Project Description
Crime stories in Corleone and golden books of stone of Monreale
From Palermo | Full Day
Corleone
We will start our journey driving towards beautiful scenic drive and crossing laid back villages, rolling hills and unique mountainous scenery before we reach Corleone. Despite of its bad reputation got through stereotyped negative ideas, we will be fascinated by the warmth of the local people. A must is a visit to the Mafia’s museum where we might change and learn our perspective about the Mafia origin, developing and strategies nowadays.
Monreale
Time for a quick snack or light lunch and then continue on to Monreale, a town sitting on a hill not far away from Palermo. Here we visit its incredible Cathedral and the splendid 6500 square metres of golden mosaics completed in one generation only. It is undoubtely one of the most impressive and beautiful churches in the world and the most important of the Norman age in Sicily. The interior is totally decorated with mosaic representing scenes from the old and new testament as a big visual bible. Commissioned by the Norman King William II, it is believed by scientists and art historian that more than 2.200 kg of pure gold were used. The adjoined cloyster is another incredible medieval work of art of 228 marble columns with carved capitols all unique pieces one different than another representing a big book of the medieval simbology and allegory.
Corleone
Corleone has ancient origins that date back to about 6000 years ago. It is located about an hour from Palermo in a region characterized by an extraordinary campaign that has no equal in Sicily. The scenic road that leads to the town through cornfields, vineyards and mountains where you can enjoy still today the genuinity of the rural Sicilian countryside as it was perhaps up to a hundred years ago elsewhere.
Here the human presence is not invasive and somehow discrete; animals, cultivated fields and nature are the masters of the landscape. Corleone is located at a strategic point of passage on the road that once linked Palermo to Agrigento constituting ideal territory for businesses and crops of wheat from the Roman period to the Byzantine and across the Arabic time.
The geological formations, canyons, rocky landscape and the abundance of wildlife makes the Corleonese countryside a truly unique place to hang out. Among the most interesting places in the Ficuzza wood, a private hunting estate at the time of Frederick II of Swabia through the Bourbons in eighteen hundred.
It would be a mistake to label Corleone as a place connected only to the well known mafia. The hospitable and warm attitude of its people, the quality of food (meats and cheeses) and rural places makes it a very fascinating place.
Monreale
Monreale is a small town of about 40.000 inhabitants just outside Palermo on the slopes of a mountain. In the past the territory was a former hunting estate. During the Arab period its strategic position allowed to control the vast flat area at his feet and the name itself Monreale, from the Latin mons regalis, connotes this vocation.
The Normans chose this site to build a church that still can be considered as one of the most beautiful in the world for the richness of its mosaics. They aimed to develope a fortification strategy, defense of the territory and not least Christianization of the island.
According to legend, King William II, in 1170 dreamed the Virgin Mary who revealed to him that a big treasure laid hidden in Monreale and if one day he would have found the site a church dedicated to Our Lady was to be built on that place.
Today the cathedral is located at a high point from which you can see from the outside the imposing apses already by the arrival on the road bends to Monreale; its visible and remarkable outside apse is richly decorated with Arabic stone motifs. Two bronze doors by Bonanno Pisano and Barisano from Trani in 1200 introduced into three internal naves where every corner of the walls is decorated with about 6500 square meters of mosaics made entirely of pure gold.
All the equipment of the mosaics is like in a wide viewing bible scenes of the new and old testament together with episodes of the lives of the saints. The wooden ceiling of chestnut wood is supported by walls and thirteen marble columns and chapels complete the plant.
Among the most interesting mosaic themes the Christ Pantochrator that occupies the entire apse; beside it William II receives the crown from Jesus Christ and another scenes in which William offers the Church to the Virgin. Adjacent to the cathedral is a unique medieval Benedictine monastery which is a masterpiece of Romanesque art.
The capitals are all different from each other with original sculptural technique and extraordinary elegance which makes the place so rich and unique.
- Private Sedan car or Mercedes Viano up to seven seats
- Private driver speaking your language
- Fuel, motorway toll and parking fee
- Half day service with private driver and car UP TO 4 HOURS
- Full day service with private car and driver UP TO 8 HOURS
- Water bottle onboard
- Visits, stops and panoramic driving tours described on the itinerary
NOT INCLUDED:
- Archeological sites, monuments and churches entrance fees
- Local products and wine tasting or culinary experiences unless included
- Driver and local guides gratuities (we suggest 10% if services meets or exceeds your expectations)
- Local Sicilian regional licensed guide
- Meals, wine tasting or culinary experiences if not already included in the itinerary
- Yachts, helicopter or private plane rental linked to our ground transportation service
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or send us a message requesting information, our team will respond as soon as possible.
