Live from Sicily! One of my favorite things is hearing the awe and wonder in my guests’ reactions once they see Monreale Cathedral Nad its cloister (pictured). You must see it! Palermo has so many hidden corners, like the Church of the Immaculate Conception, for example, that are not easily explored without a guide. Our…
Tag: Palermo
In Cerda, Sicily Artichokes, Artichokes Everywhere
Live from Sicily! We mingled with the locals yesterday during the Sagra del Carciofo (Artichoke Festival) in Cerda, Sicily. Food, food, food… Music, dancing, shopping… Artichokes served every which way! Then, an afternoon in the enchanting Cefalù. It was la Festa della Liberazione. Liberation Day, recognizing Italy’s triumph over fascism after the second World War….
At Caccamo You May Want To Reconsider The King’s Invitation
Live from Sicily! Yesterday, we explored the imposing castle of Caccamo with our local insider Ignazio. It started as a Cartheginian tower and grew into an impenetrable fortification. If you’re invited by the king, beware of the trap door! Can you spot it?
The Light Of The World In Cefalù Cathedral
Santissimo Salvatore della Trasfigurazione (also known as Christ Pantocrator) anchors the apse of the UNESCO recognized cathedral, or duomo, of Cefalù. Boasting a remarkable Byzantine-style mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (pictured), the cathedral was commissioned in 1131 by the visionary Norman King Roger II after his ship found refuge on this spot during a harrowing storm….
Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi in Palermo
Built between 1255 and 1277, the Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi has survived earthquakes and Allied bombings. Its facade, designed in 1302, sports a zigzag, Gothic design.
Liberty Style Architecture In Palermo
You may be familiar with the term Art Nouveau, a freer architectural style that swept Europe and the Americas at the end of the 19th century into the early 20th century. Well, differently, in Palermo, Art Nouveau is known as “Liberty Style,” and it was championed by architects Giovan Battista, who designed Palermo’s Teatro Massimo…
In Palermo, You May Say, I Want My Mummy!
Not one of my favorite things, yet for some, it is their absolute favorite thing in Palermo (Tell us your thoughts in the comments!)–is a visit to the Catacombe dei Cappuccini, or Capuchin Catacombs. This series of underground corridors houses approximately 8,000 mummified bodies and skeletons of Palermitani of all ages who died between the…
Palermo’s Santa Caterina’s Dizzying Baroque
The dizzying rococo baroque decorations of the Church of Santa Caterina, built between 1580 and 1596 on Palermo’s Piazza Bellini, feature multicolored marble inlay. The altar, pictured, is lit by the sun through a window at midday.
A Diamond In The Mishmash of Palermo’s Cathedral
When you visit Palermo’s Cathedral, be sure to go around to the north side of it, pictured. To me, the back side posesses the most beautiful architectural elements of the mishmash of styles that make up this temple dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. The inlaid lava stone designs (AKA intarsias) are from the…
Get Your Motor Runnin’ At The New York Times Travel Show This Weekend
Experience Sicily will be in New York City at the Javits Center this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26 and 27 for the New York Times Travel Show. Come visit Booth 462 to talk Sicily with us! Full details and be our guest with free passes at https://experiencesicily.com/ny-times-travel-show/ (Limited number left!). Dance the tarantella with me…