Sicily - Italy - page 1562

Driving is frenetic in the city and best avoided. Use one of the staffed car parks around
town (€12 to €20 per day) if your hotel lacks parking.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Palermo
Just outside Palermo's city limits, the beach town of Mondello and the dazzling cathedral
of Monreale are both worthwhile day trips. Just offshore, Ustica makes a great overnight
or weekend getaway.
Mondello 's long, sandy beach became fashionable in the 19th century, when people
came to the seaside in their carriages, prompting the construction of the huge art nouveau
pier that still graces the waterfront. Most of the beaches near the pier are private (two sun
lounges and an umbrella cost €10 to €20); however, there's a wide swath of public beach
opposite the centre of town with all the prerequisite pedaloes and jet skis for hire. Given
its easygoing seaside feel, Mondello is an excellent base for families. To get here, take bus
806 (€1.30, 30 minutes) from Piazza Sturzo in Palermo.
Cattedrale di Monreale ( 091 640 44 03; Piazza del Duomo; admission to cathedral free, north
transept €2, terrace €2; 8.30am-12.45pm & 2.30-5pm Mon-Sat, 8-10am & 2.30-5pm Sun) , 8km
southwest of Palermo, is considered the finest example of Norman architecture in Sicily,
incorporating Norman, Arab, Byzantine and classical elements. Inspired by a vision of the
Virgin, it was built by William II in an effort to outdo his grandfather Roger II, who was
responsible for the cathedral in Cefalù and the Cappella Palatina in Palermo. The interior,
completed in 1184 and executed in shimmering mosaics, depicts 42 Old Testament stories.
Outside the cathedral, the cloister (adult €6, EU citizen 18-25yr €3, under 18 & over 65yr free;
9am-6.30pm Tue-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun & Mon) is a tranquil courtyard with a tangible oriental feel.
Surrounding the perimeter, elegant Romanesque arches are supported by an exquisite ar-
ray of slender columns alternately decorated with mosaics. To reach Monreale take
AMAT bus 389 (€1.30, 35 minutes, half-hourly) from Piazza Indipendenza in Palermo or
AST's Monreale bus (one way/return €1.80/2.80, 40 minutes, hourly) from in front of
Palermo Centrale train station.
The 8.7-sq-km island of Ustica was declared Italy's first marine reserve in 1986. The
surrounding waters are a playground of fish and coral, ideal for snorkelling, diving and
underwater photography. To enjoy Ustica's wild coastline and dazzling grottoes without
the crowds try visiting in June or September. There are numerous dive centres, hotels and