FRANCESCA LOMBARDO
Francesca provided a spectacular tour of Palermo, and a memorable trip to Monreale Cathedral.
There were 4 of us on her full-day tour. We arrived on a cruise ship and she met us right on time and without delay we were on our way. Francesca noted that there were several ships in port the day we arrived and she suggested she modify the itinerary so our small group would not be amidst the large number of people on the ships’ tours. This worked out great as we saw much of the city and Montreale with only a modest number of people around us.
Our small group was older and Francesca was cognizant of this and drove us near the venues we would visit then picked us up after the various stops. She is exceptionally knowledgeable of Palermo as this has been her home, I believe, all her life. Not only did she draw our attention to the historic sites, and provided a cultural context for the buildings, Piazzas and fountains, but explained contemporary conditions in the city as well.
In Palermo we visited the Capo Market [earlier in the day when there were no crowds], the Cathedral and the Piano della Cattedrale. We then walked along Via Vittorio Emanuele, even stopping for a great snack of Sicilian Arancini Rice Balls and mount watering Calzones with cappuccinos. We continued our walk to Via Maqueda, to Piazza Bellini, and visited the La Martorana, then Chiesa di Santa Caterina, then we were told the story of Fontana Pretoria; we walked to the Four Corners and leaned the history of this great pedestrian space, then along Via Maqueda to the Opera House and the Piazza Guiseppe Verdi. At that point she went to retrieve her vehicle and picked us up [again to save us walking], and we headed for Monreale.
This was a pleasant drive and her itinerary worked out perfectly as we avoided crowds most of the day. As with other stops she drove us to the door of Monreale Cathedral then parked her vehicle some distance away and walked back to our group to save us from making a long, uphill walk. She called ahead and made a reservation for us at a great eatery in Monreale. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch, then then walked a short distance to the Cathedral and had a wonderful tour and the nearly retnal overload of this marvelous space. Francesca pointed out the significance of the spectacular tile work which told the stories of the Old and New Testaments.
At the end of the tour she drove us back to our cruise ship, arriving right on schedule.
If you’re going to visit Palermo, look no further than Francesca Lombardo for your guide. She is remarkably knowledgeable, and a great companion for the day.