Western Sicily - the 5 Senses 2026-27

Palermo street food. 
Street food — or “cibo da strada” — ranks Palermo first among European cities and fifth worldwide. Walking through the stalls of the Ballarò Market, tasting local specialties is a must. In this colorful market, one of the largest and most authentic in the city, you can find the best products from all over Sicily, including fruit, vegetables, cheeses, and of course fish — all at unbeatable prices. In addition to food stalls, you can also find dishes, electronics, and many other inexpensive items.

Palazzo dei Normanni. 
It is useful to know that Palazzo dei Normanni is often also called the Royal Palace of Palermo. Located in Piazza Indipendenza, it perfectly represents Palermo’s cultural blend. Built to house Arab emirs, it was later expanded by the Normans and subsequently occupied by the Spanish. Today, it is the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. Its architectural style is cosmopolitan and preserves traces of the various cultures that inhabited it. Among the interiors, the courtyards, gardens, and the Hall of King Roger are particularly striking. The mosaics depicting hunting scenes are truly remarkable. The jewel of the palace is the Palatine Chapel, a masterpiece in Arab-Norman-Byzantine style. Commissioned by King Roger II, it hosted royal masses. Its most astonishing feature is the magnificent golden mosaics covering both walls and ceiling, some of which include human figures — quite rare for the period.
It is the most beautiful Byzantine chapel in Palermo and is considered by many to be the most beautiful church in all of Sicily.

SALEMI, THE “HIDDEN SICILY”
In the heart of the Belice Valley, surrounded by a stunning natural landscape of countryside, hills, and vineyards, lies the town of Salemi, part of the “Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.” Its charming historic center, located 500 meters above sea level, with narrow streets, squares, ancient buildings, churches, and a castle, is a true open-air museum — a place where it is always pleasant to stroll, far from traffic and noise. Here you can feel a unique atmosphere of history and tradition, shaped by the many civilizations that passed through. The first settlers were the Elymians, who founded the city of Halyciae. It was later ruled by the Romans, Goths, Byzantines, Arabs (who renamed it Saleiman, meaning “place of delight”), Normans, Swabians, and Bourbons, and was finally liberated by Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860.On that occasion, the Italian tricolor flag was raised for the first time on the tower of the Norman-Swabian castle, and Salemi was symbolically declared the first capital of Italy.