Practical Palermo: Markets, Squares & Local Tips

Vallarò is the oldest and largest market in Palermo. Its origins date back to the 10th century, during Arab rule. The name probably derives from the Arabic Suq al-Balara, from the name of a village in Monreale from which gardeners arrived. Come early in the morning for street food, kha bread, meusa. The sandwich with boiled and fried spleen is the most typical. It costs less than 3 euros. If you want it without cheese it's called schetto, with cheese maritato. No menu will explain it to you, you need to already know it.

The Four Corners are not a square, they are an intersection, the point where Via Macheda cuts across the Cassaro dividing Palermo into four historical districts. The corner buildings were constructed between 1608 and 1620 according to a design by Giulio Lasso, with decorations completed in 1663. Each façade has three levels, the fountains of the seasons on the first, the Spanish kings on the second, the patron saints of the four neighborhoods on the third. It is the only example in the world of an octagonal Baroque square created from a street intersection. Each level tells a different hierarchy of power, natural, royal, divine.

The Capo Market extends beneath a long tunnel of colored fabrics that filter the light and create an almost cinematic atmosphere. It is the Fish Market par excellence in Palermo, with lobsters, sea urchins, swordfish, and octopuses displayed on marble counters. The vendors still practice the bagnata, the rhythmic cry-singing with which they call customers. Enter from Porta Carini, the fourteenth-century gate that is still its main entrance, and walk to the end. The Market ends in front of the Cathedral.

Piazza Marina is the largest square in Palermo's Historic Center. At its center is the Garibaldi Garden, with the oldest magnolia figs in Italy. Some are over 150 years old and have aerial roots that descend from the branches like tentacles. It is said that the roots have lifted the surrounding pavement over the decades. Sit on a bench under these trees early in the morning and watch the square wake up. A few steps away is the Cala, Palermo's ancient Arab port, still active with fishing boats.