Our Scrapbook of Rick Steves Best of Sicily in 11 Days
Days 1 and 2 Palermo to Monreale
This was the view from our Palermo hotel's breakfast room!
We arrived in Palermo a few days early to visit Marineo, where our family emigrated years ago. The folks at Rick Steves Tours helped us secure lodging at the same hotel the tour group was staying at, which was a huge help.
Day 1 of the tour began in Palermo with a meeting of our fellow adventurers and the tour guide as we walked all around the city. From the Teatro Massimo to the sights and scents of the markets, there was much more to Palermo than I realized.
We were welcomed into the home of a contessa for a personal tour of her family's Palazzo Federico. The group then got to know each other over a "Welcome to Sicily" dinner.
Day 2 Monreale
On day 2, we drove up to the hilltop town of Monreale, home to an Arab-flavored cathedral that blends Byzantine, Arab, Jewish, Gothic, and Norman traditions, heritage, and art.
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We toured the cathedral's interior of golden mosaics as well as the story-telling columns of the cloister.
Travel Tip: Read the guidebook
All the tour participants had the Rick Steves guidebook, making it enjoyable to read the next destination or person we were going to encounter. In the evenings, we also utilized maps and walking tours to discover new city.