Palermo's Botanical Gardens, located in the old Arab quarter of La Kalsa and just a stone's throw from the sea, are one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe. When you enter it, you'll feel like you're in an oasis of peace, in stark contrast to the chaos of the city. It now belongs to the University of Palermo and is a huge open-air museum housing a wide variety of plant species from all over the world!
Jardin Botanique, Palerme
- © nikolpetr / Shutterstock
The botanical garden dates back to 1779, when the chair of natural history and botany was created by the Royal Academy.
The Senate donated a plot of land on the bastion of Porta Carini to grow medicinal plants for teaching purposes. Inaugurated in 1795, it has undergone several extensions over the years, until today it covers no less than 10 hectares!
Sphinxes at the entrance to the Botanical Garden
- © Kiev.Victor / ShutterstockAt the entrance to the monumental complex, built by the French architect Léon Dufourny in the neoclassical style, are two sphinx statues by the Sicilian Vitale Tuccio. The sphinxes symbolise science and are the guardians of the Gymnasium, which was the headquarters of the Schola Regia Botanices and the home of the director.
Next to the Gymnasium are the Tepidarium and the Calidarium. As their names suggest, these are two areas housing plants that are used to living in temperate and warm climates respectively.
High school
- © Francesca Sciarra / ShutterstockPart of the Gymnasium is occupied by the Erbarium Mediterraneum Panormitanum, which boasts a considerable collection of dried plants from different geographical origins.
The botanical garden boasts 12,000 species! There are exotic plants, aquatic plants, palm trees, vines and greenhouses. The Maria Carolina greenhouse, dedicated to Queen Maria Carolina of Austria, is also well worth a visit.
Jardin botanique et serres, Palerme
- © Francesca Sciarra / ShutterstockWalking through a dense tangle of bamboo, your eyes will be dazzled by the beauty and colours of the Aquarium, a circular tank filled with aquatic plants, including corollas and magnificent water lilies.
But the symbol of the Palermo Botanic Garden is the ficus magnolioides, 150 years old and covering an area of 900 square metres. A true force of nature!
Ficus Orto Botanico
- © Victor Daviau / Shutterstock⏰ Opening Hours: Palermo Botanic Garden is open every day except 25 December and 1 January: November to February: 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm / March and October: 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm / April and September: 9am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 7pm / May to August: 9am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 8pm
👛 Price: €7
🚌 Getting there: Palermo's botanical garden is easily accessible on foot and is 600 metres from the central station. It can also be reached by bus routes 231 and 107.
