Things to see, do and try in Palermo, Sicily

Marvel at i Quattro Canti

The ‘four corners’ are a central point in Palermo, making a crossroads between two of the city’s busiest streets, Via Maqueda & Via Vittorio Emanuele. More officially known as Piazza Vigliena, the baroque structures were built in 1608, featuring four kings, four seasons, four fountains, four palaces, four saints, the meeting point of four neighbourhoods, and more.

One of eight buildings in Palermo on the UNESCO world heritage list, this building is beautiful inside and out. The main part of the church is free to visit, but if you want to go down into the crypt or up onto the roof, you need to pay. It’s €8 for a ticket that includes the tombs, treasury, crypts and terraces, but you can also get cheaper tickets to see each thing individually if you don’t want to see them all.

The view from the rooftop is spectacular and I highly recommend it!

Visit for a tour or book to watch a show at the largest opera house in Italy, Teatro Massimo

One of the biggest opera houses in Europe, Teatro Massimo is renowned for its excellent acoustics and holds over 1,300 seats.

You can take a tour around the theatre, and if you are lucky and able to get tickets, highly recommend watching a show there!

This beautiful structure is the largest in Italy and one of the largest in all of Europe and was built back in the late 19th century. It was designed by Giovan Battista Basile but he was not able to complete it in his lifetime and so the construction was completed by his son, Ernesto Basile, who stands as one of the Art Nouveau pioneers of Italian heritage.

Its unique style made it renowned across the world, as it was inspired by Greek temples and classic art.

The auditorium of Teatro Massimo was used for some scenes in The Godfather – Part III which starred Al Pacino, Andy Garcia and Sofia Coppola and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

La Martorana, church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio

The church of the Martorana, also known as the Chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, is simply jaw-dropping spectacular. In the heart of Palermo, facing the Church of San Cataldo, this small church is a must see when visiting this city. Don’t get fooled from the plain exterior, what you are preparing to experience inside will be breathtaking.

Buy a Pine Cone to take home

Food and drink to try

The best part about visiting Italy is definitely the food, the drinks and the wine. Sicily is no exception and here are some of the wonderful things to try when in Palermo!

Try a local aperitivo

When in Sicily try the Sicilian Spritz! This refreshing drink combines sharp citrus and sweet lemonade via Limoncello.

Try the regional wine!

The wine in Sicily is absolutely amazing and I discovered new wines that I had never tried before thanks to Sicilia DOC, which is a broad, island-wide appellation. It launched in 2011 by a consortium of wine producers who promoted the Sicilia IGT to a DOC. The dozens of wineries participating in the appellation agreed to work in tandem to promote Sicily’s native grapes like Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Frappato and Catarratto as well as the lesser known Inzolia, Grecanico and Perricone.

The island encompasses 25,460 km² of varied terrain and exhibits a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild, rainy winters. Viticulturists have a wide range of elevations and expositions to work with.  Around 61% of Sicilian terrain is hilly, 26% is mountainous, and the remaining 14% of land is flat. Consequently, producers can successfully make a wide range of Sicilian wines thanks to the multitude of elevations, soils, and microclimates available. These factors also mean Sicilian harvests often last over a three-month period.

Frappato is a lighter red wine, that would be perfect in the summer months slightly chilled and so delicious. Though blended typically, it can also be bottled on its own. This was actually my favourite variety.

Think of Grillo as a fuller, funky alternative to Pinot Grigio. With that slight herbal note and bright acidity, it goes incredibly well with seafood, vegetable dishes and pastas.

Other varieties I tried were the Perricone and Nero D’Avola.

I was grateful to be part of so many wine tastings with experts and Sicilian wine has definitely grown on me so if you would like any recommendations just let me know!

 Visit the food markets

There are four famous street markets in Palermo: Capo, Ballaro, Vucciria and Borgo Vecchio. They’re all famous for the street food, but you can find an array of things here!

Don’t EVER skip dessert!

Always make sure you have room for some Sicilian desserts! My weaknesses were cannoli, a fried pastry tube filled with a creamy, ricotta mix, and cassata, an addictive sponge soaked in liqueur, layered with ricotta and jam, decorated with marzipan and candied fruit.