Introduction

Palermo is a city with problems with regard to the Mafia, uncontrolled growth and poverty. However, this does not take away its charm. Palermo has a three thousand year old history, beautiful palaces and churches, and a wonderful kitchen.

Population

Palermo is the fifth largest city in Italy, with about 650,000 inhabitants. Relatively speaking, many members of the Mafia live in Palermo. In light of the relatively poor economic situation of Sicily, compared to the mainland, there are few immigrant workers. Despite all this, Palermo is one of the fastest growing cities in Italy, because of the decrease in agriculture on Sicily many people move to the big cities, in particular Palermo.

Location

Palermo is located on the island of Sicily, which is semi-independent from Italy. Palermo houses the Sicilian parliament. This capital is situated on the north side of Sicily and borders the Tyrrene Sea.

Economy

Palermo's economy depends above all on industry and commerce. Industry includes in particular the processing and canning of agricultural produce. Cotton is another product that is being processed. Commerce includes in particular the export of Italian products like cotton, wine and canned vegetables. Also, tourists come to Palermo, although tourism is not very important to the city's economy. Despite the city's economic diversity, there is a lot of poverty.

Airports

Palermo's airport is called Falcone-Borsellino Airport. It is located 32 kilometers to the west of Palermo. The airport processes, among others, flights to and from major European cities.

Public transport

If you do not have a rental car at your disposal, you can take a taxi to the center of Palermo for € 35. Or you can take the bus, which is much cheaper. Palermo's bus company is called AMAT. Buses usually are on time. Palermo also has a subway, although with only 10 stops this does not really apply to visitors.

Traffic and Parking

If you have experience driving in Rome or Naples, you should do fine in Palermo. Like Rome and Naples, Palermo is a busy place with a lot of honking cars 4 inches behind you. Car theft is pretty common. You are advised to park your car in secured car parks, if your accommodation does not include parking.

Hotels

Whatever kind of hotel you are looking for, Palermo provides them all.

External Sources

For more information about Palermo, we recommend Google, and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Palermo
• AAPIT Palermo (tourist information)
(multilingual)
• Municipal website
(several languages)