Sicily Journals

Palermo and Agrigento – where civilisations meet

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A December 2005 trip to Sicily by Drever

The Temple of Juno Photo - Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi), Sicily, Italy More Photos
Quote: Arab cupolas, Byzantine street markets, and Norman and baroque architectural gems are to be found in Palermo. Visiting Agrigento is a walk through ancient Greece.

Palermo and Agrigento – where civilisations meet

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Overview

Narrow, medieval streets Photo - Sicily, Italy
Quote:
We booked a package holiday at the Hotel Santa Lucia in Cefalu, on the northern coast of Sicily, for a week starting on the 12 October. We chose the destination because it was within easy travelling distance of Palermo being on the Palermo Messona Railway line. Cefalù itself has a lot to offer: a splendid beach, winding narrow, medieval streets, and delightful restaurants. Its twin-towered cathedral dates from 1131. On the Palermo Massena rail line it offers easy communication with the major towns. A visit to Palermo, although not to my wife's taste, proved it had lots to offer the explorer. Palermo is old and looks it. Streets and pavements are narrow and grime hangs over everythin...Read More

Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi)

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Attraction | "Agrigento - The Valley of the Temples"

Early Christian Tombs Photo - Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi), Sicily, Italy
Quote:
Visiting Agrigento is a walk through ancient Greece where serried ranks of gods commanded the heavens and earth. Besides the ruins of the temples dedicated to the gods, there are cemeteries, houses, and streets. There is a small amphitheatre, several auditoriums, and a fine archaeological museum. One can only imagine how beautiful this area was when it was a thriving city and the temples were almost all complete.Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC, Agrigento had a good harbour, fertile soil, and the protection against attack of the surrounding cliffs. As a flourishing capital of 200,000 people, it became known for its wealth and promoting the arts, philosophy, and chariot racin...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 21, 2005

Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi)

Agrigento, Sicily

Introduction to Palermo

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Story/Tip

The church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini Photo - Palermo, Italy
Quote:
Palermo, the capital city of Sicily, is a mixture of ostentation and poverty, a place of beauty that is ugly in places, and a city in which to wear a money belt and keep an eye on your camera. My wife hated it on sight, not feeling safe in its narrow, dirty streets. I took a little longer--until my wallet vanished.Palermo is old and looks it. Streets and pavements are narrow and grime hangs over everything. No space that wheels can roll along is sacrosanct to the scooters, which make their jarring racket everywhere. Noise and pollution hang over the city as you find your way among old monuments: Arab cupolas, Byzantine street markets, and Norman and baroque architectural gems dating back c...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 21, 2005

Palermo Cathedral

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Attraction

Inside Palermo Cathedral Photo - Palermo Cathedral, Sicily, Italy
Quote:
The cathedral fits into the city’s pattern of beauty mixed with jarring consistencies. It is a massive rectangular building with towers at the front corners in the Norman Arab style. The facade and south porch are Gothic. It is an odd building, with the fine lines of the tawny stone spoilt by the late 18th-century addition of an out-of-character dome. Norman carving and detail on the outside make it interesting, but the inside, while grand, is cold and neoclassical.A fascinating exterior design is the repeating horizontal inlay motif of the lions "passant guardant," visible near the apse. Its presence here suggests that the Normans used the symbol in Sicily long before the ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 21, 2005

Palermo Cathedral
Sicily
Sicily, Italy

Quattro Canti

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Attraction | "Quattro Canti - The Four Corners"

Church of San Cataldo Photo - Quattro Canti, Sicily, Italy
Quote:
A walk up the Via Maqueda from the railway station to the intersection with Corso Vittorio Emanuele brings you to the "Quattro Canti" (Four Corners). This is the heart of Palermo's old historic district and an ideal starting place for a walking tour. Many of the sights of historical and touristy interest are close by.The Quattro Canti itself is interesting. The facades of the buildings on each corner--three Baroque palaces and the church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini display Baroque sculptures. These show various themes: the Four Seasons, Spanish kings, and various patron saints of Palermo's four old quarters. The magnificent but grimy pearl coloured fountains at ground level are typically B...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 21, 2005

Quattro Canti
Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda
Palermo, Italy