Palermo (Sicily, Italy)

Palermo is a port city located on the northwestern coast of Sicily Island (Italy). This is Sicily's biggest city (population around 0,68 million, metro over 1,3 million) and the island's main seaport. Fincantieri (one of world's largest shipbuilding companies) owns the merchant shipbuilding yards Monfalcone (Trieste), Marghera (Venice), Sestri Ponente (Genoa), Ancona, Castellammare di Stabia (Naples) and Palermo. The company also owns the naval shipyards Riva Trigoso (Genoa) and Muggiano (La Spezia).

Port Palermo (officially Porto di Palermo) is one of the major Mediterranean cruise ports serving the passenger shipping traffic mainly between Italy and France (Western Mediterranean itineraries) and Greece (Eastern Mediterranean itineraries). The port is located near the ancient port Cala. Statistics show that the port handles annually around 7 million tons of cargo and around 2,3 million passengers (ferry and cruise). In 2014, the port handled around 200 ship calls and nearly 0,5 million cruise passengers.

Lots of the oldest buildings in Palermo date from the period when Sicily was Norman kingdom and show Byzantine, Norman, Spanish and Arab influences. Outstanding examples include the cathedral (1169-1185), Palatine Chapel (1140), the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti (1132). Inland cruisers can visit Monreale, with its beautiful Norman cathedral containing extraordinary mosaics, or the splendid Villa Igeia.

Palermo was established by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC. It was a Carthaginian colony until 254 BC when it was taken by the Romans. Subsequently, Palermo passed into the hands of Goths (AD 440), Byzantines (535), Saracens (831), Normans (1072), and Holy Roman Emperors (1194). It was the scene of Sicilian Vespers, the massacre of ruling French, in 1282.

The port of Palermo, together with the port of Messina, is the main port of Sicily. From here ferries link Palermo to Genoa, Livorno, Cagliari, Naples, Tunis and other major cities and carry a total of nearly 2 million passengers annually. It's also an important cruise ship port. Traffic includes 80.000 TEU and nearly 5 million tonnes of cargo per year. The port of Palermo has links to minor sicilian isles like Ustica and Aeolian Islands (via Cefalù in summer). Inside the port there is a section known as "tourist marina" for yachts and catamarans.

Palermo cruise terminal