Palermo - The Yellow City

The theatre in Palermo

In the city of Palermo

Yellow light in Palermo

The 'Yellow City' by Fabrizio Felmi Cacciatore

                                             


Shall I start saying that I love this city? Yeah, it is a good start for my blog, I think :P

I am visiting the 'yellow city' for the first time, due to an APV Erasmus Plus meeting. Two days of work and visit suited my mind well as I am now dead tired and still full of joy :)

 Maghweb NGO  APV Erasmus Plus meeting (most of the following pictures are from my APV colleagues: Diana Gonsalves, Fabrizio Felmi and a beautiful lady from the middle of this picture) 

The Cathedral of Palermo

Fountains backwards

What fascinated me the most was the impressive architecture with Phoenician, Byzantine, Norman and Arabic influences. Palermo has Roman fountains (which I found so peaceful and relaxing), museums, theatres, an impressive cathedral, the Four Canti walls, the gates of the city (one is Porta Felicia - The Gate of Happiness); there is a free masonic castle there on top of the mountains (sic:P). Palermo has both sea (The Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the Mediterranean Sea) and mountains (the most known one being Monte Pellegrino about which Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,  described it as "the most beautiful promontory in the world'' (information taken from here ).

Streets in Palermo

Inside the Cathedral of Palermo

Streets of Palermo

The name of the city comes from the Greek language  'Panormus', meaning  ''all port''.  During their occupation (8 -7 century BC), Greeks split 'Panormus' in two: 'Palepolis' (meaning the ancient city) and 'Neapolis'  (the new city). So, the ancient city became Palermo and the new city became Naples. These two cities were always in competition - the legend says.
A bit more about Palermo's history here.

There are so many things I can say about Palermo, the best is to make you go there yourself and see exactly what I am talking about. It is so fascinating how the Arabic style and cuisine are mixed with the Roman and Norman one. There are two public markets with lots of fresh vegetables (some I never saw in my life), cheese and meat (especially fish). I was thinking if living there, would have eaten so healthy!

Palermo open market 

What else... oh yes, there is the best ice cream there  - I have tried some pistachio gelato from Casa Stagnitta  - a place known for its best coffee in Palermo.  Now will eat traditional Turkish and Italian ice-cream only - as they are the best of any other ice-cream in the world, trust me :)

Ice-cream :P

Italian Coffee

At Casa Stagnitta

About beverages..there is another story: they have hundreds of wines, served as aperitifs, along with the food or as deserts. I have tried Zibibbo and Passito drinks  :) so sweet deserts.

The best thing is that during Erasmus Plus projects I have the chance to visit the area introduced by the locals, so I can eat the best food, drink the best drinks, see the best places and listen to the best stories. This is how I have found that after the bombings during the Second World War, the citizens built a seafront with the bombing's remains (as destroyed buildings mainly). Another interesting thing is that bulbs which light up the city give a yellow colour and this is why the city is called ' the yellow city'.

The Port in Palermo

The 'Yellow City' by Fabrizio Felmi Cacciatore

Another thing: if you go to pubs around 7 PM, you can eat there for free: each pub serves food (meat, vegetables, pasta, pizza, sweets) for free if you buy drinks, yeyyy :P
On the other hand, if you go eat in a restaurant and wait for hours at the queue, they will serve you drinks and some snacks for free while waiting :p

Cannolo Siciliano - sweet cheese covered by a sort of dried pancake :)

Traditional Italian  cantuccini (sweet bread and nuts)

Italians are cooking everything with zucchini - I like the taste so much actually

What about the Italian mafia? Well, there are so many stories about this and there are still the bullets in the buildings' walls from the altercations;  there are many graves of people who died because of the mafia. My Italian friends told me about a priest and two judges as the most memorable people who fought against the mafia and ended up killed by mafia.  Some people are still terrified - been told that mafia still exists in Italy but these times they involve more in making money through various business than being preoccupied by killing people.

What else: well, my advice is..Go there, give and take as much love as you can and live with it!

Victoria