Squares

Palermo offers many things to do and places to visit such as the Piazza Verdi and Piazza Castelnuovo in Palermo. Be sure to bring your camera as you will want to take pictures.

Embrace Palermo’s Piazza Culture

While Americans spend their day running between destinations, Palermo’s Piazza culture caters to an entirely different aesthetic. Piazza culture is all about seeing and being seen, which inherently involves a lot of sitting in and around the main squares. Rather than fighting the inactivity, you would do well to sit back and relax into this uniquely Italian pastime.

In Palermo, piazza culture centers around two main squares. There are other squares that serve as tourist spots, but for piazza culture it’s the people and not the landmarks that matter most of all.

The Piazza Verdi and the Piazza Castelnuovo are packed from early morning into the wee hours of the night. Both are ringed with cafes, street vendors, and boutiques to entertain those whiling away the hours in the main squares.

Thought the throngs of people may be a bit intimidating, remember that there’s safety in numbers. While guidebooks may warn against being out at night alone in Palermo, in the Piazza’s you are hardly by yourself. The presence of families with children should further reassure you that even in the late hours the Piazzas are welcoming, safe places for visitors and locals alike.

Piazza Verdi Palermo

Though it’s a major historical zone, the Piazza Verdi Palermo can even be found on Facebook! Named after the composer, Piazza Verdi sits at the end of the Via Bara all Olivia not far from the Teatro Massimo. The north side of the square is the busiest zone, with a number of pizzerias and nightclubs available for visitors. The Facebook page provides updates about live performances and events in the square, which are also listed in the free sheet Palermo and Provincia Live that is distributed around the city.

Piazza Castelnuovo

Piazza Castelnuovo Palermo bleeds into another of the city’s well-known squares, the Piazza Ruggero Settimo. Locals sometimes refer to the general area as the Piazza Politeama, but it’s worth noting that if you are meeting at the Politeama, you will want to pin down a specific corner to avoid roaming the squares lost. The general area is a pedestrian zone, so expect to walk a little to your destination either way.

The Piazza Castelnuovo is also ringed by the Teatro Politeamo and a number of art galleries. Many take their inspiration from the Modern Art Gallery on the first floor of the theater building. A night out here could include a tour of a local art gallery, wine at one of the bistros, and several hours of comfortable chatting and people watching.