Reader Questions: A Day in Palermo

Interestingly enough, I received two questions in the last week or so about traveling to and around Sicily’s anarchic capital.

Indu from Portland wrote:

Hi Cherrye,
I love your blog, my family would love to visit Palermo this summer and I need your help to find out how to fly into Palermo easily from Portland, Oregon, USA? Any help would be appreciated.

While Dennis is Washington asked …

My family and two others (total of 6 adults and 7 kids ages 8 -16) will be docking in Palermo on June 21st. We will be on the Disney cruise line and in Palermo from 8:30 to 18:00. We are trying to determine the best way to spend the day to get the most out of Palermo. Can you please pass along ideas and any services that you might offer.

Thank you for your questions, guys. I am happy to help … and I’m glad these two sets of questions go together for this week’s Reader Question.

First of all … getting to Palermo.

I feel your pain, Indu. Trying to go from Portland to Palermo is almost as rough as my trip is from Houston to Lamezia. It involves at least two flights and sometimes long, untimely layovers.

If you have time, you can plan to spend a few days in the Eternal City before heading south or if you are just traveling through, consider staying with Paola at Roma AXA 27 B&B … the bed and breakfast my husband and I always stay in when we pass through Rome.

If I, like Dennis, had only one free day in Palermo … gulp! … I’d choose one or two big things to see, grab a quick lunch and spend some time walking through the labyrinth-like streets of this eclectic city. If your group can’t all agree, then consider splitting up into a couple of smaller groups, then meeting up for a quick lunch or an afternoon coffee or aperitivo.

You can read about my Top 10 favorite things in Palermo here or read the Palermo City Guide I wrote for Wanderlust Women Travel. However, to sum it up, here are the top three things I think your group would enjoy.

– Shopping in the Markets … the energy in the 700-year-old Vucceria Market is intoxicating and (without knowing where else your cruise is stopping) visiting a market in Sicily is a true Italian experience.

– Visiting the Catacombs … the kids aren’t the only ones who will be entranced by Palermo’s catacombs. They might not be as high on most people’s list as the Duomo or the Palazzo dei Normanni, but they are pretty darn impressive and you and your family won’t forget this experience anytime soon.

– Walking along Via Vittorio Emanuele … the #1 way to see the best of Palermo in a few hours is by walking along Via Vittorio Emanuele. You’ll pass by many of the main sites and have a chance to stop for milza, arancini or cannoli along the way.

Speaking of eating, I’d skip the big southern Italian lunch and opt instead for a quick bite at Palermo’s famous Antica Focacceria San Francesco (Via Alessandro Paternostro, 58).

If you’d prefer a guided tour, then let me know and I’ll put you in contact with some of my travel guides friends over on the island!

Thank you so much for your questions, Indu and Dennis. I hope you and your families have a great time in Palermo. If you need any help with your itinerary, be sure to let me know.

Do you have a southern Italy-related travel question you want answered? If so, let me know and your question could be featured here at My Bella Vita. If you’d like help planning your trip, then consider a custom itinerary or travel consult to ensure you have the trip of your lifetime!