Southern Italy’s well-known port city of Palermo, located on the island of Sicily has been undergoing a transformation in recent years, making it a popular place for travelers, tourists, and now international property investors. This city has a long and historic past and has recently been working to bring new interest into the city and island.
Over the past several years, roads have been repaved and rebuilt and a new found pride in the city is being seen and felt. This is partly a result of the EU working to tone down the infamous corruption on the island, and partly a result of the growth of travel and tourism in this part of the world.
Palermo is full of open-air markets and this makes visiting or living here very attractive for those who like fresh foods and hand-made products. The Ballero is one of the oldest of these markets and is located in the Albergheria Quarter. The Church of Santa Maria Dell’Ammiraglio, commonly called La Martorana, is a wonderful example of Arab-Norman architecture that the city is full of. There is also plenty of Baroque architecture throughout the city, including the Oratorio del Rosario del San Domenico, on the Via dei Bambiani.
In addition to its many attractions, Palermo has many places for those who want a vacation home or rental lodging. There is a new off-plan resort being developed to the east of Palermo in Cefalu. Called Mare Luna, this new development is one of the few off-plan projects on the island. It will have townhomes, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, and more. It is also close to the beach and golfing.
Getting to Palermo and Sicily is easy with a number of carriers flying direct to Palermo International Airport (PMO). The airport is located at Punta Raisi on the coast, about 35 kilometers west of the city of Palermo, and is also known as Falcone-Borsellino Airport. The airport served over 4.5 million passengers in 2007 and has direct flights to several UK cities on major and discount airlines. There are also numerous ferries that come into Palermo from Italian and North African cities.
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