Palazzo dei Normanni

Palermo has a wealth of cultural treasures, some of crumbling grandeur — notably its many baroque churches — others, such as the Palazzo dei Normanni, of almost unrivalled splendour. The Palazzo occupies the site of the city's 9th-century Saracen fortress, a building transformed by the Normans into a palace that became the focus of one of Europe's most glittering royal courts. Highlight is the 12th-century Cappella Palatina, a medley of Norman, Moorish and Byzantine architectural styles adorned with mosaics on a par with similar mosaics in Ravenna and Istanbul.

Syracuse

Sicily's most beguiling town was founded by the Greeks in 733 ВС. Between the third and fifth centuries ВС it became Europe's most powerful city. Today, the old island fortress — Ortygia — the picturesque port and extensive archaeological zone are all essential stops on any Sicilian itinerary. Only the modern town, raised from the ruins of Second World War bombing, is a disappointment.

Segesta & Selinunte

Sicily has many ancient temples, but none in such dramatic surroundings as Segesta. The 5th-century ВС Doric temple, almost encircled by a shallow ravine, stands in majestic isolation in glorious countryside. Selinunte is to the south — also in lovely scenery — and second only to Agrigento in

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