2019-2020 Christmas Cruise - Andalusia: Day 4 Palermo

Our planned ship-sponsored excursion to the small medieval town of Cefalù was cancelled, so we explored Palermo on our own instead. From the ship, the city was surrounded by old volcanic mountains and a steep promontory. 

We disembarked to chilly drizzle and walked along the harbor to Porto Felice. The city gate was built between 1582 and 1637 in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. 

From there, we headed down the street it straddles, the Corso Vittoruo Emanuele, towards the beautiful Praetorian Fountain.  Also known as the Fontana della Vergogna, the fountain was built in Florence in 1554 and moved 20 years later (with a few mishaps) when its indebted owner sold it to Palermo. The fountain originally included 48 statues and received its nickname (“vergogna” means shame) due to the nudity of the statues. 

Near the fountain we visited two churches which are, collectively with seven other structures in Palermo and nearby towns, a UNESCO world heritage site. The first, the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraguo was covered in dazzling mosaics from the Byzantine era. The church was dedicated in 1143 with later additions.  It retains both its original wooden door decorated with Islamic carvings, and well-preserved inlaid marble floor. 

The adjacent Church of San Cataldo was small and austere. Built around 1160, it is considered an architectural masterpiece. The central nave was comprised of three brick domes, showing its Moorish architectural influence. The church was built by Islamic artisans following Romanesque criteria. 

We continued down the Corso. Jeff found an excellent and elegant way to eat a whole potato. 

Parts of this main thoroughfare remind me of Havana. Many structures which have clearly seen better days are juxtaposed with beautifully preserved or restored monuments.

The three above photos were shot on the Corso. A few blocks later we reached the Palermo Cathedral, which is too long to fit in a single photo. 

There was a basilica on this site in the 4th century and another in the 6th. It was transformed into a mosque during the Islamic period, then returned to the Christians in 1072. The foundation of the current building dates from the late 12th century. The cathedral has undergone a long history of restoration and additions. With Norman, Moorish, Gothic and Baroque elements, the last alterations were in the 18th century. 

We climbed up the spiral stone staircase to inspect the roof and enjoy the views. 

And then further down the Corso to our last stop, the Norman Royal Palace. 

The palm trees in the garden between the the Norman Palace and the cathedral seemed a little anachronistic. We were so cold today, with brisk winds and rain. We hustled back towards the harbor, stopping for a snack in a warm place near the Teatro Massimo (Palermo’s opera house).  Greg found a geocache there, capping a successful day of exploration.