What role does safety play when choosing a travel destination?

Certainly a big one. That is why we would like to take a closer look at this topic. Palermo and Sicily in general are often associated with the mafia, which causes concern and uncertainty for some people. So far understandable. 

In addition, media coverage of crime and the mafia in Palermo fuels further fears.

What does your gut say?

At least that's what we hear from our guests. These are people who have traveled to Palermo. What must those who let their fears stop them from visiting Palermo think?

The Tagesspiegel, on the other hand, calls Palermo the safest city in Italy. So which is true?

Reality or mafia clichés?

And how much of it is mafia cliché, how much is reality, and how much is hyperbole in either direction?

What are the empirical values?

To find an answer to this, it may help to answer a few questions in advance:

Have you ever been to Milan, Rimini or Rome? Or in Bologna, Florence, Turin? What about Venice? And how did you feel? Did you think about murder, manslaughter, sexual violence, robbery and theft all the time?

Or maybe more about Bella Italia, La dolce Vita, fashion, culture, romance or where to get the best gelato?

I'm pretty sure your thoughts got stuck more in the second part. - Why am I so sure about that? 

Three good reasons:

To the firstYou are in good company. The absolute majority feels that way about these Italian cities. Torgit and I also felt that way. Whereby this was and is only a gut feeling. Hold our gut feeling.

SecondlyTorgit and I lived in Cologne for many years. There you also think first of the Cologne Cathedral, Cologne carnival, Cologne cuisine and a Kölsch beer... - Or?

Personally, I never felt threatened or frightened in Cologne. Nor did I waste any thought on the alleged murder and death on the Domplatte. And yet the press was full of it.

"One hundred percent certain is that there is no such thing as one hundred percent certain."
Schulze, Michael

Germany in direct comparison

That does not mean that I want to minimize what happened there. Cologne is and remains a major city. Just like Berlin, Frankfurt I and II, Leipzig & Co. And you know that you don't walk around everywhere in the early hours of the morning. On the weekend not on the Ringen, New Year's Eve not on the Domplatte and carnival not in the old town. Especially not slightly drunk and hung with gold.

And yet there is a big difference to Berlin and Frankfurt. Because these two are ranked 1st and 2nd in the German crime statistics. - Cologne, on the other hand, is far behind. 

"Elsewhere there′s a curfew, with us it's garbage collection"

Seeed 

To the thirdSubjectively, the above mentioned Italian tourist cities seem to be known for their low crime rate and higher level of security. Is this really the case or do they just seem so? And anyway, what does all this have to do with Sicily and especially Palermo?

Sensations and reality

Nothing and everything! Perceptions and reality are often far apart. What helps against it? - What do you think of less emotion and more rationality, i.e. criminal statistics?

Crime index vs. crime statistics

Crime can be measured by reported crimes or people's subjective feelings. The first is a survey along the lines of "how safe do you feel?" So pure gut feeling. Often this is true, but how coherent do you think this is in a former mafia stronghold? 

So for us, trust is good, control is better. We find it exciting that most reports refer to the crime index. Why not report what the reader thinks he knows. Best in two directions, depending on the bubble in which the reader is traveling. This increases readership. In the past, one would have said circulation. 

Indice della criminalita

However, we want to know as precisely as possible and prefer to rely on figures, data, facts. Italy publishes the crimes committed and reported in the previous year in relation to the resident population. Just as in German crime statistics, the cities with the most crimes per 100,000 inhabitants are identified. From my point of view, such a Crime statistics much more reliable. What do you think?

Palermo ranks 24th there, with 3784 ads per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. At first glance, not bad at all. But not really good either.

"He who prefers security to liberty is rightly a slave."
Aristotle

Table positions

And which cities are now in the top ranks of the most dangerous cities in Italy?
In first place is Milan, with 6,991 ads, per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. In second place is Rimini, with 6,246 and in third place Rome, with 5,485 ads. Closely followed by Bologna with 5436, Florence with 5272 and Turin with 5160 ads per 100,000 inhabitants. And Venice is still in 11th place with 4433 ads. Does this order look familiar to you? And what would your gut feeling have told you?

