The Albergheria District

The Albergheria district, in Palermo

The Albergheria is probably the oldest district of Palermo, an authentic maze appreciated by the visitors. The Palermo audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this popular district laden with history, which shelters the famous Ballarò Market and keeps the deep soul of the town.

The oldest district of the town

Little favourite of the tourists, the Albergheria district is probably the oldest of Palermo. Nestled in the heart of the old town, a stone's throw from the Palace of the Normans, it developed from Antiquity and was profoundly marked by the Arab and Norman eras, which bequeathed it its dense and labyrinthine fabric, made of narrow and winding alleys. A long popular and modest district, the Albergheria keeps an authentic and preserved atmosphere, where the washing dries at the windows and where life unfolds in the street. It shelters the famous Ballarò Market, which is its beating heart, as well as magnificent monuments sometimes little known: baroque churches, like the Church of the Gesù, old palaces and vestiges of all the eras. Marked by the bombings of the war, the district has known difficult periods, but it is reborn little by little and charms today by its lively character, its street art and its multicultural atmosphere. To stroll in the Albergheria is to grasp the deep and popular soul of Palermo. An authentic district and an old heart, the Albergheria is a fine stop of the discovery of the town.

What to see

Here you wander in probably the oldest district of Palermo, near the Palace of the Normans, profoundly marked by the Arab and Norman eras that bequeathed it its maze of alleys, where you discover the famous Ballarò Market, baroque churches like the Gesù and old palaces; an authentic and preserved district, it is reborn today by its street art and its multicultural atmosphere. The Albergheria is the old soul of Palermo. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Albergheria district lies in the heart of the old town of Palermo, near the Palace of the Normans, reachable on foot. It is a public district freely accessible, animated by the Ballarò Market during the day. The usual vigilance is required in the alleys, notably at night.

What is the Albergheria district in Palermo?

Probably the oldest district of Palermo, near the Palace of the Normans, profoundly marked by the Arab and Norman eras that bequeathed it its maze of winding alleys; a popular and authentic district, it shelters the famous Ballarò Market and fine monuments like the Church of the Gesù, and is reborn today by its street art and its multicultural atmosphere.

Where is the Albergheria district in Palermo?

In the heart of the old town of Palermo, near the Palace of the Normans, in Italy.