How to Find Charming Wine Bars in the Old Palermo of Crumbling Facades

Our apartment was in the heart of Old Palermo, but first we had to take a flight, pickup the car and drive there.

Business Flight to Palermo

I’ve got a good deal for the business flights from London to Sicily using British Airways Avios points. Fast check in, fast track security and club lounge comes together with business class tickets. The food in club lounge was OK. Didn’t have much time to enjoy the lounge since our Piccadilly line was terminated two stops before terminal four. So we had to take packed bus for another 15-20min.

The flight was smooth and the food on board was great as well as the service. I couldn’t decide which white wine to get, so flight attendant suggested to try them both 😂

It was getting dar when we were landing in Palermo.

Car Pickup in Palermo Airport and Extra Insurance

We went to pick up our car – Fiat Panda 🐼. At checkout they told us to take a ticket number (there was no one else there! ). Also I found out that they didn’t charge the full amount only £44 out of £290. On top of 1100€ deposit, another 183€ deposit for petrol and the remaining 275€ for the car! They offered full relax insurance of course! I had relax insurance which I paid £90 extra, but that apparently doesn’t include scratches. There is always a catch with those cheap rental companies! This one was Goldcar! Oh yes our car from £200 became £550 including full insurance for 265€. We decided to take full insurance after assistant intimidated us that in vase of scratch minimum 600€ penalty also with insurance you don’t need to pay 1100€ deposit. We took the pictures of our Panda and we saw other car having troubles for scratches on the wheels as they didn’t take insurance. Plan full coverage ahead! Believe me you will need full coverage in Sicily!

Parking in Palermo

The parking and traffic situation in Palermo proved to be an absolute nightmare. Upon entering the city limits, we immediately witnessed a collision between two cars. Furthermore, entering certain streets became impossible due to restricted traffic signs (ZLT zones). For instance, we encountered a sign featuring a blue European Union flag underneath while visiting Syracuse, and we struggled to interpret its meaning. It raised questions about how foreign drivers can know if their vehicle complies with low emission zones and is permitted inside the blue areas.

Apparently, these regulations prohibit older, high-polluting vehicles, and our understanding was that a blue sticker is required. Drivers must remain cautious regarding these ZLT areas since fines arrive in the mail without officers ever pulling you over, thanks to cameras installed in most cities. Additionally, visitors need to decipher the text below the signs, as it frequently specifies operating hours or exempts specific transport modes. There was a blue zone restricted exclusively to buses and other designated vehicles, which made the whole system extremely confusing.

Finding Our Apartment in Old Palermo

Navigating Palermo involved driving in circles around the entire city a couple of times while trying to locate an entrance to our B&B. Eventually, someone pointed us down a road, and we even clarified the directions with the local Carabinieri before driving into a narrow street that unexpectedly led us right onto the main pedestrian thoroughfare with no warning signs whatsoever. We are still waiting to see if a fine arrives for that incident. Driving right through the crowd meant enduring stares from people who thought we were crazy driving the car through the crowd. Ultimately, we managed to escape through another narrow street.

We finally parked one kilometre away on Lincoln Street outside of the old town, where free parking options were plentiful. Drivers must stay alert to avoid resident-only parking zones. Signs stating “in senso obliquo” indicate that parking your car at an angle is permitted, which took us a while to figure out.

Short History of Palermo

The city of Palermo, Sicily is one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean. It was founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians and was an important port and trading centre. In the 5th century BC, it was conquered by the Greeks and became the capital of the Province of Sicily. During the Roman era, Palermo was a prosperous city and was the seat of a provincial government.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Palermo was ruled by the Byzantines and then the Arabs. During this time, the city flourished economically and culturally. In 1072, the Normans captured Palermo and it became the capital of the Kingdom of Sicily. In the 13th century, the city was ruled by the Hohenstaufen dynasty of Germany. In the 15th century, Palermo was conquered by the Spanish and it became the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of Sicily.

In the 18th century, Palermo was annexed by the Kingdom of Naples and then the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century, the city was the centre of the Italian Risorgimento movement. Palermo experienced a period of economic and cultural renewal in the 20th century. Today, Palermo is the capital of Sicily and an important city in Italy. It is known for its beautiful architecture, vibrant culture, and unique cuisine.

Old Palermo Streets at Night

After a quick shower we left for a walk inOld Palermo. The Old Palermo is undeniably beautiful, though a large number of the houses are deteriorating and seem to be held together only by metal poles. Seeing so much scaffolding leaning against the old architecture is quite a striking experience. The street lamps even flickered in a scary manner, creating an eerie atmosphere that felt exactly like a scene from a horror film or post apocalyptic dystopian society.

Wine in Drinkeria Bar in Old Palermo

We stopped at Drinkeria for a glass of wine, which cost just 3€ per glass. The surrounding environment made for a truly unique backdrop for a drink. Right next to where we sat stood an ancient stone fountain and weathered buildings featuring decaying architectural ruins, striking graffiti art, and painted murals. Furthermore, overhead scaffolding and protective corrugated roofing structures were installed along the crumbling building facades to catch falling bricks and debris, keeping pedestrians and bar visitors safe from overhead hazards.

On our way back to our apartment we saw interesting life-sized wooden cutouts and figures displayed creatively on the historic church steps.

5 Best Wine Bars in Palermo

Tomorrow we were planning to stay in Palermo and explore the city.