Sharon's Trip to Palermo

By Sharon Martin

Sharons Trip To Palermo

 

I recently spent four nights in the beautiful Italian city of Palermo, located on the island of Sicily. Palermo is known for its ancient history and stunning beaches. We flew direct with Ryanair to Palermo Airport in the early morning, and returned to Dublin mid-afternoon.


Location

We rented an apartment in the city centre for our stay, and almost everything was in walking distance, apart from a few day trips which are a short drive from the city. The airport is 33km from the city centre, and it took us about 40 minutes by direct bus which drops you off at several city centre locations.


What I Loved

The highlight of our trip for me was Mondello Beach, located about 30 minutes away by bus. This is a lovely Mediterranean beach in a bay surrounded by hills on either side, with plenty of places to soak up the sun or grab a drink. There was also places to get incredible seafood. It’s definitely a great place to get away from the city and unwind.


Activities & Places to See

  • We took the Hop on Hop off bus around the city for only €20. This was a great way to get to know Palermo and take in the attractions.
  • The old town is a maze of narrow medieval streets. I loved getting lost wandering down them and having a drink in the bars and restaurants there.
  • I loved visiting the Teatro Massimo opera house and the Royal Palace, two historic buildings where we took in loads of culture.
  • You can also do a full day excursion to see Mount Etna, one of the largest volcanoes in Europe.


Shopping

Like many Italian cities, Palermo has lots of popular brands and designer clothing shops, so there’s something to fit every taste and budget. Many of the best shops are found around the Via Roma as well as the Via Ruggero Settimo. We also found a great market selling clothes and jewellery on the Via Bandera. One thing is for sure, you won’t lack shopping opportunities in Palermo!

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Food and Bars

One of my favourite things about Palermo was the high-quality food all around the city, especially the street food which was really cheap and delicious. I tried a sfincione; a type of small, spongy pizza, as well as an arancine; a really tasty fried ball of rice and fillings like shrimp or spinach. The city also has fantastic bars within the city centre, serving nice Italian wine and aperitifs like Campari and Aperol, perfect for cooling down on a hot day!


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