Few places collect in a couple of square kilometers as much beauty as Palermo, a Sicilian town which has been a land of conquests, dominations and joyrides. Four thousand years of history, innumerable different races and dozens of languages have mixed in a unique and magic locality like no other.
This city has often changed its name: the Carthaginian founders called it "Ziz" (“the flower”), then the Greeks who colonized it defined it "Panormos" (“all-harbour”) and transformed it into one of Magna Graecia's main centers. A couple of centuries later, Romans distorted the name into "Panormus", while Arabs renamed it "Balarm" and Normans "Balermus". Finally, the city obtained the name of "Palermo" during the Modern Age and it still persists today.
Its rulers did not destroy this center, but they put effort into building and creating a fantastic container of art and architecture masterpieces giving it the name of "the vastest and most sublime metropolis of the world".
And thisdecision was a real luck, as the number of its invaders has been extremely large! After the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, Palermo was occupied by Vandals and Ostrogoths, who were lately replaced by Belisarius' Bizantines. Arabs arrived in the 12th century and the city became the capital of their "Ṣiqilliyya" Sultanate until 1097, when Normans arrived from Scandinavia followed by Swabians, Angevins and Aragoneses. Then, Palermo became part of the Spanish Crown and it passed to Savoia and Borbon families until its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in the 19th century.
Each of these conquerors, especially Normans and Arabs, wanted to leave a trace of their passage. This is why Palermo is decorated by many important architectural gems which made it become a UNESCO "World Heritage Site".
A visit to this city is really an embarassment of riches! Visitors can start their tour with the magnificent Palazzo della Cuba, a typical Arab building partly restored by Normans, and they can continue with the Norman Palazzo della Zisa. They can even choose to make some time jumps passing from Baroque-Rococò style to Romanesque, returning to Roman Age and suddenly going to see some Renaissance and 19th century palaces.
Get carried by the old town center streets and live a real time-shift! Meanwhile, you will have the opportunity to meet Sicilians, a variegated people shaped by the various dominations. Listen to the sounds of the city, enjoy the typical citrus fruit smell and taste the flavours of one of the richest and delicious cuisines of the world!
Obviously, you cannot forget to visit the majestic Palazzo dei Normanni! This enormous building is a harmony of architectural styles and it is the oldest royal palace in Europe, which hosted the Kings of Sicily, Emperors Frederick II and Corrado IV and the historical Parliament of Sicily. Inside it, you will find a real art jewel, the Palatine Chapel, a place of worship built by Ruggero II and consacred on April 28th 1140 as the royal family's private chapel. It is so beautiful to take your breath away and it is worth a whole trip!
Further to this monument, we suggest seeing the wonderful Duomo di Monreale, the Cathedral of Palermo and the royal graves, the famous Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele, the Renaissance Palazzo Abatellis, the Chiesa della Martorana or some of the splendid Catacombs.
Plan your visit and book one of our luxury properties in Sicily: our suggestion is Villas to rent in Sicily.
