Day 1 - Palermo

Last night we arrived in Palermo, Sicily after a full day of travel. Sicily feels very different to mainland Italy and at first it was a shock di cultura! Sicily was shaped by a number of influences including Phoenician, Norman, Arabic, Greek, Roman and Jewish. This is reflected in its architecture, culture, people and food. We even had a famous spleen sandwich which is actually delicious - think luncheon meat but chewier and tastier! We did a range of things today including visiting the Palermo Cathedral, Royal Palace and the Massimo Theatre (the biggest opera theatre in Italy and the third biggest in Europe). We also visited the no mafia museum providing interesting details about the beginnings of the mafia, it’s devastation on Palermo/Sicily and attempts to stamp it out.Read more