Our discovery of this famous city in the Conca d'Oro (Golden Shell) begin at its heart in the area of the first settlements, which corresponds with Piazza Indipendenza, the home of Royal Palace or Palazzo dei Normanni. This building is a patchwork of the various cultures that reigned during different periods in Sicily's capital, preserving a number of contrasting architectural styles. The beautiful rooms of the kings and viceroys that lived here from the 12th to 19th centuries are laden with precious mosaics and frescoes that exemplify this mix of cultures. Inside the castle, which was also the seat of the Scuola Poetica Siciliana (Sicilian Poetry School), you can visit the Palatine Chapel, one of the marvels of Byzantine art in Palermo. Built in 1130, the chapel is renowned for its beautiful mosaics, including the mosaic of Christ Pantocrator, which is a priceless treasure. We leave the castle to take a stroll through the three natural areas that surround the royal palace: Villa Bonanno, the ample garden that lies before it with its numerous palm trees, the garden of Piazza Indipendenza and Parco d'Orléans, an area that once covered seven hectares of land and surrounded Villa d'Orléans although it has since been reduced in size. Today the Villa is the seat of Region's offices. Next, we move on to Via dei Benedettini, a few steps from the Palazzo dei Normanni. Here, you can admire one of Palermo's most famous churches with its characteristic red cupolas from the Norman-Arabian period. This was once the monastery of the 12th-century S. Giovanni degli Eremiti. Today only the church and cloister remain. We return to Piazza Indipendenza to the stand that sits on the corner of Corso Calatafimito to pick up a tasty snack: the traditional sandwich with "panelle e crocché".

We head towards Corso Vittorio Emanuele crossing through the imposing Porta Nuova with its four carytids representing four Moors, symbol of Charles V's African victories. We find ourselves at the halfway mark of the Cassaro (from the Arabic "al-qasr" or castle) the long axis that was extended in the 16th century, linking Monreale to the sea: to the right stretches the ample park of Villa Bonanno while to the left rises the beautiful Palazzo Arcivescovile. Right after the palace the road widens and presents us with the Cathedral, which was at one time connected to Royal Palace by a covered road. The cathedral is one of the most original churches in Palermo for the unique overlapping of styles, the result of Arab, Norman, Baroque and Neoclassical influences over the centuries. It preserves the remains of several kings on its interior, including Frederick II's. Continuing along towards Via Matteo Bonello, you will note the Loggiato dell'Incoronazione, used for the coronation ceremony of the Kings of Sicily. To the left, on Via Papireto, you will find Palermo's flea market, which abounds with curios, old furniture and some antiques. We return to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, stopping for a moment at the Isola Saporita, a food and wine shop selling the best that Sicily has to offer. We continue along the avenue lined with Baroque palazzos, until we reach Quattro Canti, where Corso Vittorio Emanuele crosses Via Maqueda. The four buildings represent the four areas into which the city was divided during the period of Spanish domination. The first building we see to the right is the Church of S. Giuseppe dei Teatini, an important example of the Baroque in Palermo.Leaving the church, we turn right onto Via Maqueda, which immediately opens onto the Piazza Pretoria with the beautiful Pretoria Fountain, which the people of Palermo define as "della vergogna" (shameful) because of its nude statues. The square also contains the Palazzo Pretorio, the seat of City Hall and the Church of Santa Caterina.

We continue along on Via Maqueda to Piazza Bellini. Two beautiful churches rise to the right: one is San Cataldo, known for its red cupolas, and the other is Martorana. On the same square, you will also find the Ristorante Bellini, located inside the former Teatro Bellini. When the weather is nice you can dine outside in one of the most charming corners of the city.

Our tour of the city starts again at the Quattro Canti, along Corso Vittorio Emanuele heading for Porta San Felice and then the sea. We leave the famous crossroads and go down Via Roma, another important artery of the city that brings you to the Central Station. If you would like a taste of Palermo's market life head toward Piazza Caracciolo: this square is the heart of the famous Vuccirìa Market, commemorated in the famous painting by Guttuso. We cross Via Argenteria and Piazza del Garraffello and head back to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, where Palermo hosts the Festino di Santa Rosalia every year in July in dedication of the city's patroness. We continue on the Corso and turn down Via Alessandro to admire the Church of S. Francesco, built in the 13th century by Frederick II. Across from the church is one of the best places to grab a bite to eat in Palermo: the Focacceria S. Francesco, a delicatessen that serves delicious sandwiches. Next, we head up Via Paternostro to Piazza d'Aragona, continuing past it to admire the beautiful Piazza Croce dei Vespri with its Palazzo Valguarnera-Ganci. Then we turn back towards Via Alloro and head up Via Castrofilippo, which brings us to the 12th century Church of Magione, which is similar in some ways to Monreale Cathedral.

