Palermo - A day out without a mafia guide?

Wonderful Palermo is the capital of Sicily and with nearly 800,000 dwellers is largest city with its own airport on the island it is situated on the north western area of Sicily in a bay. Now when most people hear of Palermo they think of ‘Godfather’ or ‘Goodfellas’ as it is the spiritual home of the Mafia. This is a pity. Does the mafia exist? Yes but it offers so much more. The purpose of this little article is to show you that Palermo offers so much more and we are going to make you an offer (to see more) that you cannot resist.

First of all is the rich tapestry of cultures which exist in Palermo - the Arabs and the Normans sum up to a unique mixture which demonstrates Sicily’s history. This is in direct contrast to poverty which you will see in places in Palermo. Unfortunately Palermo has the highest unemployment rate in all of the towns and cities in all of Italy.

So let’s start off with what there is to see and doing in Palermo. First portal of call has to be the beautiful cathedral - the Palazzo dei Normanni. In addition to the museum on the Piazza Olivella it is a very interesting place and those who appreciate art can get excellent value for money in the Galleria Regional Sicilian, where all sorts of varied works of Sicilian artists are displayed.

Now if it were me the next place I would go and see in Palermo would be the Norman Palace. Built in the 9th century AD it was later expanded by the Normans – and if you look carefully you can see where. It is also good to point this out to tour guide as they will appreciate that you appreciate their culture.

Our personal favourite has to be the beautiful chapel – something’s defy words and this is one of them. Once you have seen it please come back to our Palermo site and confirm or indeed challenge us.

The second place we would we would immediately recommend is the Cathedral of Palermo. Not only a breath-taking example of architecture is houses numerous different styles that give the building a unique flair. The Arabian touch of the decorations gives it an air of strange beauty. Here are the mortal remains of Roger 2nd, Heinrich 6th, Friedrich 2nd (who originally wanted to get interred in the cathedral of Cefalú and not in Palermo) and his mother Constance de Hauteville. This part can be viewed against the fee of 1 Euro (March 2007), somebody who also wants to admire the crypt and the treasures of the cathedral has to pay 1, 50€ more and can astonish crosses that are set with jewels and bishop’s caps.

What to see outside of Palermo?

If you looking for something to see and do then we strongly recommend Monreale. So many people miss this fantastic place as most have not heard of it before. If architecture is your thing then a visit to the cathedral is an absolute must. The exterior is imposing, balancing on a hillside at the bottom of the little town. If the exterior impresses you then the interior will take your breathe away. It has a stunning interior with almost every surface ornately decorated, in deep blue, gold and other colours of a mosaic, depicting the main stories of the Old and New Testaments.

Once you have finished in the cathedral be sure to visit the cloisters, where each pillar is unique, and wander the streets for the magnificent views of Palermo and its bay. For an even better view of the area then you can even climb up the steps to the cathedral roof - if you are brave enough. To escape the ferocity of the mid day sun you can visit one of several bars and tavernas, and a few interesting shops. If you’re here in the evening when most of the tourists have left you’ll find it a friendly unpretentious town in which to experience a sense of the real Sicily. And if you’d like to read more about this great little town, do visit my Monreale page.

Palermo Guide

Palermo is perhaps one of the most dramatic islands on the face of the planet. Not only is it the birth place of the La Costa Nostra (Mafia) but also boasts a wealth of history and culture. Among the many things to see and do are Carini a medieval castle that has been extensively restructured as well as the castles of Castelbuono and Catania. We would also recommend a visit to the beautiful towns of Erice and Falconara Sicula. The island of Sicily is expansive and is best explored by car if you wish to truly take it all in.

To locate the best rate on a Palermo car hire use our comprehensive Palermo Airport Car hire search engine. Our Quick Car Hire Booking form takes all the guess work out of finding the absolute best deal on a Palermo Car hire. Not to mention the fact that the booking process is so simple that you can avoid wasting time booking a car in the airport and get on your way to enjoying this beautiful Italian city. Simply fill out some basic information in the form on the right hand side of the screen and we will take care of the rest of the work for you.