Palermo Essentials

Palermo Essentials & Tourist Information

Currency	Euro
Flight Time	UK 2H 30 minutes approx
Time Zone	GMT = +1 hour
Language	Italian
Voltage	220 V AC (two-pin plugs)

Palermo Tourist Attractions
The immense Regional Gallery of Sicily is a treasure trove of renaissance art, sculpture and ceramics and a must for any lover of classical artwork. It deserves a whole afternoon to explore its exhibits and is open Monday to Saturday until 5pm. Admission costs €5.50. The unique experience of heading below ground into the Catacombs of Capuchins is hard to resist and offers the bizarre sight of thousands of mummified corpses dating back centuries. Informative guided tours are available Tuesdays to Saturdays and cost just €2.

Italian Phrases For Tourists  

Good morning	Buon giorno		I'm sorry	Scusi
Good evening	Buona sera		Does anyone here speak English?	C'è qualcuno che parla inglese?
Good-bye	Arrivederci		Where is...?	Dov'è ...?
Yes	Sì		Train Station	la stazione
No	No		Airport	l'aeroporto
Please	Per favore		Currency exchange	l'ufficio del cambio
Thank you very much	Molte grazie		The bill, please	Il conto per favore

Palermo Opening Hours
Most high street shops are open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am until 7pm closing in the afternoon from 2pm - 4pm. Most are closed on Mondays with the exception of food outlets and grocery stores. Almost all are closed all day on Sundays. Many businesses close down for two weeks in mid August for the traditional annual holidays although larger chain shops and department stores continue as normal. Banking hours are generally from 9am until 3.30pm Tuesdays to Fridays with a select few open on Saturday mornings.


Food & Drink in Palermo
Sicilian cuisine is the most exotic in Italy, heavily influenced by its Moorish history and proximity to North Africa. Popular fast foods include chickpea and eggplant fritters, grilled pieces of cuttlefish and Palermo Tuna. Anyone with a sweet tooth’s simply must try Cannoli - wafers of ricotta and candied fruit topped with rich chocolate sauce. Stiggliola - barbequed lamb is a popular dish with locals and found on many restaurant menus and seafood such as swordfish and octopus is used to make delicious risottos and creamy pasta dishes.    

Palermo Tipping and Etiquette
The 'coperto' or cover charge is usually included on restaurant bills although an extra 10% tip is often given for satisfied diners. Palermo taxi fares are expensive and tipping is not compulsory or expected although a gratuity of a few Euros is always very welcome. Hotel porters and room service should also be rewarded with one or two Euros.      
   
 
Useful Numbers in Palermo
• Calling the UK from Palermo – 0044 + area code minus zero + number
• Police – 112
• Ambulance – 112
• Fire - 112


Palermo Disabled Access
Recent improvements to pavements, roads and civic buildings have helped reduce obstacles for the wheelchair user although due to its history, getting around Palermo can be time consuming with many cobblestone and uneven paths. Several major tourist attractions do have disabled access such as Teatro Massimo and the Norman Palace and there are accessible minibus services on demand for wheelchair users.
       
Italian Embassies
GB Embassy Via XX Settembre 80 I-00187 Roma RM, Italy Telephone (+39) 06 4220 0001

Italy Embassy - 14 Three Kings Yard, London W1K 4EH, Telephone: 020 7312 2200