Can anyone please give me the exact location of the famous catacombs in
Palermo? I can't seem to find it, as well as the hours of operation?
I think I will be there on Sept. 22 - which is a Friday. About how
long should I allow for my visit there?

Also - any advice on the train station? We were wondering if it would
be a better idea to get a hotel next to the station and walk to it and
then get a taxi to the Catacombs -- OR get a hotel near to the
Catacombs (wherever they are), take a taxi from the train station to
the hotel, and then walk to the Catacombs. Thanks!!

On 13 Aug 2006 23:49:53 -0700, "oceanchelle"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Can anyone please give me the exact location of the famous catacombs in
    >Palermo? I can't seem to find it, as well as the hours of operation?
    >I think I will be there on Sept. 22 - which is a Friday. About how
    >long should I allow for my visit there?
    >Also - any advice on the train station? We were wondering if it would
    >be a better idea to get a hotel next to the station and walk to it and
    >then get a taxi to the Catacombs -- OR get a hotel near to the
    >Catacombs (wherever they are), take a taxi from the train station to
    >the hotel, and then walk to the Catacombs. Thanks!!

Several years ago we found a nice hotel about ten minutes from the
sation at Palermo, never did visit the catacombs, though we did
wander about the old city part. Remember a jeep driving up with
some cops who called out 'Attenzione'. something to do with the
local thieves, we thought we would leave the area quickly.
So you might be better finding a guide for the catacombs.

Had our pockets picked in Catania on the bus on the same trip.
They got away with a dummy wallet with about $20 worth
of lire.

In article <[email protected]. com>,
[email protected] (oceanchelle) wrote:

    > *From:* "oceanchelle" <[email protected]>
    > *Date:* 13 Aug 2006 23:49:53 -0700
    >
    > Can anyone please give me the exact location of the famous catacombs in
    > Palermo? I can't seem to find it, as well as the hours of operation?
    > I think I will be there on Sept. 22 - which is a Friday. About how
    > long should I allow for my visit there?

About an hour.

    > Also - any advice on the train station? We were wondering if it would
    > be a better idea to get a hotel next to the station and walk to it and
    > then get a taxi to the Catacombs -- OR get a hotel near to the
    > Catacombs (wherever they are), take a taxi from the train station to
    > the hotel, and then walk to the Catacombs. Thanks!!

As I recall, the catacombs are in a rather dreary run-down area - you'll
be much better off staying in the city centre.

"oceanchelle" <[email protected]> posted:

    > Can anyone please give me the exact location of the famous catacombs in
    > Palermo? I can't seem to find it, as well as the hours of operation?

According to my Michelin Green Guide, ©2001, the Catacombe dei Cappuccini
are "beyond the city gates" out the Via d Cappuccini, which branches off
the Corso Vittoria Emmanuele just past the Port Nova gate. The guide
doesn't indicate how far beyond. Open 9am-noon and 3-5pm. Admission 2500
lire. Phone 091 21 21 17.


    > I think I will be there on Sept. 22 - which is a Friday. About how
    > long should I allow for my visit there?
    >
    > Also - any advice on the train station? We were wondering if it would
    > be a better idea to get a hotel next to the station and walk to it and
    > then get a taxi to the Catacombs -- OR get a hotel near to the
    > Catacombs (wherever they are), take a taxi from the train station to
    > the hotel, and then walk to the Catacombs. Thanks!!
    >

There's plenty to see in Palermo, so I suggest you stay in the city. The
train station isn't in a nice section - whether it's better than the area
of the catacombs I have no idea. There are photos of Palermo and other
parts of Sicily on my web site, below.

- Max



--
MisterMax

http://buten.net/max/
Slideshows of Egypt, Jordan, Angkor Wat, Bali, Crete, France, Hudson
Valley, Malaysia, Maui, Morocco, Mt Holly, Myanmar, Shanghai, Sicily, St
Tropez, Singapore, Thailand, Tour de France.

http://pbase.com/mistermax - Shadows and Reflections

the Catacombs of Palermo is without a doubt one of the most
interesting, intriguing and gruesome tourist spots in the world. This
place, which is sometimes referred to as the Museum of Death, contains
some 8000 mummified bodies that date back to the 16th century. These
bodies line the walls of the Catacombs, which is located directly
underneath the Capuchin Convent.