Some of the finest Sicilian masterpieces are found at the Palazzo Abatellis, one of the oldest and most elegant palazzos of Palermo that currently houses the Sicilian Regional Gallery. Two of the most important works are the "Annunciation" by Antonello da Messina and the marble bust of Eleanor of Aragon by Francesco Laurana. Leaving the gallery we head down Via Torremuzza for Kalsa (from the Arabic "Al Halisa", The Elect), the neighborhood settled by the Arabs, which was originally a fortified citadel of the Emirs. We take Via Cervello, which brings you to Porta Reale: in front of us we find the entrance to the Botanical Gardens and Villa Giulia, with its beautiful paths, palms, centuries-old trees and thriving orchards. The garden looks out over Palermo's promenade, the Foro Italico Umberto I, which we take to Porta Felice. To the left along the promenade, we can admire the "Passeggiata delle Cattive" (Promenade of the Evil Women), a panoramic narrow street on the bastions, where widows once used to walk. We continue on past Porta Felice and find ourselves in Piazza S. Spirito with the beautiful Fontana del Cavallo Marino and the very old Loggiato di San Bartolomeo, which is now an exhibition center. Nearby the square, we can visit the pretty Church of Santa Maria della Catena, an example of Gothic-Catalan architecture, and then head to Via Butera, to the left of Piazza S. Spirito, where we can visit one of the most beautiful palazzos in the city: Palazzo Butera. Its terraces offer one of the most beautiful panoramas of the city, and every third Sunday of the month you will find an antiques and modern antiques market in its courtyard. Finally, we reach Piazza Marina, which is framed by the 14th century Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri, the seat of the Inquisition Court, Palazzo Mirto, which preserves its original furnishings, such as the treasured "Salottino Cinese" (Chinese Drawing Room), and Palazzo Galletti di S. Cataldo with its beautiful mullioned windows with two lights.

You can spend the evening in Piazza Marina, which over the last several years has once again become the center of social life in Palermo. Try the charming restaurant I Beati Paoli, which offers outside dining when the weather is nice. The outside tables give a beautiful view of the square, the Villa Garibaldi garden, the palaces, and the Garaffo Fountain.

The third day of our tour begins at La Cala, the coastal inlet that was the landing place of the Phoenicians and the birthplace of Palermo's history. We go to Piazza Fonderia to head for the heart of the city. After a short way, we see the beautiful Church of S. Ninfa on Via Meli. We continue along to the Church of San Domenico, on the square by the same name. This 17th century church was built over a previous structure that dated back to the 15th century. Next to it rises the former Dominican monastery with its 14th century cloister. Some of the rooms of the monastery contain the collections of the Museum of the Risorgimento. We turn our attention back to the square and to one of Palermo's great traditions which we will find on the right: the historic Gelateria Lucchese, which serves delicious homemade ice-cream. It is said that even Sciascia was a frequent patron here. We turn right onto Via Roma taking it to the Via Valverde. Our next stop is at the Church of S. Cita, built at the beginning of the 17th century: this very old complex, which was once a monastery, still retains a beautiful cloister. We turn onto Via Lampedusa taking it to Via Bara, and then continue down to Piazza Bara, where we will see the Regional Archeological Museum. If you want to taste one of the traditional specialties of Palermo stop in one of the delicatessens in the square and order "u pane c'a meusa".

Continuing along on Via Bara all'Olivella we note the large variety of artisan shops on both sides of the street. We stop at Mineo Ardès a Sicilian ceramics laboratory. Also on this street, we find the renowned Puppet Theater, which every Sunday performs the story of the Paladins of France. At the end of Via Bara all'Olivella you will find the Piazza Verdi with the impressive Teatro Massimo at the center, one of the most beautiful theaters in Europe. Designed by Giovan Battista Basile, it is noteworthy for its grand staircase, the two statues of lions and the allegorical figures, Lirica and Tragedia. Via Ruggero VII connects the squares of the two most important theaters of the city, Piazza Verdi and Piazza Politema. Before continuing on to Politema, we stop on Via Magliocco at the Bar Pasticceria Mazzara, which boasts amongst its most illustrious patrons, the writer Tomasi di Lampedusa. It is the perfect place to stop for delicious Sicilian pastries. After a tasty snack, we continue on to Piazza Politeama. On the left, we note the Art Nouveau Chiostro Ribaudo, designed by Ernesto Basile, and to the right, we see the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi with its two orders of columns. Turning our attention to the top of the building, we can admire a bronze sculptural group representing the Quadriga of Apollo. On the right side of the theater is the entrance to the Modern Art Gallery, which preserves important Sicilian works from the 20th century.

In the evening, we can eat in the heart of the historic city center at Ristorante i Grilli, behind the Church of San Domenico. The restaurant, which is located on the second floor of this palace, offers sophisticated dining. Candlelight and traditional Sicilian dishes reworked by talented chefs contribute to the charming ambiance. You will taste mint, pine nuts and jasmin, the staple flavors of Palermo's cuisine. You can conclude the evening with a visit to Spasimo, a deconsecrated church that now offers concerts and plays.