Columbus Cruise Review

Home > Cruise Destination Guide > Palermo

Time Zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in September).

Currency: Euro (€) = 100 cents or L1936.

Language: Italian.

Sightseeing: Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a splendid city. It is opulent, vital and full of remarkable architecture, particularly Norman and Baroque. Notable buildings include the Martorana, Santa Maria di Gesu, San Giuseppe dei Teatini and San Cataldo churches, the Duomo (Cathedral) and the Palazzo dei Normanni (Norman Palace). The Catacombe dei Cappuccini (Catacombs of the Capuchin Monks) contain thousands of mummified bodies.

Shopping: High-quality leather produce, gold and silverware and marbled paper, ceramics hand-painted with floral patterns, lace, brightly coloured rugs and carpets, coral jewellery and trinkets. Olives, sun-dried tomatoes, preserved roasted vegetables, anchovies, olive oil, local sweets and pastries.

Eating Out: Pesce spada (swordfish stuffed with brandy, mozzarella and herbs, grilled on charcoal), pasta con le sarde (pasta with fresh sardines), caponata (rich dish of olives, anchovies and aubergines), pizza siciliana (pizza with olives and capers) and triglie alla siciliana (grilled mullet with orange peel and white wine). Excellent sweets are cassata (ice cream of various flavours with candied fruit and bitter chocolate) and frutti di marturana (marzipan fruits). Local wines include Regaleali, Corvo di Salaparuta and the famous Marsala.