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PALERMO PORT
Full Day Tour
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Souks and Mosaics
The highlights of Palermo and Monreale: Monuments from the Arab-Norman period and the souk-like street markets, golden Byzantine mosaics of the Norman epoch.
Pick up at 9:00 AM at the Palermo pier where your ship will dock. Your guide will have a sign with your name on it and a smile to welcome you.
Visit:
Palermo’s Norman Cathedral
Cathedral of Monreale
Souk markets
Benedictine Cloister
On this tour you will visit some of the most famous historical sites of Palermo, a multi-ethnic melting pot of different cultures, languages and tradition, and near-by Monreale, a rich and elegantly decorated hill town of contrasting origins. The visit begins with Palermo’s Norman Cathedral, a mix of Arab-Norman architecture with Spanish and Neo-classical additions. The local tufa stone gives this monument a peculiar golden glow in the sun which is common in many of the city’s monuments. The Cathedral today is the resting place of Norman and Swabian kings and emperors, as well as the city’s archbishops and patron saints.
We will walk through one of the city’s medieval Arab-style street markets where all the different colors and smells of fruit, vegetables, fish and spices mingle together and fill your senses completely with the sound of the dialect spoken by the local Palermitans.
Then we drive up to the near-by hill-town of Monreale, founded by the last Norman King of Sicily William II who was married to Joanna of England, the sister of the famous Richard the Lionhearted. Here we will visit the monument which was the crowning touch to the splendid Norman epoch: the Cathedral of Monreale. Built in only fifteen years, the interior of this church was decorated with over 68,000 square feet of mosaics done in 24-karat gold leaf, glass and colored glass paste. Normans worked together with Byzantines and Arab Muslims and Jews in order to create this amazing piece of medieval architecture, and you can still recognize the different styles which were all put together in perfect harmony.
Adjoining is the Benedictine Abbey with a Cloister very similar to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain made evident by the fountain which the builders of this Cloister had originally destined to be at the center of the garden. After this half-day tour, you will return to your ship with your mind pleasantly bursting with all the spectacular flavors and colors of Palermo and Monreale.
Be back on board your ship by lunch.
Included: Insurance Coverage of NCC (Registered Certified vehicles with driver) for all passengers.
Certified Transportation, taxes, passes, Certified Tour Guide services, reservations for monuments and museum, entrance fees and happiness!
Not Included: Incidentals and gratuities
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COSTS (Actual Tour cost per vehicle):
SEDAN (holds 1-3 people) – EURO 453,00 + 10% TAX
VAN (holds up to 7 people) – EURO 570,00 + 10% TAX
