MAFIA
If you wanna understand...
by SirRichard
MAFIA
If you wanna understand a little better Sicilia, take a look at the movie 'The Godfather', by F.F.Coppola; if possible, the 3 parts.
Inevitably the dark lure of The Honorable Society hangs over Palermo and it's tempting to believe every dapper chap with a shiny suit is a Don. You can visit (or stay in) the Hotel Grande Albergo & Delle Palme on Via Roma, where Lucky Luciano kept a suite and 'the five families' divided up the world's drug trade in October 1957. You can see Ucciardone, the gaunt and daunting Bourbon prison said to house 400 mafiosi.
You can even make the trek out to the infamous mountain town of Corleone (about 50 kms. south of Palermo), but the locals must be fed up with prurient tourists.
Instead, the most powerful monument to the legacy of the mafia is on a nondescript traffic island in Piazza XIII Vittime. Here tattered banners, like so many Buddhist prayer flags, fly to honor those who've given their lives in the fight against this insidious Sicilian cancer.
The best bar is BAR ALBA where...
by Ruthy2001
The best bar is BAR ALBA where you can tast award winning ice cream - (nut is the nicest flavour!) arrancine - a sicilian speciality - its a type of rice ball with ham and cheese inside bery tasty but not for a hot day.
San Cataldo
by pecsihornet
It is a notable example of Norman architecture.
Founded around 1160 by admiral Majone di Bari, in the 18th century the church was used as a post office. In the 19th century it was restored and brought back to a form more similar to the original Mediaeval edifice.
The ceiling has three characteristics red, bulge domes.
The interior has a nave with two aisles. The naked walls are faced by spolia columns with Byzantine style arcades. The pavement is the original one and has a splendid mosaic decoration. Also original is the main altar.
Because of its cosiness I liked it so much!
Magnifico!
by TheWanderingCamel
Even if you are the totally averse to churches and grand architecture, it's unthinkable to visit Palermo and not make the trip out to Monreale to see what most people consider the finest building on the whole island and one of the greatest cathedrals in the world.
Monreale - a building of such splendour and artistry that it must be considered one of the true glories of all the Middle Ages. Its exterior is a blend of Norman (Romanesque) solidity in its structure and Arab fluidity in its decoration. The interior is a mediaeval vision of heaven where mosaics cover every surface with extraordinarily detailed scenes from both the Old and the New Testament, the lives of saints and portraits of Christ, his disciples and the fathers of the church,all depicted against a golden background , the universal symbol at this time of the light of heaven. Standing in the midst of all this glory is like standing in the centre of a jewel box and everywhere you look there's another precious gem.
When you've had enough of all this gold and dazzling colour, make your way to the cathedral's cloister and enter a totally different apect of mediaeval religious life. The two buildings could not be more dissimilar and yet they are totally contemporary. Not only is it likely to be blissfully quiet after the crowds in the cathedral, it's here that you begin to appreciate just how intertwined Arab and Norman culture and taste were at the time this place was built.
Monreale's cloister, with its multitude of slender carved and mosaic-patterned columns has more in common with Moorish Spain than the cloisters of Normandy or England. Lively scenes of both Biblical and Classical tales are carved into the column's capitals. Make sure you walk right around the cloister - if you don't, you could miss the the exquisite private little cloisters in the far corner - and that would be a shame.
Before you leave Monreale, if time permits, venturing away from the immediate precinct of the Cathedral has its rewards. There are some marvellous views to be had from the higher reaches of the town, lower down the small squares and narrow streets have their own charm - and some pleasant cafes and gelaterias.
The diversity of Palermo
by Alice-Kees
Welcome to my travelogue on Palermo! Here you will find photos of the highlights of Palermo, a city often avoided by tourists because its reputation of being a dangerous place full of pickpockets and maffiosi. We found Palermo a very exciting city, with a mixture of different cultures and very friendly people. Please have a look at the pictures and amaze yourself!
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The Cathedral of Palermo
Piazza Magione entrance
Porta Nuova, Palermo - detail of statues
Palermo Cathedral
