Palermo tour for small groups among UNESCO sites

Palermo is a city to be discovered in every aspect, what better way than by delving into the streets of its historic center, exploring the UNESCO sites that make it one of the most important cities in Italy? As you walk with your guide, you'll make unmissable stops like the one in Piazza Pretoria, the Royal Palace, and again the Martorana Church, not forgetting the obligatory stop for a delicious cannolo.
 

Discover Pretoria Square with its famous fountain

Palermo is considered the capital of Sicily not by chance, and in addition to its historical, artistic and cultural background it has in fact 8 sites belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Site that this guided tour will allow you to discover. The tour itinerary includes several stops, the first at Piazza Pretoria, renamed by the locals as "Piazza della Vergogna" not as one might think because of the presence of numerous statues depicted naked, but because of the amount of money that the Senate of Palermo had to pay to purchase the marble fountain that towers over the entire square. According to various reconstructions, given the economic and financial misery that was characterizing the Sicilian capital at the time, citizens shouted "shame, shame!" at the senators whenever they left the palace. The square is also home to the Praetorian Palace, which was originally built in the 14th century, only to be renovated in the 19th, and is now home to the city's town hall, so if you are lucky enough you may even get to meet the mayor of Palermo.

Discover the oldest royal residence in Europe

The next stop on the Palermo walking tour will take you and the rest of the small group outside one of Palermo's most famous features recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace of the Normans, also known as the Royal Palace as Europe's oldest residence of royal dynasties. After the conquest of Sicily by the Normans in 1072, the palace became the nerve center of the monarchies, and thanks to King Roger, the Palatine Chapel was built, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, and consecrated in 1140. The Norman Palace continues to have political significance to this day as the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly.

Explore the most important places of worship in Palermo

Once in Palermo, one cannot ignore the religious component that has dotted the city with marvelous churches and cathedrals, which is why the walking tour of Palermo's UNESCO sites continues to the Martorana Church, where we can observe how the coexistence of elements belonging to Norman architecture and others of a Baroque nature, form a mind-blowing artistic architectural combination. Another example of how the mingling of different artistic styles can create a masterpiece is the Cathedral of Palermo, a magnificent building in which Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Catalan and Gothic styles come to mingle, as a reflection of the different peoples who have stationed on Sicilian soil over the centuries. 
After admiring the marvelous UNESCO sites that enrich Palermo, one last stop before ending the tour, to let you experience not only the history and art of this wonderful city, but also the typical product that characterizes its culinary wealth, the cannolo!