I am looking for some suggestions for Palermo, and Ortigia. I am thinking either cooking/food tours or some kind of art tour. Would appreciate any suggestions. I can look on Get your Guide but I prefer to get some recommendations.
Posted by
Minnesota
32 posts
Me, too! We are arriving two days early in Palermo before the Sicily tour at the end of October. We would appreciate tips on what we might do and see in Palermo that are not on the tour. Thanks...
Posted by
Tennessee
442 posts
I was on the RS Best of Sicily tour several weeks ago. Superb tour!!! Prior to the tour, RS provided us a list of possible things to do before the tour or in our free time. Here are a few comments from my perspective:
-Cefalu - easy day trip from Palermo. I was interested primarily in seeing the Christ Pantocrator mosaic in the cathedral's apse. After reading on the RS Travel Forum that it's under renovation, I decided against devoting a day to Cefalu.
Palatine Chapel-For those with an interest in Bycantine mosaics (like me), this was a great choice (even though I knew I'd also be seeing mosaics at Monreale on the tour).
-Piazza Bellini churches-a very short walk from Hotel Ambasciatori (where many RS tours stay). I love La Martorana church. And the cannoli at the bakery at Santa Cantarina church is to die for.
-Palermo Botanical Gardens - very impressive and a good choice for those interested in plants/trees. There are some monster-sized ficus tress there.
Posted by
Seattle area
50 posts
Palermo has so much to offer, as has already been pointed out. I'd put the Palatine Chapel at the top of my list, and I really enjoyed the market tour run by Culinary Backstreets. When I was there in April, the magnificent mosaics in the Cathedral in Cefalu were visible, but the central mosaics at the Cathedral in Monreale were covered while being restored. I spent three days in Palermo before the RS tour and could happily have been there longer.