Heat Wave & Fear of Water
Thalassophobia is one of my weakest spots. Back home in Sweden, many years can pass without me going for a swim, due to this severe fear of algea. And fish. And dark waters. But it has been +30°C since I left Berlin, with only a few days exempt. This makes a beach a 1/4 of an inch more attractive. Possibly even a necessity.
After a mostly comfortable 11 km bike ride from Palermo to Mondello Beach, I’m greeted by an almost empty evening beach. No sea monsters or algea in sight.
Like many Italian beaches there is an area accessible to the public, and another where you have to pay to hang out. The area opposite of the direction of Palermo is filled with restaurants and bars, with a bustling evening life. Don’t expect any culinary high lights, but it’s still ok för an evening Aperol Sprits and some people watching.
During my three days in Palermo, I wen’t here daily. The inner route out, and the coast line route on the way back, since variety pleases.
Italian Tourists & The Mondello Beach
My tourist aversion is to say the least very silly. But I just don’t like to hang with them. If the’re not domestic that is 😇.
Mondello beach is a popular weekend hangout for the people of Palermo, it’s easy to see why. I can imagine it being even more crowded during their vacation period.
It’s really nice to hang out in these crowds. One great thing with the Mondello beach is, in comparison to the one in Levanto, that it’s the area closest to the water that is accessible to the public. If you want a gated area with a private sun bed and parasol, you have to stay away from the beach front.
Since my first visit was at an empty evening beach, and my second during a weekday before vacations, the weekend come as a chock😂. Still, it’s not crazy, and the mixture of people is good. You can buy drinks from sellers on the beach, but nothing apart from this seems to be sold. It’s kind of nice, cause you don’t need to fend of beach vendors.
If you fancy a drink, coffee or gelato, there are quite a few places by the road behind the beach in the area in the Palermo direction of the beach.
