The island of Sicily, floating just off the shores of southern Italy, has a long, rich and multicultural history as one of the most coveted prizes in the Mediterranean Sea.

For more than 3,000 years, myriad civilizations discovered, conquered, and made their mark on Sicily’s shores, from the Ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire to the Norman and Arabian rulers that thought to cultivate Sicily’s lands.

Learn more here.

Palermo today is the capital of Sicily and its territory is defined as 'Conca d'Oro' because it sits in a valley surrounded by hills and the lemons and orange trees give to it a golden color.

Fare colazione (eat breakfast)

Per Vincenzo, "in Sicily they do it differently". Don't expect orange juice and scrambled eggs, but look forward to an espresso and pastry. Head to the bar in the morning. Not that bar...in Italy the "bar" is a cafe. Below are some of our favorite bars for breakfast & a quick snack throughout the day.

Pasticceria Costa (City Center, 2 locations)

Bar Pasticceria Alba (Mondello)

Al Chioschetto Ma.e.va (near City Center)

Pasticceria Cappello (near Teatro Politeama)

Andare al mare (go to the beach)

We chose end of August for the wedding so you all could enjoy the warm sea and experience Sicily in all its glory. There are beaches of all types - rocky, sandy, cliffs, etc. The best thing you can do is reserve an umbrella where available as it's high season and likely a bit crowded. Of course you can try to grab towel space for free.

Mondello Beach : the most special place :) (book chairs HERE). Splendid La Torre and LaMarsa hotels offer beach chair rentals as well.

Capo Gallo : small entry fee, no chairs for rent, rocky beach but you can lay on big rocks

Addaura: another beautiful beach near Mondello. Check out these places for chair rentals: L'ombellico Del Mondo , Plait Mare

Esplorare la città (explore the city)

**History & Architecture**

Palazzo dei Normanni e la cappella Palatina (the palace of the Normans). The king lived here and it also has a chapel that features Byzantine art with a stunning mosaic.

Chiesa della Martorana : It was once a mosque and is now converted into a church

Fontana Pretoria: Beautiful fountain in the city center)

Quattro Canti: Located in the city center, the intersection between the two oldest main streets of the Palermo. If you keep walking northeast towards the water you will encounter the old gate of the city called "Porta Felice"

La Cattedrale : The main cathedral in the city center): This is the main church of the city. Buried there is Federico II, who was a holy Roman emperor among other historical kings and queens.

Castello della Zisa: A palace built by the Arabs in 1167. The museum of Islamic art is inside.

Duomo di Monreale: 20 minutes outside of the city but is definitely worth seeing. The inside is unbelievable.

**Sightseeing**

City Center

There are many other churches and museums you can visit that we are not posting here and if you feel like taking a walk you can walk in the city center. A nice walk might take you from the Cattedrale all the way down to Porta Felice (on of the old gates of the city). From there you can walk near the water and stop for a drink at the newly open Molo Trapeizoidale or at the Nautoscopio

The Markets

One of the heritage of the Arab domination in Sicily that can be still appreciated these days. Don't be scared if people try to sell their goods "abbanniando" (yelling) left and right, it's just another sales technique. La Vucciria, Ballarò and il Capo are the three historical markets where you can find everything your heart desires from street food to vegetables to fresh fish. Don't be shy, try everything you can and you won't be disappointed

Via Liberta (shopping district)

Via Liberta was build at the end of the 19th century in full Art Nouveau style and today is one of the shopping location in the city. If you want to get a new Prada bag or buy a new Rolex this is where to go

Alright, Aperitivo is the number one experience you have to have in Italy. It technically means a pre-meal drink, but nowadays "fare l'aperitivo" indicates going out for a drink later in the afternoon (around 6 pm, yes that's still the afternoon) and start drinking your spritz. You might be thinking that you have the same in the US; the only difference is that with your drink you'll be given multiple appetizers, chips and nuts which basically will end up being your dinner. To fully experience this during summer find a nice bar close to the sea and just chill at your table (while smoking a cig). There are multiple places where you can have such an experiences but below we wanted to highlight some nice rooftops where you can take your aperitivo experience to the next level

Seven Restaurant Palermo (at Hotel Ambasciatori, also dinner)

Il Bar at Rinascente

Le Terrazze del Sole

Doba Restaurant (also dinner)

A stark contrast to the U.S., local culture encourages a more open-air social scene. Countless neighborhoods come alive after dark with a vibrant array of cocktail bars. Grab a drink and soak up the atmosphere alongside friends in these lively outdoor settings:

Piazza Sant'Anna

I Candelai

La Kalsa

La Vucciria/ Ballarò