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.