Mondello, Art Nouveau beach resort in Palermo, Italy
Mondello is a coastal settlement in northwestern Palermo, Sicily, known for its Art Nouveau villas and sandy beach. The beach lies in a protected bay between two mountains and is bordered by a promenade lined with historic buildings from the early twentieth century.
In the late nineteenth century, a Belgian company drained the marshes of the former fishing settlement and began building villas. Over the following decades, the area developed into a favored bathing resort for wealthy families from Palermo.
The name comes from the Arabic word for spring, referring to freshwater sources in the area. Along the waterfront promenade, villas display ornate balconies and floral motifs in their wrought-iron grilles.
The beach is reachable from Palermo city center within thirty minutes by public transport and offers both free access and managed sections along its shoreline. On summer weekends, the beach and promenade fill up quickly, while spring and autumn provide quieter conditions.
The Charleston bathing house was built in the early twentieth century on stilts over the water and originally served as a pier with a platform. The structure rests directly on the seabed and extends several dozen meters into the bay.
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