"Magnifico!" Top 5 Page for this destination Out of Palermo - Monreale Tip by TheWanderingCamel

Even if you are the totally averse to churches and grand architecture, it's unthinkable to visit Palermo and not make the trip out to Monreale to see what most people consider the finest building on the whole island and one of the greatest cathedrals in the world.

Monreale - a building of such splendour and artistry that it must be considered one of the true glories of all the Middle Ages. Its exterior is a blend of Norman (Romanesque) solidity in its structure and Arab fluidity in its decoration. The interior is a mediaeval vision of heaven where mosaics cover every surface with extraordinarily detailed scenes from both the Old and the New Testament, the lives of saints and portraits of Christ, his disciples and the fathers of the church,all depicted against a golden background , the universal symbol at this time of the light of heaven. Standing in the midst of all this glory is like standing in the centre of a jewel box and everywhere you look there's another precious gem.

When you've had enough of all this gold and dazzling colour, make your way to the cathedral's cloister and enter a totally different apect of mediaeval religious life. The two buildings could not be more dissimilar and yet they are totally contemporary. Not only is it likely to be blissfully quiet after the crowds in the cathedral, it's here that you begin to appreciate just how intertwined Arab and Norman culture and taste were at the time this place was built.

Monreale's cloister, with its multitude of slender carved and mosaic-patterned columns has more in common with Moorish Spain than the cloisters of Normandy or England. Lively scenes of both Biblical and Classical tales are carved into the column's capitals. Make sure you walk right around the cloister - if you don't, you could miss the the exquisite private little cloisters in the far corner - and that would be a shame.

Before you leave Monreale, if time permits, venturing away from the immediate precinct of the Cathedral has its rewards. There are some marvellous views to be had from the higher reaches of the town, lower down the small squares and narrow streets have their own charm - and some pleasant cafes and gelaterias.

Directions: 8km south-west of Palermo. Drive yourself, take a bus from Piazza Indipenza, book yourself on a day trip from the city - how you get there's immaterial - just go!