Beauties to Discover
Tour of Sicily
Take a tour around Sicily, pearl of the Mediterranean Sea..
Western Sicily is particularly interesting because of its amazing places included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Take a tour around Sicily, pearl of the Mediterranean Sea..
Western Sicily is particularly interesting because of its amazing places included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Trapani and the salt pans, the Island of Mothia, Erice and Segesta are also worth visiting. Those who want to spend their holidays at the seaside just can’t miss the opportunity of visiting Scopello, San Vito lo Capo, Capo Gallo, and of course the coast of Terrasini, which offers a variety of lovely places.
Palermo Cathedral
t was founded in 1184 by the palermitan archibishop Walter of the Mill, one of the most important officials of the reign of William II. This magnificent building is a symbol of the city, showing many different architecture styles, from the original norman structure to the eighteenth century rebuildings. Particularly interesting are the norman apse, the impressive bell towers dating from the 14th century and the marvellous gotic facade on the western side.
The Royal Palace and the Palatine Chapel
Ancient seat of the Emirs, Kings and Viceroys, this imposing building hosts today the Sicilian Parliament. It is the most ancient royal palace in Europe. The pre-existing Phoenician and Roman buildings were destroyed; in the ninth century the Arab Emyrs constructed a magnificent palace and after the Norman conquest of the town in 1072, the Royal Palace became the residence of the new sovereigns. The marvellous Palatine Chapel is located within the Palace and is the finest example of the Arab-Norman art in Palermo.
The Church of Martorana
The Church of Martorana, located in Piazza Bellini in Palermo, is famous for its spectacular mosaic decorations and for its pure Byzantine style. It is a picturesque conglomerate of many different styles and it is considered a symbol for orthodox culture and religion in Italy.
Monreale Cathedral
The Church was founded in 1172; it is one of the most beautiful Cathedrals in Sicily, particularly interesting for its marvellous byzantine mosaics; among them, the well known Christ Pantocrator. According to a legend, one day William II was hunting in his reserve near Monreale; tired from the exhausting hunt, he fell asleep in the shade of a carob tree and the Virgin appeared him in a dream, revealed him a hidden treasure and urged him to use the money to build a Church in her name. He found the treasure and built the Cathedral.
Cefalù
Cefalù is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Italy, and therefore one of Sicily’s main tourist attractions, with thousands of tourists every year. The town is not only interesting for its enormous artistic heritage: it is also a perfect place to take a seaside holiday. Cefalù, conquered by the Normans during the eleventh century, is one of the most charming towns in Sicily, with its lovely ancient buildings looking out to sea. .
Cave of Carburangeli
The cave of Carburangeli is located under the town of Carini. It is a nice karst cave and also an important archeological site.
San Vito Lo Capo
One of the most beautiful towns in Italy, San Vito lo Capo has been awarded a price for its marvellous sunny beach by TripAdvisor, world’s largest travel site. This nice seaside village keeps untouched its architectural Arabic marks; visitors are enchanted by its unspoiled natural landscape.
Scopello
Scopello is a lovely little town near Castellammare del Golfo. Its Church, entitled to Maria SS delle Grazie, is situated in a small square. Scopello is characterized by some small blocks around a nice little norman courtyard. Particularly remarkable is the Tonnara (ancient tunny fishing nets).
Erice
The ancient town centre, with only 512 inhabitants, is located on the Mount Erice. The perfect fusion of history, nature and arts makes of Erice a unique example of medieval town in Italy; a visit of this lovely little town dominating the surrounding area from its montainous height with breathtaking views over the coasts, is not to be missed.
Segesta
Segesta was originally founded by the Elymian people, in a montainous area towards Trapani. The magnificent 5th century bc Doric temple rising out of the landscape and the Greek Theatre dominate the surrounding area with superbe views over the surrounding green hills.