Palermo: Why We Love It - Part II

THE PARKS

We have yet to mention Palermo's huge, 64-acre network of interconnected parks, collectively termed Bosques del Palermo (Palermo Forests.) With several lakes, biking paths and countless different gardens (the Zoological Garden, Japanese Garden, Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, etc.), it is to Buenos Aires what Central Park is to New York City. Except that Central Park doesn't have mysterious hidden statues....or bike rentals for as low as $1/hour.

THE TREE-LINED STREETS

Continuing on the green theme, one of the most instantly noticeable things about Palermo is that, unlike the rest of the city, almost all of the streets (some of which are still cobblestone) are lined with huge old trees that provide cool shade on even the hottest days. You can tell that the city has worked very hard to preserve the trees (and thus the charm) in this area, despite all the new construction.

THE MULTI-PURPOSE SPACES

In Palermo, a restaurant is not just a restaurant. It is often a number of things: a lounge, a cafe, a bookstore, a performance space, an art gallery, a club (at night), a music shop. Since eating is not something to rush through here, you are provided with lots of things to do while you take your sweet time. Here are two examples. First photo: Eterna Cadencia, a bohemian bookstore-restaurant. Second photo: Central, a industrial-styled restaurant-reading hangout.