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 over 30 centuries ago, and today it has become a huge metropolis with a population of 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 to know the most 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 their every whim, and the Italians win the hearts of visitors with hospitality and benevolence.
Climate
The weather conditions in Palermo are very comfortable for rest. Here, the least amount of precipitation 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 the end of May to the end of 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 (inMarch-April) or autumn (October-November).
Palermo (Sicily) - beaches
There are many reasons to choose a beach holiday in Palermo:
- for local residents, the word of a tourist is the law;
- opportunity to alternate beach holidays with excursions;
- rent of beach equipment and a hotel room are not too expensive;
- many interesting offers for those who like to relax actively;
- 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. An unforgettable experience, Palermo provides its guests with such a high level of service that you will never regret choosing this hospitable city for your holiday.
Service for vacationers on different beaches varies somewhat. It depends on what territory the site belongs to. For example, the best sandy beaches of the city are considered to be the territory of 4and 5hotels. They will delight you with a fantastic service that you will not have any complaints about.
Recreation on local beaches continues all year round. There are periods when the weather is more favorable for seasonal recreation. 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.
Recreation for extreme lovers
If you dreamdive into the underwater world and explore the seabed, then you need to go to Palermo. The Tyrrhenian Sea has an amazingly vibrant and diverse underwater world that even outright skeptics admire.
Instructors give diving, swimming and surfing lessons. In addition, here you can rent sports equipment for outdoor activities. On the beaches of Palermo, you can ride a canoe or an ATV, visit the local water park with such rides that make your head spin.
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 are priceless. We will introduce you to some of them.
Norman Palace
Former residence of the ruling persons of Sicily. The palace is still the administrative building of the autonomous region. Nowadays, meetings of the Regional Parliament are held here.
The first buildings on this territory are the same age as Palermo. Initially, these were Phoenician, and later - ancient Roman fortifications. In the middle of the 9th century, this territory was conquered by the Arabs. They built the Palace of Emirs here.
At the end of the 11th century, the territory was taken over by the Normans. They restored a beautifulbuilding, some buildings were added - 4 towers: Pisa, Red, Joaria, Greek. Only the Leaning Tower of Pisa has survived to this day. The Norman Palace quite harmoniously combines 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 is not in session. Guides say that the most popular among tourists is the hall of Roger II, who 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 17th century, it was rebuilt several times, in connection with which its architecture contains elements of Gothic, Baroque and Classicism.
Here are the tombs of the kings of Sicily and the emperors of Germany, during whose reign the Sicilian kingdom flourished. The main shrine of the temple is the relics of Saint Rosalia (the 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. The sights of the city differ not only in their age, but also in their architectural styles.
The church is executed in ArabicNorman style. Outwardly, it resembles a mosque. It was built in the XII century. The church was rebuilt many times, and in the middle of the 18th century there was a post station in it. In 1885, it was reconstructed and acquired its original appearance.
This building has an unusual shape - a cube, with three facades (south, north and west), decorated with false arches with small stacked windows. The parapet of the roof is decorated with Arabic battlements and crowned with 3 red domes, which are typical for mosques.
The interior of San Cataldo is also made in the classic Arabic style. Of the interior items dating back to the 12th century, only the inlaid floor and the altar have survived today.
Capuchin catacombs
Catacombs of the Capuchins (more often called the Museum of the Dead) is an ancient cemetery where all the nobility of Palermo of the 16th-19th centuries rests - the aristocracy, the clergy. The first to be buried here were members of the Capuchin Order. They moved to Sicily and founded their 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 incorruptible for a long time.
Skeletons, mummies and embalmed bodies are collected in the catacombs of the Capuchins. 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.
Fountain of Pretoria
It has a second name, unofficial -Fountain of shame. Its author was the Florentine Francesco Camigliani. It was an order for the residence of the Viceroy of Sicily and Naples in Tuscany. After his death, the fountain was purchased by the authorities of Palermo. It was decided to install it in Piazza Pretoria, where it is located to this day.
The fountain is made in antique style - three stone bowls are surrounded by statues of animals, mythical heroes and naked gods of Olympus. Thanks to these sculptures, the fountain got its second name. By the way, the square where it was installed is often called the square of shame.
Teatro Massimo
This is the third largest theater in Europe. The author of the project is the architect Giovanni Basile. Construction work continued for twenty-three years (1874-1897). An interesting fact is that history repeated itself a hundred years later during the reconstruction of the theater. It started in 1974 and ended in 1997, 4 days before the theatre's 100th anniversary.
The building is designed for three thousand spectators. The concert hall has excellent acoustics, so operas have become 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 foyer, which are the creations of the sculptor D. Liv and his sons.
Botanical Garden
Palermo (Sicily) is famous not only for its architectural and historical monuments. The sights of the city include, of course, the magnificent Botanical Garden. It is one of the largest in Italy. Its area is 10 hectares. There are more than 12,000 vydov plants on the territory of the garden. This is also an interesting museum, but under the opensky. Its prototype appeared in 1779, when scientists from 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, the gymnasium, the tepidarium and the 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 with unusually shaped roots. It was brought to Sicily from Australia in 1945.
Sicily, Palermo: reviews of tourists
Probably, it is impossible to find a person who would be dissatisfied with a trip to Sicily. Tourists are delighted with the magnificent nature, amazing service, hospitality of the locals.
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.
