Palermo — The City of a Thousand Faces

Palermo is the capital of Sicily and one of the most fascinating cities in Europe — a city you either love or find overwhelming, often both at the same time. With 630,000 inhabitants, it is the fifth-largest city in Italy and a palimpsest of cultures: Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Hohenstaufen, Spaniards, and Bourbons have left their marks — and none has ever been completely erased.

The heart of the city beats at the Quattro Canti (Piazza Vigliena) — a Baroque crossroads where the two main axes of the old town intersect. From here, all the highlights are within walking distance. The Palazzo dei Normanni (Norman Palace) was the residence of the Arab emirs and then the Norman kings — its Cappella Palatina is a masterpiece of art history: A palace chapel whose walls and ceiling are entirely covered with Byzantine gold mosaics — Christ Pantocrator, saints, and biblical scenes in a splendor that takes your breath away. The wooden ceiling is of Arabic-Islamic style — the fusion of Byzantine, Islamic, and Latin art in one place is unique worldwide.

The Cathedral of Palermo is an architectural marvel: an Arab-Norman layout with Catalan-Gothic additions and a neoclassical dome. Inside rest the sarcophagi of Emperor Frederick II (the "Stupor Mundi"), King Roger II, and other rulers in porphyry coffins. The tour over the cathedral roofs offers a panorama over the entire city. In the old town district of Kalsa (from the Arabic al-Khalisa, "the Pure"), winding alleys stretch between decaying and restored palaces — the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia in Palazzo Abatellis displays Antonello da Messina's "Annunziata" and the harrowing "Triumph of Death".

Palermo's street markets are legendary: The Ballarò (the oldest, loudest, and most authentic), the Vucciria (once the main market, now more of a nightlife hotspot), and the Capo (the best-stocked) — here swordfish, artichokes, spices, cheeses, and street food stalls pile up in a sound and smellscape reminiscent of an Arab souk.