Music venue with actual, real-life rock music.. In Sicily!! Not like, "This dude has a guitar and…read morethis dude has a cello... so listen to their folk-ish music and this terrible cover tune." On an island completely void of live music and entertainment, this place was pretty cool. Drinks were cheap enough, vinyl records are for sale, and if you're lucky enough for the one holiday when they have live music, you're in luck. Because it's good. Honestly, it might only be Fridays, I don't know. I think Sicily refuses to acknowledge any other days as days to have fun except for Friday after 10pm. Even then it's a stretch. No kidding. But the vibe is cool, it's a good size, and it gets packed... because I'm guessing everyone is just waiting like a pack of rabid dogs during the week for Friday to come where you can see rock music, drink a little booze and stay out past 9pm. Oh, if you're lucky, by the time you're reading this, hopefully it won't be closed already. That seems to me the norm around these parts. By the time word spreads of a good place, it's long gone. Or at some other address you can't find because it's hidden like some goddamn Smurf Village.

Our third night in Palermo, we ate here because we came across an enthusiastic Trip Advisor review…read more It was truly wonderful! Absolutely delicious risotto and seafood, and a divine dessert which turned out to be chocolate fried eggplant. (Our italian is limited so we just went with our waitresses enthusiasm and did very well). This place is not yet in the guidebooks, but highly recommended.

Tonight we went to Mak Mixology with my aunt. We had an amazing time. The service was fantastic. We…read morehad a great server Anahi who was spectacular. She made sure we had everything we needed and provided better service than any place I have been to in the US. It was a great time talking and listening to live music from the band "il mucciante". Leonardo played the guitar and Raphael the accedian. The place is dimly lit with a feel of the golden age and has that nice lounge feel. The decore consists of items from the 1930s to 1940s and the building is spectacular. It has large doors and extremely high ceiling with a mesh-like roof giving you an outdoor feel. The staff was all great but our server Anahi made our night. The room has some sort of birdcage with seats and I'm not sure what it is and think it's a VIP area but If you know please post. There is a cool lite up mak sign with Kiss me on it and in the bar room you can watch the bartenders work their craft. The drink menu is in a book and they have lots of amazing house drinks as well as anything else you may want. They have a limited beer menu and an appetizer menu with a few amazing items. The spot is great for a date or anniversary if you want to hear live music and sip on drinks. #ilmucciante #makmixology #makmixologypalermo #palmero #italy #italytravel #scisily #vacation #mixology

Stopped in for classic drinks, Max Mixology's menu showcasing dozens from throughout the 20th…read morecentury. Met by staff at the entry to seat us, we were seated in an atrium area (previously glass enclosed but now open air courtyard area) to hear a live-band play tunes from early and mid 20th century jazz bands. We enjoyed the experience, with the jazz and drinks. Didn't expect this as part of our journey across Sicily, but a pleasant surprise.

Taverna dei Canti was a great first dinner in Palermo. It is in the historic center, on a lively…read morepedestrian-only street, and the whole area has a fun, energetic feel, especially at night. The food was excellent and very tasty, with a nice mix of familiar options like a traditional margherita pizza, along with pastas and Sicilian dishes. Everything we had was satisfying and well done. The outdoor seating is very lively and has a great Palermo atmosphere. We wanted something a little quieter, so we sat inside, where there are only a few tables. That ended up being perfect for us. Overall, this was a very enjoyable meal in a great location. Good food, a fun setting, and a nice way to experience the energy of Palermo.

I don't believe I have given a restaurant a low review as this one. But I value places same as they…read moresale themselves to be. The staff actually stopped us on the street and made it seemed like a great place to eat. We asked if they had fish on the menu as a few of them wanted fish and they confirmed showed us a menu taped to a board in front of restaurant which we liked. We ask to sit outside but only if the two tables by our side were not smoking because we have asthma. They confirmed sat us down. However the bartender had his girlfriend sitting by the bar next to us and she decided to smoke even when she could see us covering out faces. She did it two more times which made it worse. The waiter kept us waiting a while. Finally came and dropped menus and a paper bag which we then noticed it was extremely hard bread. So hard we could hit the table with it. Terrible and sad for an Italian restaurant and for the price. We ordered our food and one of us was left waiting for a long time. Our waitress was no where to be found. I flagged some and told them. And we were left waiting. I went up and found someone and explained and they finally admitted they made a mistake. However no apologies. I had to get up again as the food was still not brought in. All the food was bland except the carbonara which was the only meal we all agreed was great. The fish and vegetables were so disgusting we had to add salt; olive oil, and even balsamic to get some flavors. One of the fish was ordered with different sides and they also had that wrong. Very sad Will say never to go to this place. Service was bad, no one cared and no one even asked.

I believe that there are not many jazz clubs in the world like Real Teatro Santa Cecilia. An old…read moreroyal theatre transformed into a stage for passionate blue notes syncopated. But here we are, impressed and delighted. Not much more to say than to wait for the session to begin.

Completed in 1897, Teatro Massimo is the third largest opera house in Europe, designed by the famed…read morePalermitano architect Basile in a neo-classical style, reminiscent of the Greek ruins at Agrigento. The gilded auditorium, in a late-Renaissance style, features 7 tiers and seats 1350. The theater follows a traditional "stagione" season, with offerings of ballet and opera. Perhaps its most famous cameo, Teatro Massimo was featured in Francis Ford Coppola's film "Godfather III." I saw a production here with the great Mirella Freni towards the end of her long career. Orchestra sounded rather scrappy, but were warmed up by the second act. Also lovely were the plush armchair-style seats in the parquet. Acoustics were great! Tours are offered regularly, in English, Spanish, and Italian. They are brief (20 minutes) and do not go backstage. Photos are prohibited, until you reach the Royal Box (its a beautiful view). Highly recommended!

A large group of people, friends and relatives, came together to create a meeting place for…read moretheatre, music and dance in Palermo. Today they have a wonderful space in an old industry building close to the center of the city. A serie of concerts and arrangements are now running weekly. I had the great pleasure to be there two nights in a row. The first was dedicated to theatre and dance and the following night there were bands and solo artists performing. Those who come in here to take the stage are professionals, so there is great value for money. But overall you meet interesting and warmhearted Palermo-friends to talk to and to share your life's experiences with. Now, the perspective with Spazio Franco (Free Room, my translation) is not only limited to Palermo. It reaches out to the whole of Sicily and the rest of the country. It is obvious that a place like this is needed. Both evenings were fully booked. More than three times the seats available. But no problem. We walked in and out through the night. Everybody had their chance to enjoy what was going on. The morning sun met me as I walked home to the awakening of the city.