Palermo
It was a Carthaginian colony, Roman province, Fatimid emirate and Norman capital. Its greatest sights are medieval and Norman with Arab and Byzantine influences, crowned by eclectic Monreale Abbey just outside the city, but ancient Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians and populated by the Carthaginians before falling to the Greeks and Romans. Byzantines and Arabs followed, with the northern Normans establishing a base here in 1071 as part of their conquest of Sicily begun a decade earlier. Traditionally multicultural, the city began to reflect strong 'Latin' influences in the reign of Frederick II (died 1250). The Palatine Chapel, Zisa palace and Martorana church should all be seen.
Bottom Line: Palermo is a good base for excursions to Agrigento, Segesta, Cefalù and Erice, but you could easily spend 2 or 3 days just exploring this unique city. Don't miss the Kalsa, one of the old Arab districts and an unpolished jewel of Mediterranean culture.
Getting There: From the airport, there are hourly train and bus departures. By car, take the A29 autostrada into the city. Coming from Messina, take the A20 to Termini Imerese, merging into the A19 for Palermo.
Dining: For lunch or dinner consider Cucina Papoff at Via La Lumia 32. For dinner, Cin-Cin at Via Manin 22 is delightful and elegant. Both are in the Via Libertà shopping district but closed for August. For a less formal evening meal try La Corrida or one of the other outdoor kebab eateries in Piazza Olivella (near the archeology museum). There are two particularly popular pizzerias in Piazza Marina, Le Pergamene and I Beati Paoli, both right across from the Steri Castle.
