Drenched in sunshine all year round, in a natural harbour, nestled comfortably into the coastline of the Conca d’Oro (“Golden Valley” or “horn of plenty”) surrounded in verdant scenery and cocooned in mountains culminating in the peak of Mount Pellegrino (the Pilgrim Mountain) lies the stupendous city of Palermo. It was once completely cultivated into citrus groves, and plantations, but with urban growth and development, many sadly have disappeared. .
Notwithstanding, Palermo is renowned for its marvellous lemons and oranges, which though perhaps fewer in quantity than in years past, are still of outstanding quality. Palermo’s strength is in its beauty and civilisation more than its defensibility or military tradition. Completely accessible by sea, and situated in a valley, it has always been a target for invaders and an obvious foothold into Italy. Thus it has become one of the most conquered and occupied cities in the world.
The Phoenicians who were the first to occupy Palermo, named it Zyz, “the flower”. They were later superseded by Carthaginians, then by the Romans who changed its name to Panormus. By Medieval times the city was in the hands of Greek Byzantine powers till the ninth century, when thanks to Arab conquest, it flowered into its true splendour becoming the capital of Sicily having, in its heyday an emir, giving it great status in the Arab world. In this period the city was enriched with sumptuous.

Do not miss the fascinating historical markets, the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia in Montepellegrino and the beach and seaside village of Mondello in which the seaside resort of Baroque style is erected. In Mondello Country you will find the sellers of "Ricci ", the "Purpari " (Sellers of Boiled octopus) and a series of rooms and trattorias from which smells of the gastronomy of Palermo (Arancine, Panelle, croquettes called in dialect  "Cazzilli", Sfincione,  "Vasteddi" features of the Arabian cuisine) and typical Sicilian wines that are well married with the Sicilian culinary art appreciated in the world.