Monreale

Monreale is a splendid Arab-Norman town a few miles from Palermo, it's famous for its cathedral and his Benedictine cloister, built by William II the Good in 1174. Popular tradition tells that, while the king was hunting on Mount Caputo, weary of the labors of the chase he fell asleep under a carob tree. In sleep the Virgin Mary appeared to him that said: "Under the carob, where you're sleeping, there is a great treasure." He found it and decided to build the temple in her honor.

You should visit, not only, the cathedral at Monreale, but also, the Diocesan Museum, the Cloister, the Civic Gallery, the church of S. Castrenze, the Collegiate Church where, outside it, is the largest of Italy tiled panel with the image of the Santissimo Crocifisso.

Furthermore, you should visit the largest panel of Italian tiled with the image of the Most Holy Crucifix and, you should walk through the streets of our town, to immerse yourself in everyday life and, perhaps, to find something of interest (art shops, bakeries, biscuit factories, markets, ...).

Suggested walk routes

From Duomo Square (200 meters from the B&B), you can catch the bus 389 number leading to Independence Square, where you can visit: the Royal Palace, the Cathedral; if you go down Corso Vittorio Emanuele, you can visit many Baroque Churches, you can arrive in Quattro Canti Square, where you can admire Pretoria Square (called Square of Shame).
Nearby you can visit other monuments: S.M. dell’Ammiraglio Church (called La Martorana) where you can admire the oldest portrait of Frederick II, Church of Jesus (called Casa Professa) considered the most beautiful baroque of Palermo, together with the church of S.Giuseppe dei Teatini on Quattro Canti..
At the end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele, you can visit Piazza Marina, where much of the eighteenth century palaces have been converted into museum, such as Mirto Palace, Steri Palace, Abatellis Palace. This itinerary is about 2km and takes about half a day.

If you take the bus number 389, in Duomo Square, 200 meters from the B&B, you can arrive at the connection with Via Cappuccini, at the second traffic light you are in Corso Calatafimi, where you can visit La Cuba. In Via Cappuccini, you can visit the Catacombs, where Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa is buried, a great writer of '900, author of "il Gattopardo". Not far from the Catacombs, you can visit the Zisa, where you can decide whether to go back or to continue to the Palace of Justice with the new square dedicated to Falcone, Borsellino and other judges who have fallen for Mafia.
If you go straight on, you can arrive in Carini Door, where you can enter the famous market of the Capo from, which extends from the Carini Door, to Via Cappuccinelli, untill Via S. Agostino.
Who does not want to visit the market of the Capo, he can go back, he can take Via Volturno and he can arrive in the Massimo Theater.

Recommended routes by car

Starting from Monreale, you can follow Corso Calatafimi until the end, you can pass through Porta Nuova and you can walk along Corso Vittorio Emanuele until Porta Felice, hence walking along the parallel road to the sea, (Via Francesco Crispi) you can have a look at The Ucciardone (Bourbon Prison) and, walking along Via Monte Pellegrino, you can arrive in the Santa Rosalia Sanctuary (La Santuzza) and in the Favorita Park, you can admire a splendid view.
To return we suggest you go down the other side and, arrive in the popular Mondello beach, where you can take a bath, if weather is nice.

Places easily accessible

The B&B Elvira al Duomo is located in a position to allow tourists to reach other places of historical / artistic interest, avoiding to pack and remaining at Monreale.

You can reach:

•	in 20 minutes, Bagheria (birthplace of Guttuso), where the eighteenth-century palaces have been converted into museums;
•	in 40 minutes, Cefalù, where you can visit the splendid Arab-Norman Cathedral and from there you can go into the Madonie Park and where you can visit Castelbuono;
•	in 40 minutes, Piana degli Albanesi, ex albanian former colony, where the orthodox rite and the christian rite coexist, where you can taste one of the best cannolo in Sicily;
•	in 1 hour, Erice, an ancient city founded by Trojan exiles;
•	in 1 hour, Selinunte, an ancient Greek town where you can visit one of the largest archaeological sites;
•	in 1:15, Agrigento, where you can visit the splendid Valley of the Temples;
•	in about an hour, Zingaro nature reserve, from there you can reach San Vito lo Capo.

There is much to see and, of course, depending on the time when you come to visit us, we will advise you other interesting places to visit...