Take part in a tour of Palermo by bike! The tour will give you the chance to experience the best the city has to offer: food, folklore, art, culture and nature! Your guide will take you along the cycle paths, alleys, passageways and narrow streets of Palermo as he interactively involves you in telling the history of the squares, the buildings and the characters that have animated this city. The cycle tour unveils a thousand aspects of Palermo in a triumph of stories, faces, facades, courtyards, unusual experiences, charming myths, smells and tastes.
You will take the following route: Piazza Bellini, Piazza Magione, Piazza Marina, Giardino Garibaldi, Foro Italico, La Cala, Piazza San Domenico, Piazza Verdi, Teatro Massimo, Quattro Canti, Cattedrale, Palazzo Reale.
All-inclusive package: bike rental, helmet, expert guide to the city and food tasting included.
Timetable:
From 1 March to 31 May and from 1 October to 30 November: the tour start at 10:00
From 1 June to 30 September: the tour start at 9:30
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
A tour based on the cultural and artistic beauties of the city, added by Unesco in The World Heritage List.
The Arab and Norman Tour, characterized by the golden decorations, shows how Palermo was in the 12th century; a melting pot of cultures, that is reflected in the arab architecture and the byzantine mosaics of churches and palaces. The tour starts from the city centre towards the Quattro Canti Square, the heart of the old town. Next stop will be the “The Fountain of Shame”, Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio Church, with its shining golden ceiling and San Cataldo with its red domes. Then you will have a break inside the pastry shop of Santa Caterina’s Monastery, where you will taste different local desserts prepared with the old monastic recepies. Next you will head to the Cathedral and finally you will continue to The Royal Palace where is housed the gem of this tour, the Palatine Chapel. It displays the best preserved byzantine mosaics, dedicated to the Old and New Testament, the marble floor with geometrical decorations and the unique and authentic arabic wooden cealing.
Departure 9:30 am from Politeama Hotel
The tour will end at Villa Bonanno
Duration: 4 hours
Call us at +39 091 322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
Monreale is a small village 30 minutes far from Palermo. It stands out 310 metres above the sea level and it’s a magic place where to admire Palermo’s panorama. The jewelries of the village are the Cathedral and the Benedictine Cloister, both built in the 12th century and added by Unesco in The World Heritage List.
Have you ever seen 6400 metres square covered by golden mosaics? This is the reason why you cannot miss it. The mosaics, decorated by bizantine artists, tell the stories of the Bible from Genesis to Jesus’s Crucifixion. It’s also possible to climb up to the roof of the Cathedral if you want to enjoy the view and to discover some details of the complex (optional).
Later you will visit the Benedictine Cloister, where there are 228 pair of columns with all different capitals. A magic place where it is possible to feel the intense spirituality of past centuries.
At the end of the tour you will taste Monreale’s products in an ancient bakery.
Departure 9:30 am from Hotel Politeama
Pick up and back to the Hotel
Duration about 4 hours
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
A walking tour with a local person that in an informal, friendly and authentic way helps you to discover the hidden and real aspects of the city.
The tour starts from the city centre and includes the stop in front of the third most important Opera House of Europe, Massimo Theatre.
You will then walk towards Capo Market, where it is also possible to taste the local street food such as arancina, panelle and crocchè. Palermo is in the fifth position in the world for street food. The market is also a way to take a look of the real and daily life.
Next stop will be two districts near the waterfront of the town, La Loggia and the ancient arab quarter of Kalsa. Both are full of history and charme thanks to the presence of artisans. You will visit one oratory sculpted by the artist Giacomo Serpotta, a testimonial of the local baroque.
Last stop will be Piazza Marina, location of different stories connected to the ancient traditions, witchcraft, spanish Holy Inquisition and to the murder of the famous Italian American police man Joe Petrosino.
Departure 9:30 am from Hotel Politeama
The tour will end in Piazza Marina
Duration: 4 hours
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
Come to visit one of the most beautiful place of Sicily: its sky!
Let you be rocked by the emotion to fly in full safety and harmony with the landscape below. You will be fastened to a two-seater para glider piloted by a skilled professional.
After a short run-up and a smooth taking-off, you will enjoy an exceptional view. Landscapes to such altitudes are unique and may be captured with pictures and movies. All our pilots belong to Aero Club d’Italia and to the first Sicilian association validated by CONI.
