...is the title of Emily Lowe's 19th-century travelogue, and indeed, one could still exclaim this today while walking through the vibrant metropolis, for it is full of surprises, beauty, vibrancy, and history. Most of the sights are close together; on foot, you can get a great overview of the city in just a few hours—there is so much to discover!
The Piazza Quattro Canti and the Piazza Pretoria directly behind it with its famous fountain, which practically merges into the Piazza Bellini where several churches worth seeing are located, should definitely not be missed.
Palermo's opulent churches are breathtakingly beautiful! Don't miss them; if the doors are open, it's always worth taking a look inside, even if there's a small entrance fee. Climbing a church tower always offers a fantastic view over the rooftops to the mountains and the sea.
The cathedral is particularly impressive from the outside and is located just a stone's throw from the Norman Palace with its famous Byzantine chapel.
The train station is also centrally located, so you can easily take a trip to Palermo by train. From Santa Flavia station, which is within walking distance of Casa America , it's only a 19-minute ride!
Of course, you shouldn't miss the Ballarò food market! It's loud and colorful, with smoke everywhere, as fresh fish, seafood, and meat (including offal) are grilled on-site. Vegetarians will also find something to their liking, with plenty of fresh, seasonal vegetables to buy and dishes like caponata, salads, and, of course, typical Sicilian dishes like arancini and dolce with various fillings, most notably cannoli!
Besides this famous market, where the proximity to Africa is particularly noticeable, there are also other great markets in Palermo, where food is sold, or flea markets where antiques are sold.
Also worth seeing in Palermo are the stately palaces of the former aristocracy, which can often be visited on guided tours, and the concert and opera houses Teatro Massimo and Teatro Politeamo. If you want to see these, it's advisable to plan your visit – in the case of the theaters, of course, it's best to combine it with a performance!
Aside from the well-known and lesser-known sights, it is a wonderful experience to walk through Palermo's streets and experience the life and hustle and bustle of the locals, between renovated palazzi but also crumbling facades and laundry blowing in the wind.
Especially in the Alberheria district (around the Mercato di Ballarò) and around the Mercato della Vucceria, you can discover a lot of street art by local artists, which addresses themes such as religiosity, the sea, immigration or the Mafia.
On the subject of the mafia: the notion that Palermo is a city where one should fear violence is still widespread in Germany. In fact, according to a 2017 study, Palermo has become Italy's safest city in terms of the number of crimes. So, everything speaks in favor of discovering this beautiful city (again and again)!