Located just a stone’s throw from the seafront of the beautiful port town of Palermo, one will find the city’s stunning 18th century botanical gardens that are one of the must-see spots on the whole island for garden and plant-lovers who find a villa in Sicily. The most tropical garden in Europe, this fascinating and lovely balmy gem is a truly magical place, spread across a park that is 10 hectares in size and that hosts an astounding twelve thousand different plant species. For those looking to wander peacefully between outdoor gardens and greenhouses, among flocks of parrots and tropical plants, and past beautiful statuary, it is an ideal spot to enjoy some peace and calm in the city.
Part of the Department of Botany of the historic University of Palermo, in the historic core of the city, next to the Villa Giulia, the Orto Botanico di Palermo (or the Botanical Garden of Palermo), dates back to 1779. This is when the faculty of Natural History and Botany was first founded and when use was made of a small piece of land given to the Royal Academy of Studies of Palermo to create a botanical garden to use for planting and studying various medicinal plants with the aim of improving knowledge in the area and of bettering public health. In 1786 it was decided to move the gardens as it had already become apparent that they had outgrown the space and in 1789 the garden was moved to the location in which is still stands to this day, the grounds of the former orchards of the adjoining Villa Giulia. Development of the new iteration of the botanical garden was overseen and patronised by the praetor Bernardo Filangieri, count of San Marco and the noblemen Giovanni Battista Paterno Asmondo and Ignazio Vanni. Construction of the main administrative buildings began in the neoclassical style with the building of a central building, the Gymnasium, and two side buildings – the Tepidariumand the Caldarium – designed by the Frenchman Léon Dufourny. This new garden opened in 1795 and there were further enhancements and subsequent additions in the following years including the addition of an Aquarium for aquatic plants in 1798 and a glasshouse that was gifted by Queen Maria Carolina of Austria and finished in 1823. Extensions to the site itself over various periods lead to the growth of the garden to its size of 10 hectares by 1892. Since 1985, the garden has been under the management of the Department of Botany.
Visitors today are immediately struck by the impressive splendour and collections of the Orto Botanico di Palermo, something that gradually came about through these various changes, additions, and alterations throughout the past centuries since its inception. Thankfully, you can now readily enjoy the cumulative efforts of those long gone and those still working on and in the gardens today when you are on vacation in Palermo. There are several different areas to explore, each with its own attractions, and those who have found a vacation rental in Palermo and are looking to do it right should set aside a few hours to peacefully and calmly enjoy the space at their leisure, though one can wander through more quickly if they are short on time or have less of an in-depth interest in such things. It is certainly worth seeing with your own eyes, no matter which camp you fall into, and taking in the sights, scents, and sounds of this stunning space is a real treat.
Discover the beautiful Gymnasium, Calidarium, and Tepidarium buildings, right by the main entrance gate, which are true neoclassical gems. Head to the Linneian section, the oldest part of the gardens, which is laid out on a rectangular plan and divided into four quadrangles, each of which are divided into flower beds. At the centre of the space is the cross, a small plaza created by the intersection of the central path known as the Viale Centrale, with the palm tree-lined Viale delle Palme. View the lovely Aquarium, a large round pool that is at the end of the Viale Centrale and is divided into 24 sections – three concentric rings, which are divided into 8 wedges – each housing a fascinating collection of aquatic flora. Other notable water features include the lagoon, just a few steps away, with its more informal arrangement of aquatic plant species, and the smaller ponds in the quadrangles of the Linneian section.
In addition to the oldest greenhouse in the gardens that was gifted by Queen Maria Carolina of Austria, there are several other examples to explore as you make your way about the garden, these include: the greenhouse with succulents; the experimental greenhouse that is currently home to bananas and papaya; the greenhouse of the region with plants from warm-humid zones; the greenhouse for the preservation of succulents, an annex of the Department of Botany; and the greenhouse of ferns. There are also sections of the gardens with plants from Mediterranean areas (including some rare and endangered species), with tropical and subtropical plants that are undergoing research and plants that have practical applications, and a new section to the south of the gardens arranged in accordance to the Engler classification system.
One of the most sizeable and important parts of the gardens is the herbarium, which is spread over several buildings and measures 6,000 m2 in total. There are two main sections, the Erbario Siculo and the Erbario Generale of the Department of Botany, and these are estimated to have around a whopping 50,000 and 200,000 specimens respectively. Around 25% of the collection of the Erbario Generale is made up of plants native to the Mediterranean and the non-Sicilian examples among the specimens come largely from Portugal, Spain, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Greece, Crete, Cyprus, Algeria and Egypt. Finally, there is the gene bank, where seeds that are endemic to the region and are rare or endangered are gathered, treated, stored, and managed.
So, as you can see, if you’re interested in plants and beautiful gardens and gorgeous greenhouses, the Orto Botanico di Palermo has more than enough to see and keep visitors entertained and stimulated. In fact, there is even now a gorgeous flock of green parrots that escaped the aviary of the Villa Giulia next door and make their home in the subtropical area of the gardens to keep an eye out for as you wander about the place as well, in addition to the architectural gems, fragrant plants, stunning and colourful blooms, rare and exotic species, and more. Browse our holiday rentals in Palermo or even some of our nearby villas in Sicily and plan your trip to this truly magical botanical garden on your next holiday in Italy and especially in this heady and lovely part of the world!
Orto Botanico di Palermo
Via Lincoln, 2, 90123 Palermo PA, Italy
+39 091 2389 1236
Opening hours:
November & February – Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm
Sunday, 10am to 5pm
March – Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm
Sunday, 10am to 6pm
April – Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm
Sunday, 10am to 7pm
May & August – Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm
Sunday, 10am to 8pm
September – Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm
Sunday, 10am to 7pm
October – Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm
Sunday, 10am to 6pm
Note: Closed on Christmas Day (25th of December) and New Year’s Day.