Category: Architecture
-
Our May 2016 Tour, Day 7: If Walls Could Talk
If walls could talk, the Duomo of Siracusa would have 2500 years of human history to tell. We know this because its walls are supported by Doric-style columns from an ancient Temple of Athena that was build in the 5th century BC (pictured on the left). During the in the 7th century, when the Byzantines…
-
Our May 2016 Tour, Day 5: Lost in Cefalù
Cefalù is hard to resist. Her narrow, cobblestone streets are a charming labyrinth by which you’ll seek to encounter the elegant Arab-Norman cathedral (pictured) recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With her sweeping beach–like lace at the end of a woman’s stunning skirt–her boutiques–packed with rare finds and delicious gifts–and her medieval laundry–provoking images…
-
Our May Tour, Day 3: Be Mesmerized
Get personal with the amazing mosaics at the Cathedral of Monreale on Day 3 of our May Experience Sicily small-group tour. Built by the Norman King William II (“The Good”) in the late 12th century, this UNESCO site boasts thousands of beautiful and one of a kind tile designs, like the one pictured, that will…
-
Our May Tour, Day 2: Capture the Wind
Along Sicily’s west coast from Trapani in the north through Marsala in the south, harvesting salt has been a leading industry since Phonetician times (that is, from around the 8th century BC). Windmills, like the one pictured, although no longer used to grind the harvested salt, still dot the picturesque coastline. During the afternoon of…
-
Mini Cars Only
Evening, a street in Salemi’s historic center
-
Small and Insignificant
Palermo’s main post office on Via Roma is one of the city’s only notable examples of 20th century architecture. Built by architect Angiolo Mazzoni between 1928 and 1934, it reflects the Fascist and Futuristic design styles of the time. When you ascend its steps, the white building successfully makes you feel small and insignificant.
-
A Different Kind of Feast for the Eyes
My highlight of today’s adventures in Palermo, in terms of sightseeing, was a visit to the private museum, Stanze al Genio, a collection of majolica ceramic floor tiles focused on designs from Naples and Sicily created from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century. Housed in the 17th-century Palazzo…
-
For Us and the Birds
Today was a productive day filled with visits to museums and hotels. Checking out all the spots for Experience Sicily clients! My cousin Giulia was a fantastic Palermitana guide and my cousins Anna and Franca treated me to dinner at a very popular tratorria packed with locals. When I had a few minutes on my…