PALERMO

Teatro Massimo - is an iconic Palermo landmark. This grand neoclassical opera house took over 20 years to build. The closing scene of The Godfather III  was filmed here.

Chiesa Capitalare di San Cataldo - This 12 th century church in Arab- Norman style is one of Palermo's most striking buildings.

Fontana Pretoria - this central attraction is  a huge and ornate fountain which has flagrant nudity of provocative nymphs which the next door church prudishly dubbed it the Fountain of Shame.

Restaurant " Bye Bye Blues"  despite its name it serves very traditional Sicilian Food.  I had a rolled up white fish stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts and zest from both an orange and lemon to give it a refreshing taste.

For dessert I had pineapple carpaccio with a lemon cream on top. Delizioso !!!

Palazzo dei Normanni/Cappella Palatina - Here Frederick II founded the Schola Poetica Siciliana, which marked the birth of Italian literature. The foundations of the palace date back to the Punic times in the 8th centruy b.c.. In the 9th century the Arabs built the palace for their emirs, and later under Norman domination it was eventually named Norman Palace.

Cappella Palatina - represents the pinnacle of Arab- Norman collective genius and was built by Roger II in 1135. Intended as his private house of worship, the church is dedicated to St Peter and is adorned with  Byzantine mosaics.

The royal coach.

Salon d'Ercole - one flight up are the Royal Apartments. This is currently the chamber of the Sicilian parliament.