Palermo and Favignana Essential: palaces, markets, and turquoise waters

Palermo concentrates Sicily's many souls in a single place, the fruit of Arab, Norman and Spanish rule that can be read in its very stones. The cathedral of composite lines, the Norman Palace with its dazzling Palatine Chapel and the Arab-Norman churches bear witness to a past of multicultural splendour. Between the Quattro Canti and Piazza Pretoria, the historic centre pulses with lively markets such as Ballarò and the Vucciria, where street food — arancine, panelle, spleen sandwiches — is an unmissable experience. The Teatro Massimo, among Europe's largest opera houses, and the noble palaces evoke the age of the leopards. Just outside the city, Monreale Cathedral guards golden mosaics of rare beauty, while Mondello offers an elegant beach facing the sea. Vibrant and full of contrasts, Palermo wins visitors over with its intensity and generous table.