Things to Do at Fontana Pretoria

Fontana Pretoria rises like a marble wedding cake in the middle of Piazza Pretoria, its tiers of nude statues gleaming white against Palermo's honey-colored buildings. The fountain's water hisses and splashes so loudly you almost miss the city sounds beyond - scooters revving past Quattro Canti and vendors calling out nearby. On summer afternoons, the air carries both the cool mist from the fountain and the heavier scent of espresso drifting from Bar Touring across the square. Locals call it Fontana della Vergogna - the Fountain of Shame - thanks to those provocative nudes writhing in marble. The nickname stuck after conservative Palermitans spent centuries scandalized by the display. Standing here, you'll catch the way sunlight bounces off the water and makes the statues seem to move, while pigeons perch on Neptune's shoulder like they've claimed him as one of their own.

From Palermo Centrale, catch bus 101 or 102 to Piazza Pretoria - it's the stop everyone else gets off at too. The walk takes 20 minutes up Via Roma if you prefer to see the city wake up. Taxis run about the cost of two cappuccinos from most central hotels, though honestly walking gives you the full approach up Via Maqueda with Quattro Canti emerging like a baroque surprise party.