In the south of the island of Sicily is its capital - the city of Palermo. It is the administrative center of the province of the same name. The city was founded more than 30 centuries ago, and today it has become a huge metropolis, whose population is more than 700 thousand people.
Palermo (Sicily), the photo of which you will see in our article, is an ideal option for those who dream of a relaxing holiday on the coast and getting acquainted with interesting cultural and architectural monuments. The city is located in one of the most famous areas of sunny Italy - on the island of Sicily. Tourists are loved here, they strive to fulfill every whim of theirs, and Italians conquer the hearts of visitors with cordiality and benevolence.
Climate
The weather conditions in Palermo are very comfortable for relaxing. Here, the lowest rainfall in the country falls annually. The climate is very mild - with short winters and long summers. July and August are the hottest months. The beach season lasts from late May to late October. Those who come to Palermo to get acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of the city will be most comfortable here in the spring (March-April) or autumn (October-November).
Palermo (Sicily) - beaches
There are many reasons to choose a beach holiday in Palermo:
- for locals, the word tourist is the law;
- the ability to alternate beach vacations with sightseeing;
- renting beach equipment and a hotel room are not too expensive;
- many interesting offers for those who like to relax actively;
- the presence of private beaches with regularly cleaned sand and clear water.
Features of the service on the beach
You can have a great time on the island of Sicily. Palermo, a vacation in which will leave an unforgettable experience, provides its guests with such a high level of service that you will never have to regret that you chose this hospitable city for relaxation.
Serving guests on different beaches varies somewhat. It depends on which territory the site belongs to. For example, the best sandy beaches of the city are considered to be the territory of 4 * and 5 * hotels. They will please you with a fantastic service, to which you have no complaints.
Holidays on local beaches last all year. There are times when the weather is more favorable for seasonal relaxation. Many tourists consider spring and autumn to be the best time for a beach holiday. During this period, there are not so many vacationers in the city, and the weather is warm, dry and sunny.
Rest for extreme lovers
If you want to dive into the underwater world and explore the seabed, then you need to go to Palermo. The Tyrrhenian Sea has a surprisingly bright and diverse underwater world, which is admired even by outspoken skeptics.
Instructors give diving, swimming and surfing lessons. In addition, you can rent sports equipment for outdoor activities. On the beaches of Palermo, you can ride a canoe or ATV, visit a local water park with such attractions that make you feel dizzy at one glance.
Palermo (Sicily) Attractions
Many tourists come to this wonderful city not only to soak up the gentle sun. No one will argue with how amazing the country of Italy is. Sicily, Palermo in particular, are famous for such magnificent monuments of history, culture, architecture, which have no price. We will introduce you to some of them.
Norman Palace
The former residence of the ruling persons of Sicily. The palace is today the administrative building of the autonomous region. Nowadays, there are meetings of the Regional Parliament.
The first buildings on this territory are the same age as Palermo. At first it was the Phoenician, and later - the ancient Roman fortifications. In the middle of the IX century, the territory was conquered by the Arabs. They built the Palace of the Emirs here.
At the end of the XI century the Normans took possession of the territory. They restored the beautiful building, added some buildings - 4 towers: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Red Tower, Joaria, the Greek Tower. Only the Leaning Tower of Pisa has survived to this day. The Norman Palace quite harmoniously combines the elements of two popular architectural styles - Norman and Arabic.
Several halls are open for visitors, which receive guests only at a time when the parliament of Sicily does not sit. Tour guides claim that the most popular among tourists is the Roger II Hall, which was the founder and first king of Sicily. It was he who began to build the Palatine Chapel.
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
All visitors to Palermo (Sicily) begin to explore the sights from the Cathedral - a magnificent monument of the Arab-Norman style. It was erected in the XII century. Until the XVII century, it was rebuilt several times, in connection with which there are elements of Gothic, Baroque and Classicism in its architecture.
