My wife and daughter's family were on a two week tour of Italy and Sicily with a primary objective…read moreof doing genealogical research and enriching our family history. My father was born in Siracusa. We started our Sicilian journey in Palermo and one of the items I was seeking was an antique map of Sicily that showed some important towns where my relatives lived such as Pachino, Siracusa and Monterosso Almo. My daughter and son-in-law found Fecarotta on a walk when we weren't with them and they reported to me that this was the store that would have what I was looking for. When we visited the store we were not disappointed as they had many antique maps and the problem was which was the best one for us. The store staff, mostly family I believe, was very patient and a bit flexible on the price to make it affordable. I was shown a large reference book by an author who is considered an expert on the subject of antique maps and I was told that my map had been purchased from his collection. We were in a hurry that day and left without asking for a copy of the relevant pages of that book so we could keep the background material with the map for future reference. When I returned home I sent a request for copies of the relevant pages and received a prompt and positive response from Francesco Fecarotta. This is very good customer service. This is an upscale store in a more up-market section of Palermo and people looking for high-end antiques would do well to make sure they visit this store which also has custom made jewelry by family members.

Not one of the better malls in the area. This not a place to go when looking to do some shopping…read more There are a few other nalls in the area that have more than this place. Good for a corner store.

An excellent mall. Has all of the essentials and is on one of the main roads through the city. I…read morelove the place and have spent many hours going through the stores.

I really enjoyed visiting this market. The prices are a bit hiked because of the tourist traffic,…read morebut generally all vendors are similarly priced and serve similar items. I tried a fried whitebait fish plate and some orange juice. The sanitation is a bit suspect (food is out for hours with these propellers to ward off pigeons), and gets reheated in a microwave before it is served. Workers tend to use gloves that touch coins and bills and also directly handle food (sprinkled salt with the same hand). I think it's part of the experience, and I thankfully haven't had any issues (I have a sensitive stomach)! Good number of stands with pantry items (jarred items and bagged spices), some souvenir vendors, and other stalls for food and drinks. I traveled solo and felt safe the whole time but I also tend to have my belongings directly on my person in front of me and keep zipped pouches for other items. I was also able to pay with card at all vendors (though they preferred cash).

When in Rome... I mean in Palermo! We tried the Stigghiola,…read morewhich is a Sicilian delicacy, which was tasty but somewhat difficult to chew due to stringy texture. I know this is not a beautiful description, but it's worth the try! I enjoyed it. Be prepared for stimulus overload. Most obviously the "abbanniate" or the vendors' shouts to promote their products, as well as the lines and crowds. My aunt, being the kind soul she is, called out a pickpocketer in the act and he harassed her. Be sure to keep your belongings in a safe place. (Man pickpocketed had his wallet in his back pocket.) Try to order food in Italian, you'll get a better, friendlier response, even if it's not good Italian. The food is very affordable so step out of your comfort zone and try something new!

I feel like a broken record but I'm only writing reviews for the stores that I felt had awesome…read moreclothes that were well made, not overly priced and trendy without being juvenile...another store that I wish I could go to everyday. Since there are no anchor department stores in the malls, you will have to go from shop to shop. No Macy's, Dillards, Nordstroms found here. BUT...more variety, and more walking (which after gorging on so much pasta, pizza and pastries I needed it). Gorgeous trendy outfits and a leather jacket that I couldn't resist. Friendly service too!

I have to say this is my favorite mall in Catania. It has a little bit of everything and actually…read moregot me in the mood to shop. There's a pretty sizable Decathlon and an awesome Conad. This should be your go to mall, after avoiding malls it is now mine.

I found a mall! This…read moremall is so nice, clean and unexpected in such a little town outside the U.S. Navy Base at Sigonella. The first store you see walking in is a toy store...so my kids were in heaven! Food court offers Burger King, a pizza place, another plizza place, and another pizza place. A gelato stand, another gelato stand, and another gelator stand. One "Tex Mex" restaurant too serving up Coronas! My kids also found the cutest arcade you've ever seen. (My phone has been acting up so sorry for limited photos-don't worry, I'll be back to the mall). They have a giant elephant ride and a giraffe ride-adorable! Of course I found some shops with some gorgeous clothes! OMG since they only come in size teeny and tiny, I will have to lay off the pasta because I'm inspired to look really good! Also on the main floor is an astronaout adventure experience. Little kids actually put on a space suit including helmet and get into a simulator. Since it was late we will do this another time. There are various lounge areas. A huge megatron plays CNN so you can sit and relax with your espresso and catch up on the news-or at least the hubby's can while you shop. I didn't make it thru the entire mall but I did see an H&M advertised and another store called the Auchan (like a Target) that offers groceries and a variety of other items-I saw people walking out with their Italian cakes in a box-which I will have to get next time I'm out and about. I saw another nice lounge area on the floors below and more stores to browse in. The housewares store that I popped in had some Italian coffee makers in various colors which I will surely pick up on my next outing. What I found interesting is most people had shopping carts walking throughout the mall-wow what a concept when you have so many things to buy! So much shopping to do for Christmas and I found a place to do it! Ciao!