Monreale Cathedral
A forty-minute by bus ride from Palermo takes you to the Cathedral of Monreale. This cathedral was constructed during the reign of William II of Normandy, between 1172 and 1190, and is a living example of the fusion of cultures and religions that existed in Sicily during that period. It boasts a syncretic style as it was built by combining Norman architecture with aspects of Moorish art. It consists of a main nave with two wings and an apse. The most surprising features are the interior walls, as they are covered with more than 6,000 m2 of Byzantine gold mosaics inspired by those in the Palatine Chapel in Palermo. The mosaics recount episodes from the Bible, from the creation to the passion of Christ in chronological order from left to right. An impressive Christ Pantocrator crowns the apse leaving visitors speechless.
Adjacent to the cathedral can be found the cloister and its 228 columns, each one supporting a different ornament, along with a number of Arab-inspired arches.
You can travel to Monreale by bus (number 389), which passes by the Piazza Independencia in Palermo. It costs nothing to get into the cathedral but you can hire an audio-guide for 5 euros. Entry to the cloister costs 6 euros.
Image:Urban
By Isabel Romano from Diario de a bordo
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National Art Museum
The largest art museum in Rumania was set up in 1948 and includes both Rumanian and European art from the 15th to the 20th centuries. The museum houses the most complete collection of Rumanian art in the country and possibly in the world.
Located in the old Neo-classical Royal Palace surrounded by a large number of historic buildings, such as the Romanian Athenaeum, Kretzulescu Church and the Hotel Hilton Athenee Palace, the museum currently exhibits more than 100,000 pieces divided between two main sections. Its National Gallery houses the works of great Rumanian artists, including Grigorescu, Aman and Andreescu. There is also a hall full of the early sculptures by Brancusi (hard to find anywhere else) that show how he surpassed his master, Rodin, towards a more advanced form of expression. The European Gallery Space, which consists of 15 rooms, houses the jewels of lesser-known art by such great artists as El Greco, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir, Breughels (father and son), Cezanne and Rubens.
Picture by Sailko
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The Caves of Hercules
The beauty of the place, their archaeological and mythological value make the caves of Hercules an unusual place to visit in Tangier. The mythological comes as it is here where it is said Hercules rested after performing one of his 12 labors, after separating Europe and Africa , and waiting to perform the next task assigned – pick the golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides .
You get there by a small road , 5 miles from Cape Spartel and 20 minutes from the city of Tangier . Although part of the cave has an artificial origin – rocks for making mill were extracted from here-, its origin is mainly due to the action of strong waves , which has shaped these caves in curious ways. For example , if you see the cave opening to the Atlantic, you will see drawn silhouette of African continenente flipped. Inside the cave , a handful of vendors and artisans offer their ceramic products , souvenirs and postcards with the image of this famous opening .
Picture: imad khleeh
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Venice, 120 islands and 177 bridges
From Iñaki Makazaga by Piedra de Toque
We walked Venice at MyVuelingCity with Isabel Sanchez to discover different places in which to recover the attractiveness of European capitals. This time she guides us through the 120 islands of Venice city connected by 177 canals, within the gulf of the same name, on the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea. “The city is sinking two millimeters a year: you have to hurry to meet with all its beauty”
Venice has always been the city of artists, entrepreneurs, traders and restless travelers, like the famous Marco Polo, who helped open the doors of the fabulous Eastern civilization to European people. And it was this talent concentration that produced the splendid flowering of Venice’s architecture, especially between the centuries 11th and 17th, when the most notable buildings, still in good condition, were built.
From Iñaki Makazaga by Piedra de Toque
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