Palmero’s Sicilian Regional Gallery

While Sicily may be a hire car haven, with some of the most scenic routes you will ever drive, the capital city of Palermo simply demands you stop and visit, containing as it does so many cultural and historic sites of interest.  One such magnet for those willing to park their hire car for a few hours is the Palazzo Abbatellis, a large gothic palace dating from the 15^th century, now home to the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia, Sicily’s largest art gallery.

Most of the works on show are from the medieval and Renaissance periods through to the eighteenth century, arguably taly’s golden age of art, and the gallery houses many fascinating and striking pieces such as the “Bust of Eleanor of Aragon” by Francesco Laurana and the famous “Our Lady of the Annunciation”.

The gallery is large enough to deserve a few hours of soaking up the atmosphere, as well as admiring the numerous Renaissance masterpieces, and is as good a place as any to experience some of the city of Palermo’s rich and varied culture.

Palermo’s Hidden Architectural Gems

One of Italy’s hidden gems, Palermo is rife with fascinating treasures that lie behind its daunting past.  While its past reputation may leave tourists wary of its historic center, modern Palermo is opening itself up more and more to the world at large.

A trip to any Italian town is never complete without visiting its churches and this locale has several of them in awe-inspiring splendor.  Try the Church of San Francesco Saverio, an octagonal shaped church built in the 17th century, with a bell tower that affords a vast aerial view of the local neighborhoods, or the La Martorana, which blends the best of Arab and Norman architecture, with well-maintained frescoes and mosaics behind its walls.  Of course, you must take your car hire to the Duomo off the beaten path in Monreale, which hosts a 65-foot-high mosaic of Jesus and over 200 intricately carved columns.

Out in the Loggia district is the most spectacular Baroque architecture that Palermo has to offer. A single five euro pass gets you into the area’s five major sites, such as the Oratorio del Rosario del San Domenico and the Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Citta.