Porto — Stazione Marittima (crociere)

The story

Palermo was born as a port: the Phoenicians founded it in the 8th century BC for its natural bay, and the Cala is what remains of the ancient anchorage. The modern port, with its long piers stretching north, was developed between the 19th and 20th centuries to take ever larger ships.

The Stazione Marittima, built after the Second World War, is the terminal for ferries to Naples, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Cagliari and the island of Ustica, and for the cruise passengers who come ashore every day of the season.

From the port you reach the centre on foot in a quarter of an hour: via Emerico Amari leads to the Politeama and via Libertà, while via Francesco Crispi follows the Cala to the Kalsa and corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Why it is worth it

From the pier you take in the whole city at once, Monte Pellegrino to your right and the domes of the centre ahead, the same view merchants, travellers and emigrants have had for centuries. The Cala, with its boats and small marina, is five minutes away and deserves a stroll at sunset. The port is also the right place to grasp how much Palermo is still a city of the sea.