Palermo: Italian Capital of Culture for 2018

If you’re thinking about a Sicily holiday in 2018, we can’t think of a better city than Palermo, which has been announced as Italian Capital of Culture for 2018. But what will this accolade mean for the city?

Palermo is the charming capital city of Sicily and is well-known for its beautiful architecture, as well as the idyllic coastal resorts that surround the city. It is a popular choice for a Sicily holiday and tourism to the city is set to increase in 2018 as Palermo has been named the Italian Capital of Culture for 2018.

In addition, Palermo has also been given the honour of hosting the 12^th edition of Manifesta, the European biennial festival of contemporary art. This all comes on the back of Palermo being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 and its recognition as Italy’s Youth Capital in 2017. Such focus on the city and its stunning attractions and culture can only affirm Palermo as a top holiday destination in 2018.

Palermo as the Italian Capital of Culture

The Italian Capital of Culture is a much-coveted award that has seen the regeneration of other title-holding cities, such as Pistoia in 2017. Along with the honour of the title, Palermo is expected to receive a grant to be invested in cultural, artistic and tourist-boosting activities.

And it’s not just the centre of Palermo that will benefit from the grant as activities and regeneration initiatives are planned for the surrounding villages, from Monreale to Castelbuono in the Madonie Mountains.

On announcing Palermo as the Italian Capital of Culture, the Minister for Cultural Heritage and Art, Dario Franceschini, declared that “the competition becomes better and better each year, and being one of the ten finalists is already a huge achievement”, acknowledging how strong the competition is. In the running for the Italian Capital of Culture 2018 were Alghero, Aquileia, Comacchio, Ercolano, Montebelluna, Recanati, Settimo Torinese, Trento and Erice. With so many cultural cities and iconic landmarks to compete against, it is no surprise that the competition was fierce!

Naming of Palermo as the Italian Capital of Culture goes some way to heal the city’s wounds following its unsuccessful bid to be the European Capital of Culture. Today, the extra funding is hoped to allow regeneration of the city’s waterfront area (La Kalsa), the restoration of Palazzo Butera and the reopening of the former Convent of Saint Francis, which will become a centre for Arab and Mediterranean cultures. 

With such culture on offer, 2018 is the perfect year to visit Palermo and enjoy the vibrancy of the Italian Capital of Culture celebrations.

About Manifesta 12

And it’s not just the honour of being the Italian Capital of Culture that Palermo is enjoying in 2018 as it has been announced as the host of Manifesta 12.

Manifesta is a prestigious festival of contemporary art that attracts artists and admirers from across Europe. As a biennial celebration, a new city hosts the event every two years and, in 2018, it is Palermo’s turn to enjoy the culture of this iconic art event.

As a part of Manifesta 12, visitors to Palermo can expect an exciting series of workshops, conferences, exhibitions and educational talks. A highlight of Manifesta 12 will be the three-month-long art exhibition dedicated to “the planetary garden”, showcasing the work of local and international artists.

Manifesta 12 will run from 16^th June to 4^th November 2018 – the perfect season to visit Palermo if you have an interest in contemporary art.

Visit Palermo in 2018

With accolades and awards being poured on the city of Palermo, the Sicilian capital is affirming its place as one of Italy’s most beautiful and culturally significant cities. We certainly anticipate that 2018 will bring the recognition and love that this unique city deserves.

If you would like to visit Palermo in 2018, perhaps as part of an Italy multi-centre holiday, then get in touch with one of our travel experts. We specialise in tailor-made holidays to Italy and can create a personalised Palermo holiday itinerary just for you. To find out more, call us on (UK) 01223 637331 or (US) 347-594-5500. Alternatively, click here to send an online enquiry and we will get back to you within 24 hours with a personalised quote and holiday e-brochure.