Having already reached the northwestern part of Sicily, we can’t miss visiting the capital, Palermo! A city whose atmosphere can best be described as “raw”… Its charming central parts contrast sharply with repulsive streets, where piles of garbage pile up on corners and precious architectural monuments are surrounded by crumbling Baroque buildings. And all this, under the lingering glory of the Italian mafia… But you can always escape to the small town of Monreale, which hides one of the most magnificent Norman cathedrals in Europe and a lot of Sicilian charm!
Where is located, how to get there and where to stay
Palermo is located on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and is surrounded by several high mountains. The island capital has a population of around 700 000 people, which ranks it in fifth place among Italian cities! The airport (Falcone e Borsellino) is 35 km away and, together with that in Catania, receives the main flights to Sicily. The cheapest option for getting from it to the city center is a bus or train (6-7 euros), which run regularly along the route. You can see schedules, prices and buy a ticket from Trainline.
See car rental options in Sicily
If you have decided to travel around the island by car, as we did, you can use the services of our partners from Autoeurope, who always provide the best and safest car rental offers. It’s also important to know that parking, and in general driving in Palermo, is a real nightmare! This was the main reason we chose to stay overnight in Monreale and from there catch the city bus to the center of Palermo. This saved us from wandering around in traffic, worrying about the safety of the car, and morning traffic jams the next day.
We booked a room with parking at Locanda Del Drago – a little outside of Monreale, right next to the bus stop 389, leading to the big city, and with a great view of the Conca d’Oro valley (the golden valley). The hotel is reached via a narrow turnoff from the main road, and in front of it is the small parking lot. The rooms are clean and spacious, and the restaurant offers a hearty breakfast. There were not many guests during our visit and we received a very hospitable individual treatment!
💡 If you choose this option, it’s good to know that bus tickets are only sold at tobacco and newspaper shops (I hope this has changed and can now be purchased on the bus)! We didn’t know it and had to risk being fined for illegal travel… Well, on the way back we had already prepared!
See more places to stay in Monreale
Booking.comTo the Norman palace
We get off at one of the main city squares – Piazza Indipendenza (from there we will catch the bus back to Monreale). This is a strategic location, and the entrance to Palermo through Porta Nuova has been the most important access to the city by land for centuries. Its construction began in the 16th century, with the idea of building a triumphal arch to commemorate Charles V’s victory over the Ottoman Empire in Tunis in 1535.
We pass through it and find ourselves around the oldest royal residence in Europe – Palazzo dei Normanni. The Normans expanded the former Saracen fortress and turned it into an elegant palace complex. If you decide to go inside, don’t miss the chapel built by Roger II – Cappella Palatina. Considered a perfect example of the Arab-Norman-Byzantine style, it is among the most significant landmarks in Palermo.
Around statues and palm trees
You may also be interested in the sculpture on the square in front of the palace, known as the Marble Theater (Teatro Marmoreo). It was made in 1662 by various masters of the Palermo Baroque and depicts the Spanish King Philip IV, ruling over the four continents known at that time. What is curious however, is that the sculpture of the king was destroyed during the uprisings against the Bourbons in 1848, and is currently dominated by a statue made a few years later and mistakenly depicting Philip V.
And when you enter the alleys of Villa Bonanno, surrounded by tall palm trees, everything around disappears! You will hardly find this place in the Palermo travel guides, but it’s worth a short walk through this exotic area.
More about Palermo
Founded by the ancient Phoenicians in the 5th century BC, Palermo experienced its glorious times under the rule of Arabs and Normans. Their footprints are visible to this day – in the architecture, the bazaars, the food, and the lifestyle of the locals. The misrule of the Aragonese and Bourbons led to numerous rebellions, and after the unification of Italy, Sicily remained too isolated and poverty and popular discontent began to grow. Thus was born the infamous Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra), which forever built Palermo’s criminal reputation.
Multifaceted and colorful
Here we sneaked through the narrow streets of the nearby neighborhood, trying to get to the Jesuit church Chiesa del Gesù. Well, we arrived, but we also saw a less charming and more shabby side of Palermo. I was aware that the city was colorful and multifaceted, the most striking example in Italy of the mixing of cultures between Europe and Africa, and definitely not to everyone’s taste. But this diversity failed to impress us at all, on the contrary, we couldn’t wait to return to Montreal again! It was probably this setting that made us not continue to the next neighborhood (La Kalsa) and the famous street market La Vucciria, but return to the main tourist area.
