Palermo

Palermo (Sicilian: Palermu) is the capital and largest city of the autonomous island region of Sicily in southern Italy, located on the eponymous gulf facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. A 2,700-year-old city, it is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence. Founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians as Sis ("flower"), Palermo then became a possession of Carthage. Two Greek colonies were established, known collectively as Panormos; the Carthaginians used this name on their coins after the 5th century BC. As Panormus, the town became part of the Roman Republic and Empire for over a thousand years. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule in the Emirate of Sicily when the city became the capital of Sicily for the first time. During this time the city was known as Balarm. Following the Norman conquest, Palermo became the capital of a new kingdom, the Kingdom of Sicily, that lasted from 1130 to 1816. The municipality of Palermo has a population of 626,273 as of 2026. The population of its urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 855,285, while its metropolitan city is the 5th most populated in Italy, with around 1.2 million people. The inhabitants are known as Palermitani or, poetically, panormiti. The languages they speak are the Italian language and the Palermitano dialect of the Sicilian language. Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and tourism capital. It is a city rich in history, culture, art, music and food. Many tourists are attracted by the Mediterranean climate, renowned gastronomy and restaurants, Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau churches, palaces and buildings, and the nightlife and music. Palermo is the main Sicilian industrial and commercial center: the main industrial sectors include tourism, services, commerce and agriculture. Palermo has an international...