that seamlessly blend with the rest of the construction.

Once inside, it is necessary to purchase a ticket (7 euro) which includes the Royal tombs and the rooftop.
The Royal tombs are dedicated to kings and queens that made Palermo a glorious city in the past, among them:
Costanza D’Altavilla, queen of Sicily;

Costanza D’ Aragona, queen of Sicily and empress of the Holy Roman Empire;

Ruggero II and Federico II, mentioned before.

Ramps and spiral staircases allow access to the roofs, terraces and domes of the church.

From the top, it is possible to admire most of the city, the harbour, its mountains, and the cupolas of nearby churches play hide and seek.

It is a stunning view.

On a clear day, it could be possible to see the little island of Ustica on the horizon.

But let’s do something entirely different.

Leaving the cathedral behind, we keep going up Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, reaching Porta Nuova.

We continue on, towards the Danisinni neighbourhood. Turn right at Via Cappuccini and keep going straight on until Danisinni square where you will see the start of the Blue mural. It’s about 10 minutes walk.

Although the area is a little run down, it is not dangerous and quite safe to walk, just avoid night time and during the day, take the normal precautions.

Once you get to the small square, you will see the entrance to the mural site.

It represents our Mediterranean spirit, with different shades of blues and turquoises, exotic birds, flowers and date palms.

It is not long but it is exquisite and the artists are trying to bring positiveness and growth to run down areas.

Want to finish off the day with a sunset drink and some food over the rooftops?

Head towards the Politeama square and choose between the “Politeama Roof “ or the “Osservatorio Rooftop” with gourmet food, stunning cocktails and a view to match!