Ciao!
We are Oihana and Julen, two tourism students from the Basque Country (Spain) and we will spend the next three months in the city of Palermo thanks to the Erasmus+ scholarship. We are going to tell you about our first impressions, curiosities and recommendations for your first time in Palermo.
What surprised us about Palermo?
The first thing that shocked us, as soon as we left the airport and took to the road, was the peculiar way the Italians drive, because it gave the impression that there were no driving rules.
People pass when they want to and the cars don’t slow down, if you are lucky they slow down to let pedestrians pass.
¡¡¡¡ Be careful when crossing the street !!!!
In addition, there are many children and young people riding mopeds in the alleys of the historic center.
During the first days of adapting to the city, we were surprised by the aggressive way in which people sell in the market, in the street stalls or the people who drive an “ape taxi“.
Another of the curiosities that we noticed about Palermo is that in every alley of the historical center there is a niche on the wall with the statue of the Holy Mary.
Palermo is a beautiful city, very rich in history and art but yet full of contradictions!
What did we like?
There is no doubt that one of the many charms of Palermo is its atmosphere, with music and shows in the streets, people any day at any time and street food stalls.
We have been able to taste its most typical dishes and it has been a unique experience, both for its taste and its price.
On the cultural side, Palermo is a city full of churches, monuments and curious stories that are hidden in every corner of this city.
What we did NOT like?
Not everything was going to be perfect, and we had already been warned of some inconveniences, such as rubbish management, which leads to dirty streets and bad smells in some of the more residential areas.
Other things we didn’t like were small children begging for money on bar terraces and mothers using their babies to beg for money.
You have to be careful as sometimes you can get swindled for being a foreigner – try to go araound with a local!
Here CityXape can give you the all the advice that you need! 🙂
What do we recommend for your first time in Palermo?
The first piece of advice we can give you is to be careful with your personal belongings, such as your wallet, mobile phones or money; as in any other new place you visit for the first time.
Be aware that restaurants charge a supplement for the service they offer, so don’t be scared when you see the bill!
Last but not least:
Do NOT leave Palermo without having tried the arancine, cannoli, milza or aperol spritz!
Editor: Ohiana Moya Sanchez & Julen Matute Altuna