Yet you felt so safe in these cities? That's called a crime index! 😉

Don't worry, your gut feeling didn't deceive you that much. Because to put Italy's most unsafe city, Milan, in perspective, you should take a look at Augsburg. With 7079 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, these two cities are statistically very close to each other. The only difference is that Augsburg is still a 7 in front and ranks second among the safest cities in Germany and Milan, despite a 6 in front, ranks first among the least safe cities in Italy. 

Safest city in Germany

And Munich, which, with 5,824 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, has secured the title of Germany's safest city for the fifth time in a row, is still less safe than Rome, which, with 5,485 crimes, is the third most dangerous city in Italy. So much for the statistics.

 Sicily's security at a glance

What else is Sicily like?
Catania, with 3795 crimes, ranks 23rd, just ahead of Palermo, and Syrakrus, with 3683, ranks 25th, just behind Palermo.

Talking about the building feeling and the crime index resulting from surveys. There Catania takes a completely different value. With 65.4 out of 100 points, Catania is considered the most dangerous city in all of Europe. What a bullshit. 

Even safer than in Palermo, you live in Sicily in Trapani place 36 / Caltanissetta place 50 / Ragusa place 62 / Messina place 82 / with Agrigento 89 and especially in Enna place 99.

"Nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes."
Benjamin Franklin

Palermo's crimes at a glance

And what about details in Palermo?

Street robberies: 27 per 100,000 inhabitants, or about 170 per year.
Thefts from parked cars: 122 
Sexual violence: 9.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. If we compare Berlin as an example, we arrive at approx. 1375 per 100,000 inhabitants.

At all Berlin is with 13.158 Crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in all points by a factor of X more dangerous than Palermo. Here again Palermo with 3784 ads per 100,000 inhabitants. Thus, Berlin is almost by a factor of 3.5 more dangerous than Palermo. And still by a factor of 1.9 more dangerous than Milan, the most dangerous city in Italy. 

For me, who moved for years through the nights of Berlin, a little strange. But back then, everything was better and safer. Or?

The Daily Mirror

And what does it have to do with the Tagesspiegel's statement that Palermo is the safest city in Italy? - German "lying press"? - No, quite the opposite. If you read the text more closely, you will notice that the Tagesspiegel refers in this article to the large, metropolitan cities, Città metropolitane in Italian. - The article is from 2019, when Palermo was ranked the first safest city. But even in 2023, Palermo performs extremely well, ranking 3rd among these large cities.

We think that's enough with the statistics. What do you think?

Mafia - Cosa Nostra

This point was and is particularly important to us. That is why we have saved it for last. However, to comment on this in detail would go beyond the scope of this blog post.

Yes, the Cosa Nostra exists in Sicily and certainly in Palermo. This is proven not least by the arrest of Messina Denaro. The fact that the last known boss, the so-called Capo di Capi, was able to live undetected in Sicily for over 30 years shows how closely the Mafia is still interwoven with Sicilian society. The fact that Palermo ranks 4th in the crime statistics in terms of charges against the Mafia can be seen either way. Yes the Cosa Nostra belongs to Palermo. But the will of the population to rebel against their machinations seems unbroken.

"Chi ha paura muore ogni giorno, chi non ha paura muore una volta sola."
"Those who are afraid die every day, those who are not afraid die only once."
Paolo Borsellino

Removing mafia structures from society remains the greatest goal for the majority of Sicilians and Palermitans. I can only tip my cap to fighters like Borsellino, Falcone and Leoluca Orlando, Padre Pino Pugliso and many others. But above all to the owners of the pubs and restaurants who were the first to put up resistance. Like the Antica Foccacceia S. Francesco. Together they have ensured that the word mafia plays only a minor role in Palermo.

I am unable to answer whether there is a realistic chance of completely ousting the mafia from Sicilian society. However, as we live here locally, several aspects make me optimistic.

Sicily is poor. Some voices claim that it is too poor for the Mafia. Why should the Cosa Nostra try to earn its money here on a large scale when it can earn it much more easily in the north, including Germany? Because Germany has been considered a paradise for the Mafia for decades.

The German network in Sicily is very large. Everyone who buys a property here first asks themselves and others about the mafia. We don't know anyone who has had direct or indirect contact with the mafia. Neither here nor in Germany. Do you know anyone?

Only one thing seems certain. Yes, the Cosa Nostra is here. But only the Cosa Nostra. In complete contrast to Germany or other European countries. Because in addition to the Sicilian mafia (Cosa Nostra), there is also the Neapolitan Camorra, the Ndrangheta from Calabria, the Sacra Corona Unita from Apulia, the Albanian, Armenian and Russian mafia, not to mention various other criminal organizations...

