Our journey to Sicily was absolutely fantastic! We had a well-planned itinerary that included visits to Palermo, Ragusa, Agrigento, Syracuse, and Taormina.

Our first stop was Palermo, where we explored the Mercato del Capo, Palazzo Conte Federico, Church of the Martorana, Church of Santa Caterina Monastery, the Teatro Massimo, and other historical sites.

At the Mercato del Capo, we enjoyed sampling various street foods from the food stalls along the narrow streets. There were lots of people the day we went and it seemed like many locals were on vacation taking advantage of Ferragosto, a public holiday celebrated on August 15 in the whole of Italy.

We visited the Palazzo Conte Federico, known as the oldest and most prestigious building in Palermo. The 12th-century Arab-Norman tower, named Scrigno Tower, was a fascinating piece of history that overlooked the city walls.

The palace is still inhabited today by Count Alessandro Federico and his family which draws its origins from Federico d’Antiochia, one of the sons of the great Emperor Federico II. It just so happened one of the sons of Count Alessandro Federico was our tour guide! He was absolutely charming and very down to earth and shared a bit about his growing up in such a historical building! We marveled at the Norman mullioned window, the Aragonese window with authentic coats of arms, and the beautifully decorated inner courtyard by Venanzio Marvuglia. A grand red marble staircase led us through different eras of history, with halls showcasing original furniture, paintings, 17th-century painted ceilings, 18th-century frescoes, and collections of weapons and ceramics. The Ballroom once hosted Verdi and Wagner even played the grand piano in the ballroom. The Ballroom boasts Baroque ceiling frescoes by Vito D’Anna and Gaspare Serenario, called Triumph of Purity among the Virtues over Time. The fresco holds a secret. Serenario was a free mason. In the painting, underneath the angel with a wing, is a “triangle with the eye” sign of the free masons. Apparently, the ballroom was once the most important Masonic temple in the south of Italy. Our experience at Palazzo Conte Federico was truly remarkable and unforgettable.

We visited the Church of the Martorana which is part of the Norman-Arab Palermo route and the Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale UNESCO World Heritage.

It was completed in 1143 thanks to a generous donation by Admiral George of Antioch. Ibn Jubair, an Arabic traveller who visited it in 1184, called it “the most beautiful work in the world.” Today, after careful restoration, it remains one of the most beautiful religious buildings in Palermo and Sicily. In 1436 it was given to the nuns of the nearby convent “della Martorana”, from which its second name derives, as a chapel of the convent. In order to contain the growing number of nuns, the building was subjected to expansion work, and it was extended by demolishing the original façade, which was replaced by a baroque one. Upon entering the church it is still possible to detect the original Greek cross system that left such an impression on Ibn Jubair.

The mosaics of the Martorana are the work of a group of artists brought from Constantinople to Palermo and who worked between 1140 and 1155. At the entrance, on the northern side of the nave, there is a dedicated mosaic in which George of Antioch is portrayed at the foot of the Virgin, this latter having remained in perfect condition. On the opposite side is perhaps Martorana’s most precious treasure: a mosaic depicting Roger II symbolically crowned by Christ.