Celebrations starts on July 9th, but the the best moment is the night between July 14th and 15th, when the Statue of Saint Rosalìa is carried along the city starting from Palazzo dei Normanni, with many people following it. On those days, people celebrate the liberation of the city from Plague in 1624 which happened after someone found the bones of the Saint, also called Santuzza, on Mount Pellegrino.

After Porta Nuova, the Statue stops in front of the Cathedral and then they go to Quattro Canti, where, as a tradition, the Mayor puts flowers at the base of the Statue and screams: "Viva Palermo e Santa Rosalia" and the crowd replies making noise. This is a moment of great closeness between the Mayor and the city. In the final part, when you cross Porta Felice, the statues arrives on the seawalk, where you can admire fireworks that ends with masculiata, a long series of games which are done in the sea.

Obviously there's food

On the day of Santa Rosalia's celebration, there is surely traditional Palermitan food. We suggest babbaluci, snails with oil, salt and pepper; u scacciu, pollanca , panelle and watermelon.

Did you know?

Every year, a different wagon brings the statue. If you walk around the area of the Harbour, it's possible to admire some of the most beautiful wagons of past celebrations.

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