TERMINI IMERESE
We believe Termini Imerese is a truly underrated town on the coast of northern Sicily! With just under 25,000 inhabitants, it lies between the tourist hotspots of Palermo and Cefalù, which is why most holidaymakers either drive or take the train right past it instead of exploring this place, which doesn't feature prominently in travel guides or blogs. In the 20th century, Termini Imerese was dominated by industry – primarily due to the large Fiat plant, which provided four jobs until 2011. Even in the Middle Ages, Termini Imerese was an important trading port for the export of grain and olive oil, and today the town still boasts a significant cargo port with shipyards and repair shops. As a result, the town hasn't developed into a typical tourist resort, which is precisely what makes it so exciting and authentic!
Although the architect Antonio Spadafora was commissioned to design the Termini Imerese Cathedral as early as 1604, it was only completed gradually, with the facade being finished just over a hundred years ago, around 1912. Inside, however, elements of the narthex still remain, such as the double-sided painted crucifix from 1484. From the cathedral's forecourt, there is a magnificent view across the entire gulf and of the city, which lies at the foot of Monte San Calogero and has a drop of 80 meters between the cathedral and the sea.
The cathedral square is home to the 17th-century town hall and other historic palazzi. The Liberty-style kiosk not only makes for a great photo opportunity, but also sells ice cream, espresso and cappuccino, cornetti, and in the evenings, aperitifs and cocktails.
Via Roma, with its herringbone-patterned steps made of sea pebbles, is one of the city's most beautiful streets! Built at the end of the 18th century, it stretches for 300 meters and offers ever-changing views of the Gulf of Termini. You'll pass buildings like the former Jesuit college with its library and chapels, which later housed a court and tribunal for decades. Unfortunately, the building is closed, and the 18th-century frescoes can currently only be admired in online photographs . But the side streets and other winding alleys, for example, those below the cathedral, are also incredibly charming! Here, you'll experience authentic Sicilian life, with few tourists. There are many vacant properties and "For Sale" signs, but you'll also see renovation work underway. Incidentally, the city is a bit of a hidden gem for finding very affordable real estate! The constantly shifting vistas offer new perspectives of the sea and Monte San Calogero, where clouds often linger during the shoulder seasons.
Unfortunately, both are inaccessible and threatened by decay: the former Grand Hotel delle Terme and the church Chiesa di Maria Santissima Annunziata.
During the Belle Époque, the Grand Hotel delle Terme was a meeting place for the Sicilian upper class. Nobles and wealthy families spent several weeks here taking the waters, similar to Baden-Baden or Karlovy Vary. Around 1900, horse-drawn carriages, and later the first automobiles, pulled up in front of the fashionable building. The design was commissioned from one of the most important architects of the time: Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda, who had just completed the Politeama Theater in Palmaro. The thermal springs, from which 43-degree Celsius sulfurous volcanic thermal water emerges, are still active beneath the building complex today. A Google image search reveals pictures of the grand interior, but sadly, the neoclassical hotel has been closed and derelict since 2015. Following a legal dispute, the building and the thermal baths have been owned by the city again since 2024, and the residents are hoping for a renovation and revitalization of the historic complex. The building was last opened in 2022 as part of an open monument day organized by "La vie die testori".
Unfortunately, the Chiesa di Maria Santissimia Annunziata, with its shimmering blue majolica dome, and the Chiesa di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, both unfortunately inaccessible but also very beautiful from the outside, are both remarkable. The Chiesa di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, with its simple exterior, boasts a significant interior: a 15th-century fresco cycle depicting the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Like an early comic strip, the images stretch along the walls, inscribed not in Latin but in medieval Sicilian, making the paintings interesting not only from an art historical perspective but also from a linguistic one! The biblical story was intended to be conveyed to ordinary people, many of whom were illiterate, during the late Middle Ages. According to the internet, the church is open Fridays through Sundays with special opening hours, and photos of the frescoes can also be found on this website: https://www.scopritermini.it/luoghi/santa-caterina-dalessandria/
Every Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Mercato del Venerdi takes place in the lower town of Termini Imerese, selling household goods, clothing (including a lot of counterfeit designer items – our 14-year-old daughter loved it!), and groceries. The stalls of this everyday market stretch across a large area near the port, attracting shoppers from the surrounding towns.
Behind the Friday market lies the Termini Imerese harbor area, with its disused and, in some cases, quite charming factory buildings and warehouses from the 19th and 20th centuries. These buildings arose because Termini Imerese has a well-protected industrial port where shipping has been practiced for centuries. Directly behind the buildings is the Termini Imerese beach – a contrast between natural and industrial history that might not appeal to every tourist, but certainly has its own charm!
When we were in Termini Imerese in October 2025, it was windy and the sea was rough, so swimming was out of the question. We had lunch at the restaurant "La Laterna." We ate delicious pasta surrounded only by locals! The prices are very reasonable (Penne al Pomodoro €6, Spaghetti alla Bolognese €8, Pasta Vongole €16, pizzas from €6), and the display case features fresh fish, depending on the day's catch, which you can have prepared to order.
Termini Imerese boasts a history spanning millennia! Its modern name is composed of two parts: "Termini" derives from the Latin word for thermal baths – the hot sulfur springs were already famous throughout the Mediterranean in antiquity, as legend has it that Hercules relaxed his muscles here after his grueling labors. "Imerese" means "belonging to Himera." The Greek city of Himera was located about 10 kilometers east of present-day Termini Imerese and was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 BC. The survivors settled near the hot springs and founded Terme Himerenses. The remains of the ancient city of Himera can still be visited today; information is available here . In 252 BC, the Romans conquered Termini Imerese – during this time, an amphitheater for 4,000 spectators was built. Unfortunately, only a few remnants remain today, as it is now largely buried beneath modern houses and streets. Walking down Via Roma today, you are following the axis that connected the strategically located upper town (offering security and a wide view) with the port 2400 years ago!
Termini Imerese is famous for its carnival in February , the Carnevale Terminato! It is considered Sicily's oldest carnival (documented since 1876, but likely older). Its emblem is "U Nanni ca Nanna," an old married couple. There are large parades with elaborate papier-mâché floats, music, and dancing. Other special events throughout the year are Holy Week and Easter , when—as in many other Sicilian cities—historical brotherhoods, accompanied by brass bands, hold Good Friday processions through the old town. On the second Sunday in September , the patron saint's festival in honor of the "Madonna delle Catena" takes place. The Madonna is carried in a solemn procession through the old town, everything is festively decorated, there are market stalls, and a grand fireworks display in the evening. On December 8th , the Feast of the Immaculate Conception "Immacolata Concezione" is celebrated: three Madonnas from the churches of Termini Imereses are carried in a solemn procession along the Via Roma - the religious festival is considered particularly impressive.
Termini Imerese can be reached from Porticello (S. Flavia train station) in 28 minutes by train – the station is located in the lower town by the harbor, and from there the city is easily explored! By car, the journey also takes just under half an hour; in that case, parking is recommended in one of the blue-marked parking lots near the cathedral or at the harbor in the lower town.