Our last destination in Sicily was the small city of Carini.  We chose to stay there for one reason: It was less than ten minutes away from the Palermo Airport.  We were to remain in Carini for two nights, after which we would catch a flight to Rome.  We booked a room at a small B&B, right on the main square of the town, Piazza Duomo.

After a brief rest, we headed out to explore our new surroundings.  Even though it is a mere 19 kilometers from Palermo, with its crowds of tourists, Carini might as well be on the other side of the island, in the sense that it looked as if we were the only two people walking around who did not live there.  After talking with some locals, we discovered that most tourists who visit Carini come just to see the Zona Industriale, which has the largest shopping center in Sicily.  It is made up of two shopping malls: the Centro Commerciale Poseidon, and the Portobello – Le Gallerie del Risparmio.  There are both located a bit away from the city center, so we were not going to include them on our list of places to see, preferring to stay in the city itself, for the duration of our visit.

The town’s main fountain is in Piazza del Duomo, and is known simply as the Fontana di Carini.  It dates from around 1600.  The structure has gone through many renovations over the years, the last taking place in the early 1900s.  At that time, the bronze ornaments, you see nowadays, were added.  These are the work of the sculptor, Antonio Ugo.

One cannot help but admire the campanile, or bell tower, of the Chiesa di San Vito.

The Chiesa di San Vito is one of the oldest churches in the city, and up until the 15th century, it served as the Mother Church.  The exact date of its founding is uncertain, but it is known that the church underwent a renovation and expansion, in 1447.

A plaque on the facade of a building, on Via Antonino Curreri, remembers the day of April 3rd, 1860, when Antonino Curreri set the planned revolt, against the Bourbon invaders in action, a day ahead of schedule.  This led the Bourbons to enter the city a few days later, looting and massacring wherever they went.

The Chiesa di San Vincenzo Ferreri is found at Corso Umberto I, and dates from the end of the 16th century.  Next to the church, you will find the convent where the Dominican nuns were housed, and which now functions as an elementary school.

The Ristorante Pane, Amore & Mortadella was one I had noticed, while doing research on the restaurants in the town.  The menu looked interesting, so we made a reservation for later that night.

 

Next up: We continue to explore the city of Carini!

 

<em>Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from other Italian destinations.  Grazie!</em>