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From via Maqueda take the Piazza Santa Quaranta Martiri up to the Chiesa del Gesù for a look at the wild Baroque decoration of the interior. Beyond the church, enter the streets taken over by Ballarò market (see Ballerò, Palermo) and spend some time weaving your way through the overloaded stalls. For a late breakfast stop at one of the stalls serving arancini (see Arancini) or fried aubergine (eggplant) sandwiches.

From Piazza Ballarò, pass through the old neighbourhood and by the Church of the Carmine with its colourful dome and take the via Case Nuove to via Maqueda. Head into La Kalsa on via Gorizia to via Garibaldi 43, where you can still see parts of the magnificent original structure of the Palazzo Aiutamicristo. Continue down to Santa Maria dello Spasimo where there may be contemporary art on view. Take the residential via della Vetreria to via Alloro, and tour the regional fine arts museum in Palazzo Abatellis.

Exit the museum and go south on via Alloro until the Piazza d’Aragona and take a right into via A. Paternostro to the Piazza San Francesco. Have lunch at the Antica Focacceria (see Antica Focacceria), sitting in the piazza under the Gothic façade of San Francesco, or in the marble and wrought-iron interior, where you can watch the chefs serving up Sicilian specialities. For dessert, there’s always good gelato to be found in the shop in the piazza.

Another Palermitan favourite, with tables set in a courtyard. Try pasta with swordfish, mint and almonds.

Bordered by via Vittorio Emanuele and via Maqueda, this rather poor residential area is a maze of streets spanned with billowing laundry. The heart of the neighbourhood is given over to the Ballarò market (see Ballerò, Palermo). Don’t miss the 17th-century Chiesa del Carmine on via Giovanni Grasso with its stuccoed interior and frilly, polychrome cupola.

Palermitan fast food under the façade of San Francesco. Sandwiches, panelle , focaccia and pasta.

Excellent Sicilian ingredients are chosen for inventive dishes.

Burial ground of Palermo’s upper classes (1599–1881); the niches still contain skeletons.

Everything is good here – try aubergines (eggplants) stuffed with mint and garlic.

From the Arabic al-Aziz (splendid), the palace lives up to its name. Arab craftsmen incorporated stalactite ceilings, interior fountains, mosaic decoration and an ingenious ventilation system.

Hand-painted carretini , traditional Sicilian miniature carts, are sold here along with beautifully crafted papier-mâché figures and fruit.