'Palermo Travel Guide for Great Tours and Vacations Of The Sicilian Capital Especially For You'<<>> Palermo travel guide will help you decide on your Palermo tours. And which of the attractions Palermo offers will be of interest to you. Whether your looking for Palermo vacations, holidays or short breaks a good Palermo guide is recommended.
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As it's been invaded by the Byzantines, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish, Austrians and Bourbons before being unified with Italy. Nowadays it's invaded by tourists on their Italian tours and vacations. It is a city whose unique culture has been moulded by many different influences into the bustling chaotic city you see today. The Greeks and Romans called it Panormos, meaning 'all port', but it was under the Arabs that, as Bal'harm, the city grew and prospered. Even after nine centuries the street markets here still evoke the atmosphere of the Arab souk.
To wander around this city is to see something different around every corner. As you walk you will marvel at the sicilian driving and especially the Palermo parking. You will also find how easy it is to step off of a bustling street into a courtyard of total tranquillity. You will enjoy a fabulous night out by eating at a family restaurant, in a derelict square, and enjoying great food and wine at very reasonable prices.
For some free entertainment just go and watch the police directing traffic at the Quattro Canti (Four Corners) at the traditional center of Palermo.
The Norman influence of culture, law and architecture is best seen around the fortified area in the center of Palermo. Many tours start at the Normans' Royal Palace which looks much as it did nine centuries ago. And the palace's interior still holds much of its former grandeur. Here you will see the Palatine Chapel with its Romanesque floor plan, traditional Orthodox iconography and a painted Arabic ceiling. Of particular note are the fine icons of Saint Peter and Saint James.
Palermo Cathedral ‘Saint Mary of the Assumption’ is a diversity of architectural styles Arab, Norman, Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and soaring medieval spires. Arab records mention the existence of a large "infidel" temple present on this site when they conquered Palermo in 831. They turned this into the city's principal mosque. Then in early 1072, when the Normans won control of Palermo from the Saracens, the great mosque became a Christian church again.
About eight kilometres south of Palermo's cathedral is the town of Monreale, from the Latin "Mons Regalis" (literally 'Royal Mountain'). No extended visit or vacation in Palermo is truly complete without a visit to Monreale and Monreale Cathedral. The "Santa Maria la Nuova" (Saint Mary the New) is a 12th century cathedral with an interesting mix of Arab, Byzantine and Norman architecture. It is particularly popular for its magnificent mosaics, which cover more than 6,000 sq m.
There are many other churches and religious sites to visit as well as many beaches, gardens and parks which will be detailed in a good city guide.
Other Attractions Include:
The Regional Archeological Museum displays the Palermo Stone (c2700 B.C.) brought from Egypt and parts of the ruined temple of Himera. There are many Sicilian, Phoenician, Greek and Roman displays, as well as some interesting Christian and Arab items. In the courtyards numerous Roman statues can be viewed.
Learn how 19th century noblemen lived in Palermo Sicily by visiting Palazzo Mirto. This opulent Baroque palace is one of the few such buildings open to the public. It boasts a lavish interior with furnishings from the 18th & 19th centuries.
The Capuchin Catacombs was the burial ground of Palermo’s upper classes. Around 1533 the Capuchin friars began the practice of embalming bodies. After being embalmed, the corpses were hung up along the walls of the Catacombs, dressed in their finest clothes, where they still rest in peace. Among some of macabre displays are a military officer in 18th century uniform and the extremely well-preserved body of a little 7 year old girl named Rosalia who has the distinction of being the last person to be embalmed here in 1920.
The Teatro Massimo was one of the world's largest theatre complexes when the building was started in 1895. It is said, it’s haunted by the ghost of a nun who lived in the convent that stood on this location. The Teatro Massimo is one of Italy's most famous opera houses. To moviegoers, the most famous performance associated with the Teatro Massimo took place not on the theatre's stage but on its steps, during the last scene of The Godfather Part 3, filmed in Palermo in 1990.
<<>> In the heart of Palermo's loveliest square, Piazza Pretoria stands La Fontana della Vergogna. Locally known as the Fountain of Shame. It was completed in 1555. Adorned with depictions of allegories, animal heads, nymphs, monsters, gods and goddesses, ornamental staircases and balustrades. It takes awhile to study it. One of the statuettes is Ceres, the classical patroness of Sicily, depicted with a horn of plenty. When the fountain was first unveiled in 1575 there was a public outcry, over its decency, especially from the church. The fountain is floodlit at night. Why not take a look and see what all the fuss was about.
Palermo's La Kalsa is a city within a city. The name Kalsa comes from Al Khalesa (or halesa), the district's Arabic name, meaning "the chosen." This was the administrative centre of the city of Bal'harm one of the first Arab localities to be established in Europe.
Have a great vacation time in Palermo on organised Palermo tours or privately visiting its many attractions.
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