Palermo and Cefalú & Local Food Private experience from port

The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is the largest opera house in Italy, and one of the largest in Europe. Halls, galleries and monumental staircases surround the theater itself, forming an architectural complex of grandiose proportions.

It is considered the "history book of Palermo", since all the conquerors that have come to this island over the centuries have left traces of their passage; the construction dates back to 1184.

The Praetorian Fountain was made in 1554 by the sculptor Francesco Camilliani to decorate a Florentine villa, it was later purchased by the Palermo Senate for an incredibly large sum and arrived in Palermo dismantled into 644 pieces. The obvious nudity of the figures on display did not fail to disturb the souls of the citizens who renamed this site, “Piazza della Vergogne”.

The crossroads that were created between Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele led to the division of the city into four parts called “Mandamenti”. Each of them takes its name from the most important civil building in that area.

The building is made up of the sanctuary, which retains its original square structure with a dome supported by four pointed arches, typical of the Arab-Norman style, and the baroque naves, added at the end of the 17th century.

It is a long pedestrian street that leads from the central station to the Teatro Massimo. A path that takes those who walk along it on a real journey through the multicultural history of Palermo.

It was built around the 10th century by the Arab emirs. The group of buildings that constitute today’s Royal Palace is the result of additions made between the 16th and 17th centuries, which gave the complex a unified appearance.

Cefalù lies approximately 78 km to the west of Palermo. En route, we'll trace the coastline, treating ourselves to breathtaking views of the charming Madonie Mountains. Upon arrival in Cefalù, our itinerary includes an exploration of the renowned 12th-century Norman Cathedral, adorned with exquisite Byzantine mosaics, that will be followed by a leisurely walk through its medieval streets.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, it is an unmissable stop for anyone visiting Cefalù. The Basilica of the Transfiguration is a hymn to beauty that resists time, wars and modernity, as it preserves traces of the Arab-Norman influence on the island.