City Cents Palermo

Travel writer James Williams blew €100 in the Sicilian capital. Here’s what he bought…

1 Coppola
Al Pacino wore one of these in The Godfather, and the traditional Sicilian peasant’s cap has long been a symbol of the mafia. Yet nowadays fashion lovers have reclaimed the garment, and La Coppola Storta (25 Via dell’Orologio) has everything from classic black to English tweed.€38

2 Monreale postcard
This cathedral, 8km outside Palermo, is simply stunning. A mix of Norman, Byzantine and Arab styles, it’s decked out in shimmering gold, with a vast array of mosaics and frescoes packed beneath its gilted ceiling.€0.50

3 Capo fruit
Immerse yourself in this street market that snakes around the crumbling backstreets of Via Sant’Agostino. Colourful characters sing at stalls selling fruit and veg, fish, meat and spices. And the aroma of street food wafts through the air.€2

4 Marsala wine
This tipple from western Sicily is similar to sherry or port and was first exported in the 1700s by an enterprising Englishman. The sweet fortified wine is perfect to follow a Sicilian feast, so keep this 10cl bottle handy for after the plates have been cleared.€5

5 Pasta reale
These lifelike almond and marzipan sweets were invented by nuns living next to the Church of the Martorana. Meaning “royal dough”, they taste as good as they look and are especially popular as gifts for children on the Day of the Dead festival.€12

6 The Leopard
This best-selling novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa centres on a Sicilian aristocratic family during the unification of Italy. A tale of invading armies, betrayal and lives changed forever, it paints a masterful portrait of life in the 19th century.€12

7 Corleone pasta
Corleone is synonymous with organised crime, both fictional and real life – and the town’s pasta is just as notorious, the quality wheat giving it a superb flavour. We picked some up from an artisan’s shop in Palermo.€2.50

8 Santa Rosalia
Palermo’s patron saint was born in 1130AD and lived in a cave on Monte Pellegrino. You can visit her glittering shrine inside the Cathedral, and the stalls outside have loads of saintly gifts – and yes, it can actually snow, even in Sicily.€6

9 Opera ticket
Completed in 1897, the Teatro Massimo is Italy’s largest opera house. Its grand gold-and-red interior and superb acoustics make it a favourite for catching performances like Wagner’s Lohengrin, which kicks off the 2009 season on 24 January.€10

10 Sicilian puppet
Teatro dei Pupi (puppet theatre) started here in the 1800s and tales usually centre around the knights of Charles I and their victory over the Saracens in the 9th century. History aside, the puppets are up to 3ft tall and make for a captivating display as swords clash and foes are slain. Pick up your own smaller version at the workshop of the Argento family (445 Via Vittorio Emanuele), who also put on shows.€12