Palermo, the capital of Sicily, was founded in 734 BC by Phoenicians, It is a beautiful city by the sea. Notable sites in the city include the 12th century Palermo Cathedral and the Norman Palace with its Palatine Chapel. We also visited Monreale Cathedral founded in 1172 by Normans in the hills overlooking the city. We visited the wine estate of Rapitala to the west of the city to sample wines based on blends of French and indigenous grape varieties. We stayed two nights in the beautiful hotel Villa Igiea.