Palermo Diaries: Coffee, Chaos, and That One Piazza
the moment i stepped off the train in palermo, i knew i was in for something wild. not the "charming cobblestone streets" kind of wild, but the "is that a goat in the middle of the road?" kind. the air smelled like salt, diesel, and something frying that i couldn't quite place. i just checked and it's 20.02°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. not too hot, not too cold-just enough to make you want to sit in a piazza with a granita and pretend you have all the time in the world.
i stayed near the centro storico, which is both a blessing and a curse if you're carrying a 20kg backpack and trying to navigate streets that seem to change names every 50 meters. *via roma was my lifeline-wide enough to breathe, busy enough to feel alive. someone told me that the best arancine in town are at arancina siciliana on via maqueda, and honestly? they weren't wrong. crispy, golden, and filled with ragu that could make you weep.
if you get bored, catania and trapani are just a short drive away. i didn't make it to either, but i heard from a guy at the hostel that trapani's salt flats at sunset are worth the detour. maybe next time.
one night, i ended up at a tiny bar called ottava nota after following the sound of live music. the place was packed, the wine was rough, and the owner kept refilling my glass while telling me stories about his nonna's secret pasta recipe. i didn't catch the whole thing-too much wine, too little italian-but i nodded like i understood. that's the thing about palermo: you don't need to understand everything to feel like you belong.
pro-tip: if you're into vintage, check out the flea market at ballarò. it's chaotic, overwhelming, and full of treasures if you're patient. i found a leather jacket for 15 euros that still had the smell of whoever owned it before me. perfect.
i also heard that the teatro massimo* offers free rooftop tours if you ask nicely. didn't try it myself, but a girl in my hostel swore by it. said the view of the city at golden hour was worth the awkward conversation with the guard.
this city doesn't hold your hand. it throws you in the deep end and expects you to swim. but if you're okay with getting a little lost, palermo will reward you with moments you'll be telling stories about for years. just don't forget to try the cannoli. and maybe learn a few italian phrases. or don't. either way, you'll survive.
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