Orto Botanico di Palermo

"Take a break from the city's frenetic energy with a visit to the Palermo Botanical Garden, just south of the port next to Villa Giulia Park. Established in 1786, the 10-hectare (25-acre) gardens contain plants from around the world: Southeast Asian palms, coffee and papaya trees, even cotton plants and sugarcane. A terraced pond blooms with lotus and water lilies, while the ruins of the 14th-century Church of Saint Dennis can be found amid the greenery."

For crudi (raw fish), take Foro Umberto, the long road that follows the coast southeast, past the Orto Botanico where fishermen sell ricci di mare (sea urchins) and cozze (mussels) straight out of the sea. Magic.