PALERMO
We recently returned from a 2-week trip to western Sicily, including a number of days in Palermo. First, and foremost, Sicily in general and Palermo in particular is seriously underrated. The island has been a crossroads of cultures for more than 2,000 years, and the result is unique food and architecture. The people are very friendly, and Palermo is easy to navigate, safe, and far less chaotic than Rome. The majority of the sites are within a fairly short walk of one another, and Ubers are readily available for longer trips. This travel report will be about Palermo and its environs. I’ll write another report on our journeys beyond the Palermo area.
GETTING THERE
As there are no direct flights from the US to Palermo this time of year, we flew to Rome on United and connected with their codeshare ITA. Due to weather at Washington Dulles, we departed late and had less than an hour and 45-minute layover in Rome. Although border control went fairly smoothly, it was a long and confusing walk, with additional security screening along the way, from the international arrival area to the gate for the hour flight to Palermo. We had little time to spare. I would suggest that 2 hours is the minimum to connect through Rome.
Flying to Rome, instead of another European gateway, at least meant that there were numerous other flights to Palermo if we missed our connection. While we are usually adherents of RS’s carryon luggage approach, ITA’s significant restriction on carryon baggage dictated that we check our bags from Washington through to Palermo.
After retrieving our bags, we were met by a driver arranged by Delle Vittorio B&B, a RS recommendation. While there are train and bus options, after a long overnight trip, it was nice to sit back in a van for a 30-minute ride directly to our lodging. €60 well spent.
DELLE VITTORIO B&B
Delle Vittorio B&B is located just off a main restaurant and shopping street, which has been closed to vehicle traffic. It is very close to the major sites. Like some European inns, it occupies part of a floor of a large building, but thankfully there was an elevator. The courtyard of the building now contains a cocktail bar (this is an update from the RS Sicily 2 ed.) but noise was not a problem. Our room was functional, large by urban European standards, with a comfortable bed, climate control (we needed heat in March), and a large shower. Breakfast featured a couple of different cereals, cold cuts, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and lots of pastries. There was coffee, tea, and juices to drink. It cost €10, which was worth it for the convenience and options beyond an expresso and pastry at a counter.
REGIONAL ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
After settling in to the inn, we set out to see Palermo. We followed the beginning of the RS walking tour, but only as far as the Regional Archeological Museum. Nestled in an old convent with a beautiful courtyard, it gave a great overview of Sicily's early cultures, from before the Greeks up to and including the Romans. It gave us a good understanding of the sites we would see beyond Palermo. It helped immensely that the descriptions were written in English and the audio guide was insightful.