Holidays to Palermo, Sicily |
Palermo
is the capital city of Sicily and is an exciting place with lots going on.
It is steeped in history with strong Arab and Norman influences. Palermo
is famous for its crumbling architecture that has a mix of Byzantine, Arab,
Norman, Renaissance and Baroque styles.
Palermo has a thriving nightlight around the grander streets north of Piazza Verdi and is considered the place to be seen having a pizza and watching the world go by. The oldest part of town is Quattro Canti, originally laid out in 1608 by Giulio Lasso and completed in 1620. The Four Corners of Palermo has a fountain, statues and the famous Chiesa di San Giuseppe dei Teatini, which has an interior dripping with marble. Another famous church is La Montorana that has an Arab - Norman bell tower and is decorated inside with Byzantine mosaics.
One interesting place to visit is the Museo Internazionale Marionette. This is where the Sicilian fighting puppets are displayed. In July puppet shows are staged here at 5.50pm on Fridays (this time and day should be checked before you go. It is located on the Via Butera, Tel - 091 32 80 60).
Outside
Palermo are the unusual catacombs where the preserved bodies of 8000 Sicilians
can be seen. Known as the Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Sicilians who wanted
to be remembered were preserved by Capuchin monks between the early 17th
century and 1881. The corridors are dimly lit and divided into different
categories according to gender and profession. Along the corridors the bodies
are displayed mainly standing upright in grooves cut into the walls. This
is quite a spooky but fascinating place to visit.
Tourist
office is in Piazza Castelnuovo 34
Tel - 091 58 38 47 or www.palermotourism.com
If you have any queries, our FAQ page may have the answer that you are looking for. We also welcome you to send us an email, or if you prefer, you can give us a call. All our contact information is available on our contact us page.
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