Today we set out to go to Monreal a famous cathedral 9k inland from Palermo. We took a bus as instructed to catch another one out there only to be told that this one took us to another spot to catch yet another shuttle bus. It took us nearly 2hrs to do the 9k & it was quite warm & humid so patience wore a little thin on both sides. Luckily it was worth the wait, as although the exterior is pretty ordinary if somewhat strange, the interior is again a true stunner. It is covered with golden based mosaic pictures in the Byzantine iconic style of saints. The cathedral was built by Roger II, a Norman king of Sicily in the late 1100s who used Arab craftsmen in its construction. The ceilings are in decorated wood & the pillars are all covered in mosaic patterns. We also visited the museum which housed some wonderful exhibits including a small 15th century painting of the head of Jesus with the Crown of Thorns which d*** really fancied. After a visit to the cloisters & a wander around the small village of Monreal we descended back to the Palermo but couldn't find where to catch the final bus, so we walked to the Central Station to check out how to get to Agrigento tomorrow. We eventually discovered a bus timetable for one route before returning to our hotel for a well earned rest.

Later we walked down to the Teatro al Massimo, which is a typical 19th century opera house. From here we wandered through street markets selling all sorts of goods & after a fair meal went back to our hotel.