Palermo is the capital of Sicily. Spectacular city full of monuments and palaces: the 12th century Palermo cathedral houses royal tombs, while the huge neoclassical Teatro Massimo is famous all over the world for opera and classical music performances, then Palazzo dei Normanni, the royal palace begun in the 9th century, and the Palatine Chapel, with Byzantine mosaics of amazing beauty. The crowded and colorful markets of Ballarò and the Vucciria.

To know everything there is to know about the historic center of this wonderful city where our carefully selected luxury apartments are located, the ideal thing is to choose a visit with a specialized guide.

During a guided tour of approximately 3 hours, you will discover:

Palazzo dei Normanni, one of the most visited monuments, called the Royal Palace of Palermo.

The Norman palace is the representation of the cultural mix that is the hallmark of Palermo: the Arab-Norman style.

Built to house the Arab emirs, it was later occupied by the Normans who expanded it, and later by the Spaniards. Its architectural style preserves the traces of the different cultures that built and inhabited it. The gem present at the Norman palace is the Palatine chapel, an Arab-Norman-Byzantine masterpiece. Commissioned by King Roger II to host the masses of the King's family, the chapel has incredible gold mosaics, which decorate the walls and ceiling.

For more information: https://www.federicosecondo.org/en/

The Four Canti

The intersection called the Quattro Canti is the intersection of the 2 main streets of Palermo, Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda.

In this intersection you can admire these 4 perfectly symmetrical facades.

The Massimo Vittorio Emanuele Theater

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo, inaugurated in 1897, is the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in Europe, after Paris and Vienna!

Today the theater hosts works of international standing.

Regional Art Gallery of Sicily, in Palazzo Abatellis

The Abatellis palace is a Catalan Gothic palace, houses the regional museum and has an important collection of paintings, statues and frescoes.

The Botanical Garden and Villa Giulia

The botanical garden is home to many species of Mediterranean and exotic trees and plants, including a giant ficus with intertwined branches, the largest tree in the garden.

Next to it is Villa Giulia which is the most beautiful public garden in Palermo, with statues and fountains.

The Catacombs of the Capuchin friars

In the Catacombs of the Capuchins only the monks could be buried inside but over time, many Sicilians, mostly noble families, were buried there.

Thanks to an embalming process, the bodies remained almost intact.

The catacombs have almost 8,000 mummies divided into different sectors: monks, women, men, children, etc ... The visit is truly suggestive and a little disturbing.

The Palaces of Palermo

The city of Palermo is full of historic buildings to visit and admire. Some:

:

Palazzo Gangi where the film “Il Gattopardo” by Luchino Visconti was shot.

Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri, perhaps the seat of the Court of the Inquisition for over 150 years. There are in fact the prison cells, with graffiti of the prisoners made with their blood.

Palazzo Mirto is a splendid palace with original 18th century decorations and furniture.

The Zisa palace houses the Museum of Islamic Art.

There are many churches in the city, all to be visited and admired from the street or from above, perhaps in a panorama that can be enjoyed from some terrace ..

The Cathedral of Monreale

If you have a few more days to spend during your holidays in Palermo, a must visit.

Just 40 minutes by car from the center of Palermo, it is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, representing a masterpiece of architecture, especially its interior.

Once inside, you will be shocked by the beauty: 6,500 square meters of gold mosaics.

Next to the cathedral, the cloister with each column with its own unique decoration.

The Mondello Beach

From Palermo it is possible to reach Mondello beach in 30 minutes by car. A real Caribbean beach for its fine sand and clean, turquoise water.

Here you will find equipped beaches, but there is also a free and free public area. The seaside village is also full of restaurants and bars for a fun nightlife.

In Palermo, absolutely to visit the Ballarò Market, one of the largest and most typical of the city.

In this colorful market, you will find the best food in all of Sicily at very cheap prices

There are also street food stalls such as arancine or cannoli. The best way to discover the city is also through the food and the joy of the markets!

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