La Cala de Palermo
The Cala is a maritime cove that corresponds to the oldest port of the city of Palermo, at the level of the historic centre, where the grand avenue of Via Toledo (or Càssaro) leads.
La Cala today
Nowadays it is mainly used as a marina, for pleasure boats and nautical clubs, offering around 300 berths.
This artificial cove is a popular spot for a walk along the waterfront, with direct access to the Foro Italico and the historic quays of the city.
La Cala
Nearby are the remains of the Castello a Mare, an ancient medieval fortress whose remains are now integrated into an archaeological park open to the public, illustrating the strategic importance of La Cala through the centuries.
Historical overview of La Cala
The term Cala could come from the Arabic “kalak” (meaning ditch), or from the Greek “Chalao” (meaning entrance from the sea).
This natural cove, which was originally much further inland, was first exploited by the Phoenicians. The two rivers that flowed into it, Kemonia and Papireto, were diverted with the expansion of the city. It was protected to the east by the Castello a Mare castle.
The marina of La Cala
The port was bordered by a road that could be accessed in the past through six gates, of which only the Porta Felice remains, the most recent. In the 15th century the port was closed by a large chain, one end of which was attached to the church of Santa Maria della Catena, and the other to the Castello a Mare.
A jetty was built in the 14th century and La Cala remained the main port of Palermo until the 16th century, when the ports of the districts of Santa Lucia (today’s Borgo vecchio) and Sant’Erasmo also developed.
Palermo Marina Yachting
Marina Fountain
The Palermo Marina Yachting is a modern and redeveloped area of the port of Palermo opened in 2023, designed as a space for leisure, recreation and tourist services, with restaurants, shops, a conference centre, a panoramic theatre and berthing areas for large yachts.
At the centre of this redevelopment is Marina, the largest musical dancing fountain in Italy, which offers water, light and music shows every evening, attracting visitors and residents to the waterfront.
The name and concept of Marina are inspired by Gianni Rodari’s fable La Sirena di Palermo.
Photo gallery
Ancient walls 
Marina Fountain 
Castello a Mare
Where La Cala is in Palermo
Information
Sources and external sites
- Foro Italico: www.palermoviva.it, Wikipedia page, turismo.comune.palermo.it
- La Cala: www.palermoviva.it, it.wikipedia.org