Sfincione at Monreale’s Pizzeria Toto
Sicilian cuisine continues to spring wonderful surprises on us. I had been completely unaware of the existence of sfincione, or Sicilian Pizza, until we visited Monreale. And now, I'll never forget it.
The Cathedral of Monreale
If you don't want your jaw to smack painfully against the ground, you'd do well to wear a tight chin strap when visiting the Cathedral of Monreale. During our tour, my mouth was wide open, rivulets of drool escaping my gaping jowl. But I didn't care, and I doubt anyone was paying attention. To be inside the Monreale's cathedral and concentrate on anything other than its shimmering beauty is nearly impossible.
Monreale
On any visit to Palermo, a day trip to the town of Monreale is essential for a few reasons. Its magnificent cathedral is one of the world's finest and best-preserved examples of Norman architecture. And the view obtained over Palermo's valley is incredible. Just a handful of miles from the city, Monreale couldn't be easier to reach and would be worth the journey just for a walk through its picturesque, sleepy mountain streets.
Monte Pellegrino and the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia
Palermo is bounded to the north by Monte Pellegrino, a rock jutting into the Mediterranean which Goethe described as "the most beautiful promontory in the world". Near the mountain's summit is the Santuario di Santa Rosalia, one of Palermo's many patron saints. The mountain park and the sanctuary can be easily visited in a few hours, and make a great escape from the noise and traffic of the city.
The Bone-Chilling Catacombs of the Capuchin Monks
Found on the outer limits of the city, the Capuchin catacombs hold the remains of over 8000 souls, their disembodied shells propped up against the walls or resting in open caskets. Down in the cold, dry basement of the monastery, the relentless march of decomposition takes its sweet time. It's a gruesome display. Though some bodies have been reduced to skulls and bones, the majority of corpses are still rotting, and their half-decomposed husks are the stuff of nightmares.
An Impromtu Tour of the Vucciria Market
Apparently, cilantro isn't an herb much used in Sicilian cooking. The stand in the Vucciria Market had piles of basil, sage and oregano, but the seller had never heard of cilantro. Still, he was determined to help me out, and asked if I would recognize it by sight. "I think so, probably". Producing herb after herb from the back of his store, he held out branches for me to sniff and inspect.
Mondello
Trapped between Monte Pelligrino and Monte Gallo, Mondello was a fishing village for most of its existence, until its white beach and turquoise water were discovered by the leisure classes of Palermo. Nowadays, it's almost purely a resort town, and highly congested during summer. When we visited on the last day of September, though, there weren't too many other people and the water was still warm enough for swimming.
Museo delle Marionette
Pinocchio and Gepetto may have been from Florence, but the romantic image of a kindly, old man carving a puppet from wood is a distinctly Sicilian one. The art of puppet theater, or the Opera dei Puppi, has especially deep roots in Palermo.
Il Capo Comes Alive
Stepping into the neighborhood just behind the somber bulk of Palermo's Cathedral feels like entering another country. An Arabic one, to be precise. Il Capo is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, and has managed to retain a distinctly Moorish influence in its streets and market.
The Baroque Magnificence of Santa Caterina
Near Palermo's Quattro Canti is the Church of Santa Caterina, whose modest exterior belies the Baroque magnificence waiting inside. Construction on the church began in 1566, but the interior decoration dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, when Baroque was at its height, and the Catholic church was encouraging intricate detail and emotional themes.
