Hotels near La Martorana & San Cataldo

On Piazza Bellini stand two of Palermo's finest medieval churches side by side. La Martorana, founded in 1143, dazzles with 12th-century Byzantine gold mosaics, including a famous image of King Roger II being crowned by Christ. Its interior is one of the most beautiful in the city.

Right beside it sits the little Church of San Cataldo, its three red bulbous domes an unmistakable emblem of Arab-Norman Palermo. Bare and austere inside, it is the perfect foil to La Martorana's glittering mosaics, and the pair make a compact, rewarding stop.

Pro Tip: Entry to each is a couple of euros. La Martorana closes midday and during Sunday services, so aim for late morning, and look up at the mosaics near the entrance for the royal coronation scene.