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.