Address: Piazza Cappuccini
Open daily: 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-17.30.Directions :From Palermo's
Stazione Centrale take bus #109 to Piazza dell'Indipendenza
On foot, take Via Cappuccini from . Piazza Indipendenza,Or take bus
#327, but be careful not to miss the stop. You can't see it from the
main road.

Mister Max wrote:
    > "oceanchelle" <[email protected]> posted:
    > > Can anyone please give me the exact location of the famous catacombs in
    > > Palermo? I can't seem to find it, as well as the hours of operation?
    > According to my Michelin Green Guide, ©2001, the Catacombe dei Cappuccini
    > are "beyond the city gates" out the Via d Cappuccini, which branches off
    > the Corso Vittoria Emmanuele just past the Port Nova gate. The guide
    > doesn't indicate how far beyond. Open 9am-noon and 3-5pm. Admission 2500
    > lire. Phone 091 21 21 17.
    > > I think I will be there on Sept. 22 - which is a Friday. About how
    > > long should I allow for my visit there?
    > >
    > > Also - any advice on the train station? We were wondering if it would
    > > be a better idea to get a hotel next to the station and walk to it and
    > > then get a taxi to the Catacombs -- OR get a hotel near to the
    > > Catacombs (wherever they are), take a taxi from the train station to
    > > the hotel, and then walk to the Catacombs. Thanks!!
    > >
    > There's plenty to see in Palermo, so I suggest you stay in the city. The
    > train station isn't in a nice section - whether it's better than the area
    > of the catacombs I have no idea. There are photos of Palermo and other
    > parts of Sicily on my web site, below.
    > - Max
    > --
    > MisterMax
    > http://buten.net/max/
    > Slideshows of Egypt, Jordan, Angkor Wat, Bali, Crete, France, Hudson
    > Valley, Malaysia, Maui, Morocco, Mt Holly, Myanmar, Shanghai, Sicily, St
    > Tropez, Singapore, Thailand, Tour de France.
    >
    > http://pbase.com/mistermax - Shadows and Reflections

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006, Mister Max wrote:

    > There's plenty to see in Palermo, so I suggest you stay in the city. The
    > train station isn't in a nice section - whether it's better than the area
    > of the catacombs I have no idea.

I've never been to the station area, nor to the catacombs. I know a
number of hotels on the other side (northern) of the old city centre,
near theatres Massimo and Politeama, more or less the so called "quattro
canti di campagna" (*), where there used to be a branch of my institute.
The area is nice (and easily reached from the airport bus terminal in
Piazza Politeama).

- Hotel Mediterraneo was our standard choice because was the closest,
just on the back of the institute. A rather standard 3-star, but might
have improved.

- Hotel Crystal Palace was a modern not too large hotel. We tried it
once in summer, but the air conditioning was under-dimensioned for
the amount of glass windows of the hotel (consistent with its name).
Might be fine in other times of the year.
There is a decent restaurant La Cuccagna just behind the corner
(decent for us northerners, our Palermo colleagues preferred other
places, but much farther out, like Mondello or Sferracavallo, the
northern beaches of Palermo)

- Grand Hotel & Delle Palme is nearly in front of the former. It is
a large old 4-star hotel, belle epoque type. No idea of the prices
nowadays (was there with an organized tour on my first trip to
Sicily in 1970)

- Hotel Politeama in the square of the same name is a modern 4 star.
I've never been there but some colleagues are, and is frequented
by politicians.

Despite the prejudices we northerners may have on Palermo and safety
there, I've always felt rather safe, like or even more than here in
Milan. I used to arrive at piazza Politeama late at evening with the
airport bus and walk to the hotel alone with no problem.

We (group of italian and foreign astronomers) also used to walk along
corso Vittorio Emanuele or other areas in the old centre with quite a
degraded look in the evening with no problem, going as far as piazza
Marina (the place where the italo-american policeman Petrosino was
killed in early 1900, couple of nice restaurants there), and stopping in
piazza Pretoria (impressing baroque fountain, moresque looking church of
the Martorana).

