Residents of Palermo are divided over the wedding celebrations of British pop star Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner, which have brought road closures and security cordons to the Sicilian capital. The couple, who exchanged vows in London last weekend, are hosting a two-day event in Palermo, with a private tour of the Galleria d'Arte Moderna and a reception at Palazzo Gangi.
While some locals are proud that the city was chosen for the nuptials, others lament the disruption. Concetta Chillemi, a shop owner near the gallery, said she had not heard of Dua Lipa until the couple holidayed in Palermo last summer. 'Sometimes it feels as though the city is becoming a theme park,' she said, echoing concerns about mass tourism.
Clarissa, a bar worker who declined to give her surname, said: 'I really like Dua Lipa’s music and admire her activism. But it has brought a lot of problems – for three days we’ve been forced to park miles away and walk to work. I could understand if it was for the pope, but not for a singer.'
However, Concetta Picciuca, a hotel worker and fan, welcomed the event. 'I think it’s good for the economy,' she said. 'Perhaps people should come to work by bike instead of car.' The celebrations will move on Saturday to Villa Valguarnera in Bagheria, a town once a stronghold of the Cosa Nostra. Mayor Filippo Tripoli is pleased with the global visibility, but some residents remain unimpressed.