Surely I have forgotten some. But it does not matter. Who knows these criminals? And I don't mean from the newspaper.

As I said, neither do we. That's why we don't want to trivialize this issue or blow it up artificially.

"Those who give up freedom to gain security will end up losing both."
Benjamin Franklin

Travel and safety information

Finally, before the conclusion, a personal advice.

The Italian would probably express it once again with "tranquillo" - "stay calm". The Englishman with "Keep calm and listen to your feeling" - We would also recommend to pay attention to his feeling and to keep calm. But above all we would advise to trust one's own feeling. Not what "one" says. And we should never forget that fear paralyzes. It is written on our foreheads and unconsciously makes us victims. Palermo is and remains a big city. But above all, it is a damn safe city. 

In addition, the classics also apply in Palermo: Do not leave valuables in the car; it is best to put money in the inside pocket of your jacket. Close doors and windows before leaving the apartment or hotel room. Do not forget to lock them. Of course, this also applies to your car or motorcycle. If available, valuables, Leave money, IDs, driver's license and other important documents in the safe. If necessary, make electronic copies/photos in advance. This will make it easier to issue a replacement document in the event of theft or loss.

And finally, a few tips on the subject of pickpocketing. This also increases in Palermo during the high season. 

Pickpockets...

...selectively choose places where many people are gathered, such as markets, pubs and landmarks.

...carefully observe their potential victims before the act and wait for the right moment.

...exploit the weaknesses of their victims, such as physical handicaps, alcoholism, or fatigue...often work in groups, with each member having a specific role, such as distraction, theft, and escape.

...try to establish physical proximity to their victims, for example by bumping into them or intentionally soiling their clothes.

...are primarily interested in valuables. Therefore, it is advisable to always keep purses and wallets in an inside pocket.

Our conclusion

The Foreign Office does not issue a travel warning or specific advice for Palermo. And we are glad that we do not have to. Quite the contrary. Our purely subjective feeling was once again confirmed by all these facts. We feel safe and free in Palermo. And this by day and by night.

And we love Palermo especially at night. When the bustle of tourists has faded away. The night owls slowly go home. And the old street lamps put Palermo in perspective.

"Well-trodden paths are the safest, but there's a lot of traffic."
Jeff Taylor

Above all, we feel safer than in Berlin, Frankfurt and yes, we have to admit it, now also safer than in Cologne. Because we know that San Bene Detto, Santa Rosalia and four other patron saints of Palermo are protecting us. With this in mind, see you in Palermo at night.

And one thing remains certain, Palermo may not be red hot, but it is red hot. 

Added value - Links

Want to discover the hustle and bustle of Palermo? The Centro Storico is the ideal starting point, because it offers more than just an ordinary old town. Head to Mercato di Ballaro, where you can not only enjoy street food, but also get a taste of Palermo's soul. Be careful: Palermo's street food can be addictive!

When your palate has been spoiled enough, let yourself be fascinated by the street art in Palermo. Here, artists turn walls into canvases, and graffiti becomes real works of art. For an adrenaline rush, experience the Targa Florio race, a street race that makes Sicily shake. Or are you more drawn to a small fishing village? How about Cefalù?

Discover the diversity of Palermo and Sicily. Your adventure starts here!

And if you are still looking for the perfect accommodation in Palermo, we have just the thing for you: Palazzo Vetrano, an exceptional vacation apartment in the heart of the old town. Here you can expect historical charm, modern comfort and an unbeatable location in the Centro Storico.

Start here:

• Palazzo Vetrano - The somewhat different vacation apartment 
• Palermo Centro Storico: [More than just an old town?]
• Mercato di Ballaro: [Palermo's oldest market offers more than street food
• Palermo Street Food:
• Street Art Palermo: Part I or Part II or Part III or Part IV and to round off Part V
• Targa Florio Part I and Part II
• Cefalù - More than a fishing village
• Madonie - You love Nature, small villages and delicious and local cuisine

And if you want to retire after an exciting day, Palazzo Vetrano, the perfect apartment in Ballaro, Palermo Old Town awaits you. Here you can relax and plan new adventures. Book today and make your dream vacation come true!