Of course no problems at all in daytime when the streets are quite busy.
There is also a good network of buses if you want to reach some of the
monuments like Zisa or S.Giovanni degli Eremiti, but the area of the old
centre (piazza Pretoria, Cathedral, Norman Palace with Palatine chapel)
is walkable. The park (la Favorita) and beach (Mondello and
Sferracavallo) definitely require bus.

I have no idea of the best way to reach Monreale (suburban bus I
suppose), but you should go there (impressive norman cathedral and
cloister)

(*) "quattro canti di campagna" means "four corners out in the country".
Nothing special, just a cross-road nowadays between fascist-time
buildings. The local name is mimicked on the "quattro canti di citta'"
("four corners in the city") which is instead the cross-road of the
ancient roman cardo and decuman, and has a very nice baroque
arrangement.

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On Wed, 16 Aug 2006 10:22:58 +0200, Giovanni Drogo
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >On Mon, 14 Aug 2006, Mister Max wrote:
    >> There's plenty to see in Palermo, so I suggest you stay in the city. The
    >> train station isn't in a nice section - whether it's better than the area
    >> of the catacombs I have no idea.
    >I've never been to the station area, nor to the catacombs. I know a
    >number of hotels on the other side (northern) of the old city centre,
    >near theatres Massimo and Politeama, more or less the so called "quattro
    >canti di campagna" (*), where there used to be a branch of my institute.
    >The area is nice (and easily reached from the airport bus terminal in
    >Piazza Politeama).
    >- Hotel Mediterraneo was our standard choice because was the closest,
    > just on the back of the institute. A rather standard 3-star, but might
    > have improved.
    >- Hotel Crystal Palace was a modern not too large hotel. We tried it
    > once in summer, but the air conditioning was under-dimensioned for
    > the amount of glass windows of the hotel (consistent with its name).
    > Might be fine in other times of the year.
    > There is a decent restaurant La Cuccagna just behind the corner
    > (decent for us northerners, our Palermo colleagues preferred other
    > places, but much farther out, like Mondello or Sferracavallo, the
    > northern beaches of Palermo)
    >- Grand Hotel & Delle Palme is nearly in front of the former. It is
    > a large old 4-star hotel, belle epoque type. No idea of the prices
    > nowadays (was there with an organized tour on my first trip to
    > Sicily in 1970)
    >- Hotel Politeama in the square of the same name is a modern 4 star.
    > I've never been there but some colleagues are, and is frequented
    > by politicians.
    >Despite the prejudices we northerners may have on Palermo and safety
    >there, I've always felt rather safe, like or even more than here in
    >Milan. I used to arrive at piazza Politeama late at evening with the
    >airport bus and walk to the hotel alone with no problem.
    >We (group of italian and foreign astronomers) also used to walk along
    >corso Vittorio Emanuele or other areas in the old centre with quite a
    >degraded look in the evening with no problem, going as far as piazza
    >Marina (the place where the italo-american policeman Petrosino was
    >killed in early 1900, couple of nice restaurants there), and stopping in
    >piazza Pretoria (impressing baroque fountain, moresque looking church of
    >the Martorana).
    >Of course no problems at all in daytime when the streets are quite busy.
    >There is also a good network of buses if you want to reach some of the
    >monuments like Zisa or S.Giovanni degli Eremiti, but the area of the old
    >centre (piazza Pretoria, Cathedral, Norman Palace with Palatine chapel)
    >is walkable. The park (la Favorita) and beach (Mondello and
    >Sferracavallo) definitely require bus.
    >I have no idea of the best way to reach Monreale (suburban bus I
    >suppose), but you should go there (impressive norman cathedral and
    >cloister)
We used the local bus, frequent and cheap. The cathedral is well
worth seeing. Also the Mussolini era Post Office in Palermo if
you are interested in the architecture of that period.




    >(*) "quattro canti di campagna" means "four corners out in the country".
    >Nothing special, just a cross-road nowadays between fascist-time
    >buildings. The local name is mimicked on the "quattro canti di citta'"
    >("four corners in the city") which is instead the cross-road of the
    >ancient roman cardo and decuman, and has a very nice baroque
    >arrangement.