You may buy the video of your flight. You’ll get the video by email. Each participant will get his certificate of “Air Baptism”.
Duration of the entire activity: half day
Duration of the flight itself: 20 minutes
Paragliding Spots: the spot will depend from the weather condition and will be communicated by the organizer the day before the scheduled day for the paragliding. The spots and the relative meeting points are the following:
– Paragliding Spot San Vito lo Capo (Trapani), Meeting Point: at the Ice Cream Shop “Cavalluccio Marino”, Via Faro 17, San Vito lo Capo
– Paragliding Spot Piana degli Albanesi (Palermo), Meeting Point: in front of Palermo’s Port.
– Spot di Cefalù e Pollina (Palermo), Meeting Point: at “Lungomare Giuseppe Giardina”, Cefalù.
Pick-up: you may book upon booking the pick-up service from your accommodation/hotel in Trapani and Palermo as an Extra. You will be contacted by the organizer by phone or by mail to arrange everything in time.
It is included from your Hotel or meeting point arranged. You will be contacted by the organizer by phone or mail to arrange it.
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
With the assistance of a skilled guide, you willl learn how to climb a rock wall safely! Your instructor will make you a training to let you enjoy the free climbing in an enchanting background. He will teach you the “secrets” on how to proceed fast and with efficacy.
This experience is suitable to everybody, even children; no matter your athletic preparation.
The following are the spots where you can choose to do the free-climbing:
– Monte Pellegrino (Palermo), a mountain extending along Tirreno sea, having steep sides marked by caves and fractures millennial. Travellers of the past, Goethe first of all, defined this place “ the most beautiful promontory of the world”;
– San Vito lo Capo (Trapani), on the cliffs of the promontory of Capo San Vito, over-looking the Gulf of Marcari on the west side and the wonderful “Zingaro Natural Reserve”, on the east side.
Pick-up: included from your accommodation in Palermo and Trapani. If you prefer to meet the organizer, to go by your own car, you may reach on of the meeting points listed (see “how to reach us” field).
Departure and Eeturn: pick-up at 10.00 am. Return at 3:00 pm.
Duration of the Free Climbing: about 2 hours.
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
Take part in a truly unique experience. You will walk through the historic centre of Palermo with a guide who will offer you an unusual perspective: that of honest citizens who have had the courage to rebel against the Mafia and the intolerable practice of “protection money”.
The guide, who is part of the Addiopizzo movement, will give you food for thought on the mafia phenomenon and on the civil mobilization against the mafia. During the walking tour you will meet a number of retailers that have stood up and said NO to racketeeringby joining the critical consumers campaign “I pay those who do not pay”, promoted by Addiopizzo to support those who want to challenge the system of extortion rackets.
The tour will come to an end at the Antica Focacceria San Francesco, a historic restaurant specializing in typical Palermitan “street food”, whose owners have had the courage to denounce their extortionists.
Thursday and Saturday: from 10:00 to 13:00.
In June, July, August and September the tour will start also on Tuesday only in the afternoon at 6:00pm.
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
Live Palermo as a local driving by the monuments and the iconic locations symbol of the city on a Fiat 500! You will be driving your car trailing the guide’s car that will take you through an ideal path around the historical centre of Palermo.
Being a private tour, you will be in the car with your companions only (maximum 3 people on board including the driver).
You will be able to visit the most important locations of the city. The tour will start in Piazza Politeama, you will head towards Piazza Giovanni Verdi home to the Teatro Massimo, the biggest theatre in Europe. From here you will be directed towards the Villino Florio, an historical building established at the beginning of the XX century. You will the speed by the Cappella Palatina and the Palazzo dei Normanni, better known as the Palazzo reale which is the most ancient royal residence in Europe, home to the kings of Sicily and headquarter of the historical Sicilian Parliament. Finally, you will visit the Zisa before going back to your starting point.
Duration: 4 hours
Available cars: 3
The maximum capability for each car is of 3 adults or 2 adults and 1 child.
It is possible to change the meeting point and the itinerary based on your personal needs. During the tour you will be able to stop and visit the monuments on your itinerary.
Selecting the option “Palermo by Night” you will be able to discover the city from sundown onwards!
Call us at +39 091322777 or send us an email at mail@hotelpoliteama.it
