Chapter 1 - Arrival & Pre-Tour
DAY
0
Destination Palermo
Il nostro viaggio inizia
(Our trip begins)
Day 0 - November 10-11, 2024
Kevin and I flew out of Chicago O'Hare to Rome on Sunday, November 10 and transferred to an ITA flight, arriving in Palermo on schedule. We took the train from the airport to Stazione di Palermo Centrale and then followed the directions provided by Rick to walk to our hotel. We arrived at the Ambasciatori Hotel on Via Roma, 111 in the early evening on Monday, November 11th.
We settled into our room and then took a walk in search of a dinner restaurant. We highly recommend Mercato Maqueda Cucina & Vino for an authentic Sicilian meal.
Tired, but so happy to be in Sicily!
Our first Sicilian meal —delicious!
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Mercato
Maqueda Cucina & Vino
10,445 Steps
The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele opened in 1897 and is the largest opera house in Italy, The final scenes in "The Godfather III" were filmed in this theater.
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The Port of Palermo is one of the major ports for passenger traffic in the Mediterranean.
While graffiti has been prevalent on our trips in Europe, Sicily seemed to have less graffiti "art." This is one of the
few instances we spotted it on this trip.
Pre-Tour in Palermo
November 12, 2024
We made the most of a misty, cloudy day as we walked the streets of Palermo. In the morning, we took a guided tour of the majestic Teatro Massimo. It is a beautiful theater building with ornate woodwork and decorative art.
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Teatro Massimo
Vittorio
Emanuele
The day continued with more walking as we explored the port area and engaged in some people-watching. Oh...and we engaged in some gelato tasting, as well!
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Exploring the streets on a misty morning.
Travel option for tourists near the Fountain of Shame
We paused to people-watch near Port of Palermo
Exploring the streets on a misty morning.
Let's satisfy your curiosity...
What's that Symbol?
When traveling through Sicily, you will see this strange representation of a female head on flags, ceramics and souvenirs. The Trinacria, is the three-legged Medusa that symbolizes Sicily. It is a Greek word that means ‘three pointed;’ and it recalls the triangular shape of the island. Trinacria was also the earliest known name of Sicily. The head has entwined serpents hair and ears of corn. The three stalks of wheat were added in Roman times and represent the symbol of the fertility of the land. The three legs of the Trinacria are arranged in a spiral formation and believed to represent the island’s three capes. The oldest known representation of the Trinacria is a terracotta vase you can find in the Archeological Museum of Agrigento.
Is that a
Pine Cone?
You can't help but notice ceramic pine cones (not pineapples!) all over Sicily, in homes and businesses, and especially in souvenir shops. The pine cone symbol is part of Sicilian tradition and is seen in other ancient cultures. In fact in ancient Egypt, Babylon and Greece it was an image representing the divine and immortality. The meaning closest to the Sicilian tradition is that the pine cone represents fertility and life-giving force. This is logical because of the abundance of seeds inside symbolizing fruitfulness. It also carries the messages of luck and is often given to newlyweds to wish prosperity and the formation of a large family. Go ahead and bring one home as a souvenir, as long as it fits in your luggage!
What About the Mafia?
When you think of Sicily, you probably think of the mafia. While it’s true this criminal organization originated on the island of Sicily and dates back to the mid-19th century, there has been an orchestrated movement against the mafia over the past 30 years. The movement is called Addiopizzo, which basically means “goodbye extortion.” After the assassinations of two judges, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in 1992, the anti-mafia movement grew through an organized and passionate grassroots effort. Community-wide action and changes in the education system are changing people’s attitudes and creating a collective resistance. Today, many gains have been made to reduce the allure and greatly weaken the Sicilian mafia.