Here are the tombs of the kings of Sicily and the emperors of Germany, during the reign of which came the heyday of the Sicilian kingdom. The main shrine of the temple is the relics of St. Rosalia (patroness of Palermo). Believers believe that they have miraculous power, touching them leads to the healing of seriously ill patients.
Church of San Cataldo
The monuments of Palermo (Sicily) are amazingly diverse. Sights of the city differ not only in their age, but also in architectural styles.
The church is executed in the Arab-Norman style. Outwardly, it resembles a mosque. It was built in the 12th century. The church was rebuilt many times, and in the middle of the 18th century it housed a postal station. In 1885, it was reconstructed and regained its original appearance.
This building has an unusual shape - a cube, with three facades (southern, northern and western), decorated with false arches with small sized windows. The parapet of the roof is decorated with Arabian battlements, and 3 red domes, which are typical of mosques, crown it.
The interior of San Cataldo is also made in the classical Arabic style. Of the interior items belonging to the XII century, today only an inlaid floor and an altar are preserved.
Capuchin Catacombs
The Capuchin catacombs (often called the Museum of the Dead) is an old cemetery on which all the nobility of Palermo rests from the 16th – 19th centuries - the aristocracy, the clergy. The first to be buried here are members of the Capuchin Order. They moved to Sicily and founded their own monastery. Later they began to bury their relatives right in the dungeon. The air temperature and humidity of the dungeon allowed the bodies to remain incorrupt for a long time.
The capuchin catacombs contain skeletons, mummies and embalmed bodies. There are more than 8 thousand such “exhibits”. They lie, sit, stand, hang on the walls, forming different compositions. This museum in Palermo (Sicily) receives the most controversial reviews. For many tourists, it leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.
Pretoria Fountain
It has a second name, unofficial - Fountain of Shame. Its author was the Florentine Francesco Camigliani. This was an order for the residence of the Viceroy of Sicily and Naples in Tuscany. After his death, the fountain was acquired by the Palermo authorities. It was decided to install it on Piazza Pretoria, where it is located to this day.
The fountain is executed in antique style - three stone bowls surround statues of animals, mythical heroes and naked gods of Olympus. Thanks to these sculptures, the fountain received a second name. By the way, the area where it was installed is often called the area of shame.
Teatro Massimo
This is the third largest theater in Europe. The author of the project is the architect Giovanni Bazile. Construction work lasted twenty-three years (1874-1897). An interesting fact is that a century later, history repeated itself during the reconstruction of the theater. It began in 1974 and ended in 1997, 4 days before the 100th anniversary of the theater.
The building is designed for three thousand spectators. The concert hall has excellent acoustics, because operas became the basis of the troupe's repertoire.
Today, Massimo is open not only for visiting spectators, but also for sightseeing tours of the building. Busts of famous composers are exhibited in the lobby, which are the creations of sculptor D. Liva and his sons.
Botanical Garden
Not only architectural and historical monuments is famous for Palermo (Sicily). Sights of the city include, of course, the luxurious Botanical Garden. He is one of the largest in Italy. Its area is 10 hectares. On the territory of the garden there are more than 12 thousand plant protrusions. This is also an interesting museum, but in the open. His prototype appeared in 1779, when scientists at the Royal Academy of Sciences began to grow medicinal plants on a tiny piece of land.
Gradually, the Botanical Garden expanded. In 1786, the construction of its main premises began - the central building, a gymnasium, tepidarium and calidaria. Later, an aquarium and a new garden for aquatic plant species were built. Now it is a scientific laboratory of the University of Palermo. The symbol of the garden is a huge ficus, which has roots of an unusual shape. He was brought to Sicily from Australia in 1945.
Sicily, Palermo: traveler reviews
It is probably impossible to find someone who would be dissatisfied with a trip to Sicily. Tourists are delighted with the magnificent nature, amazing service, hospitality of local residents.
Many are especially pleased with the opportunity to combine a beach holiday with interesting excursions. There is also a category of tourists who believe that accommodation prices are too high. But not everyone agrees with this opinion.