Experience in Palermo, Italy by Loredana

What is it like to live in Palermo? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Living in Palermo is really fine. It's not too big, nor too small. Cultural and night life are fabulous. I'd recommend it - mainly if you speak Italian, even just a bit (good English-speakers are quite rare, I'm afraid.. )

City centre is wonderful, full of monuments and curiosities.

Actually, the whole city has a long and deep history, you can see Roman ruins, Renaissance buildings and medieval churches in just one-day-walk, all toghether!

People are really friendly and always ready to help as much as they can (just be careful most of the times, as you would do in your home town.. )

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What is the student lifestyle like in Palermo?

Student lifestyle is how you want it to be. You can choose to spend a nice and calm studying-only period, without being bothered by anything at all, or you can choose to have a much more social life (there are lots of students' events to attend and people to meet).

Academic life is ok in general, but it mainly depends on the faculty (scientifical ones, Medicine and Law are the most difficult, Languages and similiar are far more simple and teacher are nicer).

How much does it cost to live in Palermo?

Living in Palermo is rather cheap and, if you know where to go shopping, it's really convenient, mainly depending on the neighborhood (university one is among the cheapest).

Food shopping is simple and cheap, and you can find lots of fresh local food for affordable prices. Just the same can be said for clothes and toiletries.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Palermo? Is there any advice you can give?

Finding an accommodation depends on the year period and the neighborhood you're looking for. Finding a room or an apartment for a university time, near the campus, is rather difficult, but not impossible at all. It's quite cheap as well. Renting a room or a house outside the univeristy circuits is cheaper and just as safe: you can have a look around some letting websites and, as soon as you arrive, take some tickets down the streets (on streetlamps, walls and places like this).

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Food is just spectacular! You can have some good food even walking down the streets (there are lots of mobile kiosks, bars and small kind of diners everywhere).

Pane con la milza ("roll with cow spleen"), pane e panelle, cannoli (sweets with ricotta cheese) and cassate (ricotta cheese cakes) are maybe the most famous dishes in Palermo.

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Also, if you want to have fresh vegetables, fruit, meat or fish, you can find it in every shop and around the most famous market, Ballarò and Vucciria (but you need to speak a bit of Italian, if possible - people actually speak dialect in markets).

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What places would you recommend visiting in Palermo?

The best way to have a general view is having a walk from the Royal Palace down to Piazza Marina ("Marine Square"), also visiting the Cathedral, the most famous Four Corners and all the churches and squares around it.

You can also decide not to get to Piazza Marina, and turn left at the Four Corners insted, getting to the Massimo Theatre and to Politeama theatre, having some shopping in the meanwhile.

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If you can go outside the "touristic" roads, you can also have a nice visit to Sant'Agata La Pedata Church (which is not great in itself, but there's a nice legend about the footprint on the rock inside the church), or you can go to the Catacombs, a quite creepy but fabulous place.

Is it good to eat out in Palermo? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Eating in Palermo is just great, as you can choose among a huge variety of places and foods.

You can even eat at a McDonald's or, much better, going for a typical lunch to the most famous and really cheap Antico Club Rosanero.

Or you can simply find some good food in diners around and mobile kiosks about everywhere.

You can even opt for a nice kebab, a Chinese or an Indian (but mainly Tamil) restaurant!

Is the nightlife good in Palermo? Where is good to go?

Nightlife is great: you can have parties 24/7 if you want to. Students' event are fun as well (lots of students' associations organize them) or you can simply go to Candelai or Vucciria randomly during the week (except on mondays, in which the majority of pubs and discos are closed).

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What advice would you give future students heading to Palermo?

Never, ever, ever, show you're foreign, first of all.

Secondly, never, ever, ever, look like tourists, if you go to markets mainly (they'll probably try to make you pay too much for what you're buying).

Be careful walking down the streets and, in general, be careful as you'd be in your home town (e. g. : don't go around with too much money)

If you're going places with public transport, consider at least an hour to arrive. Taking a bus is almost always a bad idea in Palermo: do so only if you really have to. Also, there's not public transport on nights (so make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes and you're in a good company). Underground works well, but we have just one train line which does not go everywhere.

My last advice: enjoy all of your sunny, fun, great Sicilian Erasmus life!