Exclusive Tour - Cefalù and Monreale with Local Guide - starting from Palermo

Exclusive Private Tour with a licensed LOCAL GUIDE and Top Class Mercedes Minivan

This trip takes you out of the city driving east on the north coast for a private shore excursion to the town of

CEFALU'. This lovely city is part of the Madonie Regional Natural Park.The sturdy Norman lines of Cefalù’s Cathedral are softened by palm trees and tourist’s shirts are filling the city hall piazza before it. The 12th century Arab-Norman monument is part of the World Heritage Site.

Included is also a visit of

MONREALE, the Monastery commissioned by William II (1154-89), the Norman ruler of Sicily. This structure features both Sicilian and Byzantine craftsmen. The highlight point of the Cathedral is its interior, incandescent with the gold of the mosaics, covering the walls of the nave, aisles, transept, and apse. All in all, a total of 81800 square feet covered by this finery in total.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Duomo di Cefalu, Piazza del Duomo, 90015, Cefalu, Sicily Italy

Meet your Local Guide and head to the Madonie Regional Natural Park and the town of Cefalù, once a typical fishing village, now a major destination for tourists in the area. During a stroll trough the characteristic streets, you will visit the ancient medieval washhouse and the Norman-style Cefalu Cathedral, built in the 12th century. The mosaics inside the cathedral are remarkable examples of the Byzantine art of the period. The sturdy Norman lines of the Cathedral are softened by palm trees, and tourists fill the city hall piazza before it. The Arab-Norman architecture of Sicily is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Make a stop for lunch (own expense). Your guide can recommend some wonderful places with typical local specialties.

Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Duomo di Monreale, Piazza Guglielmo II 1, 90046, Monreale, Sicily Italy

Next drive to Monreale, the apotheosis of Norman architecture in Sicily. Featuring a cathedral with its splendid mosaics from the 12th century, it was part of the World Heritage Arab Norman Period, built under William II. It rivals Saint Sophia in Istanbul and Saint Mark's in Venice in its use of decorative mosaics. While it is Romanesque style largely, the cathedral combines aspects of Arab, Byzantine and Norman architecture.

At the end of your tour, you will be brought back to your cruise ship or hotel.

Duration: 1 hour