Around the popular fountain
We pass through the small Piazza Bellini square, where, in addition to the theater of the same name, we can also see the church Chiesa della Martorana, which has preserved magnificent mosaics from the 12th century, and the Norman church with red domes – Chiesa di San Cataldo.
In the neighboring square (Piazza Pretoria) you will find the most famous fountain in Palermo – Fontana Pretoria. Originally built for Florence, this fountain served to repay a debt and was transported to the Sicilian capital in 644 pieces! It’s composed of numerous statues of animals and naked human bodies, which is why the square was nicknamed Piazza della Vergogna (Square of Shame). Behind it are the beautiful facades of Chiesa di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria and Palazzo Pretorio, housing the town hall.
The two main boulevards
The two perfectly straight boulevards via Vittorio Emanuele and via Maqueda are the main pedestrian arteries of the city and the best option for walking. Along them you will find various fashion boutiques, small squares and pleasant restaurants. They are used to access almost all the sights in Palermo, and their intersection is the most iconic meeting place – the Four Corners (Quattro Canti). Four Baroque palaces form the interesting intersection, with statues of the four Spanish kings of Sicily visible on the facades, and remarkable columns in antique style complementing their elegant appearance.
When it comes to exquisite vision, the remarkable 19th-century Teatro Massimo is a must-see. It is the largest opera house in Italy and the third in Europe, after those in Paris and Vienna!
Street food in Palermo is on a pedestal and is worth trying! The markets are the main place to do this (Ballarò Market, Vucciria Market and Mercato del Capo), but we liked a small place on via Maqueda that specializes only in making arancini – KePalle. Huge variety of flavors, we tried several variations and they were great! Perhaps the best arancini we tried in Sicily.
The Cathedral of Palermo
We left the culmination for last – the Cathedral of Palermo (Cattedrale di Palermo). Honey-colored and surrounded by numerous palm trees, the cathedral impresses with its exotic exterior – a mix of Norman and Arabic architecture. It was built in 1184 on top of a mosque, which previously occupied the site of a Byzantine basilica. It was commissioned by King Roger II with the aim of surpassing this one in Monreale in beauty! It is truly impressive from the outside, but its interior mosaics were removed in the 15th century during a “beautification” process, and you may be disappointed by the sterile and boring surroundings.
To Monreale
Arrivederci, Palermo, we’re returning to Monreale! In its center you will find two charming squares connected to each other – Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and Piazza Guglielmo II. A fountain, some palm trees and a few orange trees laden with fruit. Somehow a simple Sicilian place, but so fascinating! After leaving the cathedral, we sat at the restaurant on the corner opposite its entrance (Pizzeria Guglielmo di Milazzo Girolamo C. Sas) and watched the locals finishing work and walking around the small square. In February, there aren’t very many tourists staying in Monreale and we had a great opportunity to feel its true atmosphere.
The Cathedral of Monreale
Here it is… one of the most significant landmarks in Sicily – Cattedrale di Monreale! Built in 1172 by the Norman King William II, it uniquely embodies the history of the area, blending Arabic, Byzantine and Norman styles in art and architecture. From the outside, the facade is interesting, but it fails to even hint at what awaits us inside…
Notice the medieval relief bronze gates depicting 42 biblical scenes and almost 8 meters high! And inside… it’s like you’re entering a real treasury, where the golden hues and colorful marble can dazzle you! About 6400 square meters of mosaic cycle, made by Sicilian and Byzantine masters, recreates stories from the Old and New Testaments. Your attention will certainly be drawn to the depicted figure of Christ Pantocrator on the central apse! A unique technique of placing the tiles creates the illusion that his gaze follows your movements around the temple. The interior of this masterpiece, part of the UNESCO list, is complemented by marble columns supporting the unique wooden ceiling.
Dinner time
We were left to mingle with the locals for a tour of Monreale before dinner or the so-called “passeggiata” – the beautiful Italian word for this activity. Of course, it doesn’t last long, because the size of the pedestrian zone is significantly small, and we are already very hungry… So we headed to Pizzeria Art Libri Totó. Personally decorated by the owner Angelo, this pizzeria combines colorful curtains, whimsical chandeliers, golden mirrors, and numerous paintings and books in its interior. All this mess, in the good sense of the word, creates a unique atmosphere and coziness!
Everything we tried from the food was excellent. The most definitive assessment for me was that almost all visitors knew the staff and the owner by name, and at one point the space became cramped and the garage opposite had to be opened, where there were a few more tables… Definitely the best restaurant we visited in all of Sicily!
