Friday, August 17, 2012

Palermo: Uniqueness Unlimited

I didn't know what to expect from the capital of Sicily. Most outsiders know Sicily for one reason and that is the Cosa Nostra, the dreaded mafia. They really managed to make life hell in this beautiful island but thankfully they have been crushed.

Palermo is like no other city in the world. It has a mix of Norman and Arabic architecture with influences from many other parts of Southern Europe and Northern Africa. I love the Quatro Canti, an area with 4 fountains and beautiful churches.

It's hard not to be awestruck by the city's magnificient Arabo-Norman Cathedral, the wonderful churches with the most beautiful interiors and the Palazzo Reale, with its own Palatin Chapel and the Sicilian Parliament.

Palermo is a wonderful city for pedestrians and it's a pleasure to walk around during the day. I wouldn't like to take late-evening strolls here, though. This evening, I am off to the wonderful Paliteamo Theatre for a classical music concert.

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