Things to Do in Monreale

Monreale is a short drive or bus ride up from Palermo — about 15-20 minutes — and exists almost entirely for one building: the Norman cathedral, whose gold mosaics cover more wall space than any other in Italy. Most visitors combine it with Cefalù or Palermo on the same day rather than staying longer, and that's the right call; the cloister next door is worth the extra ticket, but the town itself is small. Go before mid-morning coach groups arrive if you want the nave to yourself.