Last pics from Palermo

Leaving Italy

Have been amazed at how much there is to see in Palermo, have mostly visited churches because that's where all the art and architecture is.  It's been a mix of Baroque and Byzantine with a bit of Greek thrown in.

A day in Monreale (well, we had to go to Montréal!) where the Norman cathedral is covered in Byzantine mosaics, allegedly the largest surface in the world.  It's basically an illustrated bible, both testaments, but we thought Noah and Rebecca got more than their fair share of wall space while Moses didn't get a look in!

Today a fair bit of Baroque, then a beautiful "basilica" with Greek mosaics and Baroque frescoes and a lovely plain church (nice change) with pretty cloisters, with a bit of arab thrown in the mix.

And just strolling the streets we have come across lovely buildings, as well as piles of rubbish and too much dog poo!  North Italy is pristine but the further south the more street rubbish and dog poo despite a strict regime of recycling.

Will be back home (churched out) tomorrow evening.  It has gone quickly - a brilliant trip.

More Palermo pics

Palermo

A lovely train journey across mountainous western Sicily to get to our final destination, Palermo.  It's very different, life is on the streets rather than indoors, reminds us a bit of Asia.

Went to the star turn - the Palazzo dei Normanni with its amazing Palatine Chapel - floor to ceiling mosaics from the 12th century, the whole place covered with scenes from the bible and various saints.

Then there was a trip around the royal rooms, more stunning mosaics and some large pieces of inlaid furniture.  The decorations of the rooms are lovely. 

The cathedral has a gothic/moorish exterior but rather plain but pleasing interior. Followed by a wander around the streets and the port. Out of the tourist hotspots it has a very friendly feel, people say buongiorno and ciao even to us.

And then we bought half a roast chicken and enough chips for 4 for the grand sum of 6 euros!

Sicily part 2

Went to admire a huge Caravaggio in the local church of Santa Lucia showing the martyrdom of said saint.  Impressive.

We then wandered into the old town which is, of course, full of tourists and attending stuff but pretty nonetheless.  Great cathedral which had been built around a Greek temple - very plain except for a couple of side chapels.

Hot day so then fled to a beach several kms away - a two swim day. The return bus didn't arrive so we had to hitchhike back - a big thank you to the young couple who stopped.  Dinner in a butchers shop which has 4 tables, you choose your meat.

A day out in Noto, a town destroyed in a 1693 earthquake but rebuilt in Baroque style.  Very impressive but we have rather OD'd on Baroque.

A long day to cross Sicily, bus, bus, train and bus again to Agrigento.  Really interesting watching the landscape change - very arid in the east then green(er) as we crossed the mountains and went west.

Agrigento is tourist town (but rather pretty anyway) because of the Valley of the Temples - lots of Greek ruins and apparently the biggest site outside Greece.  We were there for four hours, really interesting, couldn't face the museum.  Unfortunately didn't get to see the Roman site as it was shut but maybe enough was enough for one day.

Off to Palermo tomorrow.  The end is nigh!

Heading South

We paused for two days in Tropea (not St Tropez!) but a busy seaside resort up on the cliffs - very pretty but very touristy, especially lots of Germans.  Weather wasn't kind but the aperitivi were excellent.

Saturday (bad choice because all the holidaymakers were on the move) we headed for Sicily.  Had to change trains in a tinpot town but the cafe by the railway station had brilliant cakes!  The best yet.

The train was divided into two and both halves rolled onto the ferry to Messina - bizarre!  Then all the way down the east coast to Siracusa.  Lovely views but it was a long day travelling.

Great day in the archaeological museum (so much stuff) then the main archaeological site which is ok but strangely peppered with modern works of art mostly Icarus in various forms and bits.  

Surprised how many Greek and Roman settlements there are around, nearly all with amazing pots, statues and jewellery from burial sites.  

The gelato at the end of the day very welcome.

More photos from the foot

 Nutcrackers would you believe!

The sole of the foot

We stopped in Taranto, a town of three parts - around the station (scruffy), the old town partially held together with iron girders, and the new town which has nice buildings and traffic free boulevards, to visit the archaeological museum which was as impressive as the Rough Guide said. Mostly small artifacts from about 6000BC to 600AD (so much stuff) and some lovely mosaics. 

 Wandered the old town via the cathedral with its beautiful chapel with inlay marble panelling.  

Got slowed down by a very flash wedding - they arrived in a horse drawn carriage and left in a Lamborghini!

Now in Rossano Scala, between the town and the sea but where the bus stops.  Booked a hire car to visit the archaeological site of Sybaris and its  museum.  Had it to ourselves!  The city only lasted 200 years before being sacked by the neighbours who even diverted the river to try to wash it away.  But it did leave us the word "sybaritic" for excessive luxury.  

Up to the old town of Rossano where there's a 6th century 188-page illustrated manuscript of two of the gospels - the purple codex - only 4 or 5 in the world, the others being in places like St Petersburg and Paris.  Had another guided tour for two - an amazing day!