Our penultimate destination was a morning in Palermo, Sicily. This was another change from the original itinerary, as we should have been visiting Messina, on the other side of Sicily for a full day.
As we would only be in Palermo for four hours, we decided we would find a hop on and off bus tour, so we could see the beautiful architecture of the capital city.
As is often the case at cruise ports, there were many bus tour operators vying for business. We settled on the same company that we have used for tours in London, Dublin and Copenhagen as they always offer great local insight and interesting routes.
Finally, the pesky sirocco winds that have been following us around the Mediterranean were settling down to reveal a bright blue sky and searing hot sunshine.
I had heard from friends (and the Rick Steves’ podcast!) that Palermo can sometimes be regarded as a being a little bit rough around the edges. However, it was absolutely fine! It does lack the polished aesthetic of some other Italian cities, but we really enjoyed our morning there and would happily go back to explore the city further.
I rather think the rustic nature of Palermo is part if it’s charm. If everywhere was pristine and ran like clockwork, then than wouldn’t be terribly interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life and travel 🙂
Amidst the hustle and bustle, there is a wealth of beautiful architecture encompassing different styles and influences from its many conquerors since it was founded in the 8th century.
An example of this collection of architectural styles is evident in the impressive 12th century Cattedrale di Palermo. Arab, Norman, Byzantine, Swabian, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles sit cheek by jowl in this beautiful and somewhat eclectic cathedral.
Pretty balconies and shutters as far as the eye can see.
Vibrant tropical foliage in every piazza.
Four hours is definitely not long enough to get to know a hustling-bustling city, but we certainly tried and look forward to visiting again in the future.
Our final destination was Rome, but we sadly didn’t have the time to explore further than the cruise terminal, because we had to go straight to the airport for our flights back to England. Thankfully, we are only a few hours away and we will certainly make our way back to Italy soon.
Thank you for following along on our Mediterranean summer holiday. Next time I will take my laptop or notebook, so I can jot down notes every day. I have a fairly good memory, but it is still quite amazing how many little, but precious moments slip through the gaps. I will also be sure to share the trip in a more timely fashion! There is nothing quite like recounting a holiday to make wanderlust raise its inquisitive spirit…here is to our next adventure, wherever it may be!
Are you jetting, sailing or driving off to anywhere exciting? I would love to hear!
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