City of culture
Palermo is the capital of Sicily. The 12th-century Cathedral of Palermo houses royal tombs, while the imposing neoclassical Teatro Massimo is renowned for its opera performances. In the centre of the town are also Palazzo dei Normanni, a royal palace dating back to the 9th century, and the Palatine Chapel, with its Byzantine mosaics. Close to the port is the busy and lively street market ‘Ballarò’.