Port
Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Activity Level
Strenuous
Excursion Type
City Tour,Local Sightseeing,All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$99.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
Tour the busy city of Palermo, beginning with a ride from the pier to the downtown core, and discover a city that was a Phoenician stronghold and a Roman trading center. Reminders of all the city's conquerors still exist, with traces of Roman, Arab and Norman monuments to be seen.
Visit the cathedral, built in 1185 by an English Archbishop. Under Muslim rule, it became a mosque and was later re-consecrated to Christianity. In its chapel is a silver urn containing the remains of St Rosalia.
Next is Monreale -- just a few miles from Palermo. This small hilltop town seems like an unlikely place for a visit to a famous cathedral that boasts some of the finest Norman architecture in Italy. A marvelous, 68,000-square-foot mosaic, depicting scenes of Christ and the apostles graces its stunning interior.
Notes:
This tour includes steps and ten minutes of continuous uphill walking. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Modest attire is required; knees, shoulders and midriffs must be covered. Shorts are not allowed. Use of an audio headset (included) will enhance your tour experience. The area surrounding the Cathedral and the Four Corners is subject to traffic restrictions, which may preclude viewing of some highlights in the Old Town.