MONREALE, PALERMO HIGHLIGHTS and STREET FOOD (F/D)

Today you are greeted at Palermo hotel and driven to Monreale to see with your expert Guide where the Arab-Norman art and architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory with the Dome (Admission fee: not included). Launched in 1174 by William II, it represents the scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics.

Later we will drive back to Palermo to visit the Palatine Chapel (Admission fee: not included), a Byzantine style chapel built by the Normans in the 12th century, and famous for its beautiful mosaic decoration and artwork. This church, “the most beautiful religious jewel ever dreamed by human thought ” in Maupassant‘s words is located inside Palermo Royal Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni) that is nowadays the seat of Sicily’s semi-autonomous regional government. Its mosaics are among the most beautiful Byzantine art production, they have no equal in any church of Constantinople. We start then our the walking tour which can be adapted to include as much as possible, having the opportunity to choose according with the guide a good panoramic point of the main highlights. We visit Palermo Cathedral then we explore a large open air street market (Capo or Ballarò) that captures the flavor of Palermo’s Saracen Arab past. Enjoy a local street food tasting. Then continue by seeing “four corners” that converge Palermo at a quartet of baroque palaces left over from the heyday of Spanish rule dating from 1560, Piazza Pretoria with its amazing fountain and Via Maqueda. The walking tour will end admiring (external view) the imposing Massimo Theater, Palermo Opera Plaza.

Time to say goodbye to your guide and independent transfer to your Hotel.