I was so intrigued by Conte Federico while doing my research for our trip to Sicily, and added it…read moreright away to the "must see" list. I'm so glad I did. Right off the bat, the person who checked us in was the 15th generation of the family, and he ended up also being our lovely tour guide, Andreas. The history of the 800 year old Palazzo is rich and colorful. Our guide told entertaining, informative and humorous bits of information about his family, the impressive and varied architecture, and some of the beautiful artwork within. We also learned about his mother, an accomplished soprano singer and competitive swimmer, his father, an avid race car driver, and he himself a former fencing aficionado. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the life of this wonderful family's history, and I was so appreciative that they are generous enough to have shared it with us. Thank you, Andreas and house Federico!

Intimate, detailed description of an important historical palazzo, given by one of the members of…read morethe family who has owned and lived in the palazzo for centuries. Highly recommend.

This bridge (Admiral's Bridge in English) is truly a work of art and worthy of a visit when in…read morePalermo. It was completed in 1131 and is still standing today. Historically, it connected (and still does), the areas of the city center and a symbol connecting the historic centre to the peripheral quarter of Brancaccio. The only change to it is that the river which formerly ran below it was diverted to preserve the bridge's structure. It is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Arab-Norman and Cathedral Churches of Cefalu and Monreale (9 sites in all). You can walk across the bridge and should be included as part of any walking tour that you do in the city. It is 20-30 minutes by foot from the historic city center.

We lucked out with our visit to the Piazza Marina as there was a huge Sunday "flea market" thing…read moregoing on. On tables and on the street and on the pavements, dozens of people selling all sorts of stuff. Cutlery, pictures, LPs and records, glassware, decorative items, stamps, portraits and even a vendor with coffee and pastries. My friend negotiated with a guy who was selling Italian Lira notes. Italy has since converted to the Euro currency so these are increasingly rare. And this was my one regret from this trip. He had two notes and I decided not to purchase the other. I really wish I'd bought it. An Italian lira note, bought in Italy. Ugh, why didn't I buy it! When there isn't a market going on here (the other six days of the week), it is a lovely green plaza surrounded by churches and homes. [Review 12835 overall, 150 of 2020.]

The art in this museum is amazing. That it's a diocesan museum means they house mostly religious…read moreart. But theres a good variety, so it's not tedious. The building itself was the old episcopal palace and is beautiful in its own right. He staff was very helpful.

Via Vittorio Emanuele is the oldest road in the city of Palermo, running from the seaside up to the…read morecathedral. At the cathedral, Porta Nuova protects the city from one end. At the water, Porta Felice protects the city from invasion from the water. This monumental gate is in the part of the city known as the Foro Italico. In 1581, the Viceroy of Sicily decided to build a monumental gate at the (then) new water-side entrance of the Cassaro. The gate was named after the wife of Colonna, Felice Orsini. Groundbreaking took place in 1582 and complete in 1637. It was later damaged by bombing during World War II but has been restored. From one gate to the other, it's a wonderful walk and then you have the beach and the park at the Tyrrhenian Sea to enjoy! [Review 12836 overall, 151 of 2020.]

Lovely at night, the Column of the Immaculate Conception is the centerpiece of the Piazza San…read moreDomenico in front of the Chiesa di San Domenico in Palermo's historic district. The Column was designed in 1724 and erected in 1728. A large marble base and the high column is also marble with a bronze statue atop. At the base, statues of two popes. Worth a visit if you are in the area, but not really worth going out of your way. [Review 12792 overall, 106 of 2020.]

"The Fountain of Shame" because a number of the statues here are rather undressed. The "Praetorian…read moreFountain" was originally created for the garden of don Luigi de Toledo of Florence in 1551. In 1573, the fountain was sold to the city of Palermo and reinstalled after it was moved. A restoration was completed in 2003. According to our tour guide, a recent Dolce & Gabbana runway took place here. Which I would totally understand as the Piazza is quite lovely. Well worth a stop to check it out and photograph. [Review 12821 overall, 136 of 2020.]

We found this gorgeous fountain as we walked along the Via Maqueda. It is a very busy area filled…read morewith tourists most every day. There are horse drawn carriages that you can rent for a very nice ride to see area located right on the street.

Visited Teatro Politeama Garibaldi while in Palermo, and it was a delightful find. The neoclassical…read morearchitecture from the late 1800s is stunning, and we loved wandering around and taking in all the details. Knowing it's home to the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana adds even more cultural weight to the experience. Overall, a rewarding and worthwhile stop while exploring the city. Saluti!