Palermo City Break

You travel individually and arrive at your centrally located hotel in Palermo. In the evening you will meet your fellow travelers at a dinner in a typical restaurant and toast together to your upcoming adventure trip. 5 nights in Palermo. (A)

Strengthened by breakfast, you will first set off for the Quattro Canti crossroads in the center of the old town and take a look at the Baroque architecture. Together you can puzzle over the meaning of the sculptures in the four corners. At the Fontana Pretoria, a masterpiece of the late Renaissance, you will also find Palazzo Pretorio, seat of the Palermo City Hall. Here you can learn more about the Carta di Palermo, a document on freedoms and rights of migrants. Ask your tour guide about Palermo's position on migration. At an old coffee roastery, do as the Palermitans do and enjoy a good espresso. Then stroll to the Church of Santa Maria dellAmmiraglio (UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is a prime example of acceptance of different religions. Before lunch, you are invited to a restaurant run by migrants and locals and learn more about their lives, visit the Ballarò Arab market. Be inspired by the flair of the market! Your next destination is the church of Santa Caterina dAlessandria. Attached to a cloistered monastery until 2012, it captivates with beautiful Sicilian baroque marble. Taste the delicacies made according to traditional recipes of the nuns in the former cloister! In the evening you decide where you would like to eat. Your tour guide will be happy to give you recommendations. (B/M)

In the morning you will meet your German speaking tour guide and go together to the Capo market. Already in the 9th century the open-air market was founded by the Arabs. Immerse yourself in the colorful Sicilian life. Here you will find fruits and vegetables as well as very special treasures. Afterwards, follow in the footsteps of Palermo Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is rich in history. The place of worship was once founded by Arabs and converted into a church by Christians. Only one stone of the former mosque can still be found. In the famous Norman Palace (UNESCO World Heritage Site), today the seat of the autonomous parliament of Sicily, admire the beautiful mosaics of the court chapel. Byzantine, Arabic and Norman styles are skillfully combined here. In the impoverished district of Danisinni, a representative of the local community awaits you. You will gain insight into their efforts to socially and culturally revitalize the neighborhood. Your lovingly prepared lunch will support the community's local development projects. With the pleasure palace La Zisa you can look forward to the third UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 12th century by Arab emirs, the splendor of the Orient is clearly visible in it. The muqarnas and gold mosaics of the historic building are well worth seeing. Lastly, you will have the opportunity to taste local wines or other in a small restaurant (optional, payable locally). Cin čin. (F/I)