Sicilian Summer

In an era where climate change reshapes our relationship with summer, these images from Palermo take on a deeper significance. The Mediterranean city, with its sun-bleached streets and persistent beach culture, stands as both documentation and warning – a glimpse of how coastal communities adapt to increasingly intense summers.

A blue Vespa navigates market-lined streets, its riders and their small dog embodying the city’s casual elegance, while at Regina Elena’s beachfront, local life unfolds beneath weathered shelters – conversations between strangers, the gentle ritual of waiting, all framed by folded yellow umbrellas and the ever-present Mediterranean. These scenes may become increasingly precious as rising temperatures and sea levels threaten traditional coastal ways of life.

Palermo offers beautiful beaches and exceptional street food with a taste of seafood to many tourists from around the world every summer. Yet when the season ends and visitors return to their routines, the reality shifts. The beaches remain full, not with international tourists but with locals, bearing the traces of summer’s crowds. Between white wooden barriers that section off the beach, sunbathers claim their territories of sand, their presence a testament to humans’ enduring connection to the sea despite environmental challenges. At Mondello beach, rows of blue and white changing cabins create a backdrop for afternoon rituals, where the average age hovers around fifty, punctuated by playing children. This is where local life and holiday aspirations merge under the Sicilian sun, amidst remarkable traces of Greek and Mediterranean cultures, complemented by Italy’s coffee culture and Europe’s finest gelato on every corner. These traditions persist even as rising temperatures reshape Mediterranean summers, making these moments of communal beach life increasingly valuable.

In this chaotic excitement, there’s no room for quiet beach contemplation. Instead, stretch your legs, find your rhythm in the city’s pulse, and fuel your exploration with strong coffee from countless cafes. These images capture not just a season but a way of life that coastal communities fight to preserve – a documentary of resilience in the face of environmental change, where traditional summer rituals adapt but endure.