castle
Palazzo dei Normanni (Palatine Chapel)
The oldest royal residence in Europe, housing Palermo's Palatine Chapel with its extraordinary gold-ground Byzantine mosaics.
6 km · about 10 min drive
EuropeItalySicily
Monreale
Sicily, Italy · Europe
About Monreale
Monreale is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Altofonte, 41km from Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve.
Monreale is in Sicily, Italy, with about 22,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Altofonte, about 4 km away.
Monreale Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale di Santa Maria Nuova di Monreale; Duomo di Monreale) is a Catholic church in Monreale, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily. One of the greatest extant examples of Norman architecture, it was begun in 1174 by William II of Sicily and is dedicated to theRead more
Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The church was elevated by a bull of Pope Lucius III to the rank of a metropolitan cathedral in 1182 as the seat of the diocese of Monreale, which was elevated to the Archdiocese of Monreale in 1183. Since 2015 it has been part of the Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The church is a national monument of Italy and one of the most important attractions of Sicily. It is 102 meters (335 feet) long and 40 meters (131 feet) wide.
Where to Stay in Monreale
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Monreale?
Within an hour or so of Monreale: Palazzo dei Normanni (Palatine Chapel) (6 km), Palermo Cathedral (7 km), Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve (41 km), Tonnara di Scopello (41 km).
Are there any good drives near Monreale?
The nearest famous roads are Targa Florio Circuit (Madonie).
Where is Monreale?
Monreale is in Sicily, Italy, about 4 km from Altofonte.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 21,964
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Sicily
- Timezone
- Europe/Rome
- Coordinates
- 38.0812, 13.2895
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Italy
ACI roadside assistance: 803 116. ZTL (limited traffic zones) in city centres are camera-enforced.
Full driving guide for ItalyTags
Worth the detour from Monreale
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
cathedral
Palermo Cathedral
A stylistic kaleidoscope of Arab-Norman, Gothic and Baroque dominating Sicily's vibrant capital.
7 km · about 15 min drive
national park
Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve
Sicily's first nature reserve, a wild coastal path linking pebbly coves of crystal water near San Vito.
41 km · about 45 min drive
photogenic
Tonnara di Scopello
Ancient tuna fishery on a cove guarded by faraglioni sea stacks and crumbling watchtowers, in use from the 13th century until the 1980s. The anchor-strewn terraces above gin-clear water are one of Sicily's most painted and filmed corners.
41 km · about 45 min drive
famous road
Targa Florio Circuit (Madonie)
The public mountain roads near Cerda in Sicily that hosted the world's oldest road race from 1906 to 1977; the old Floriopoli pits still stand and the 72 km Piccolo Circuito remains driveable today.
50 km · about 55 min drive
beach
San Vito Lo Capo
Arc of white sand and shallow turquoise water beneath the bare pyramid of Monte Monaco, at the end of a dead-end road past the Zingaro reserve. Hosts the Cous Cous Fest each September: a legacy of Sicily's Arab kitchen.
50 km · about 55 min drive
museum
Targa Florio Museum
Small museum in the Madonie hill town of Collesano honouring the Targa Florio, the world's oldest road race, run on these mountain roads from 1906. Photos, cars and memorabilia of racing legends.
60 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near Monreale
- 50 kmTarga Florio Circuit (Madonie)The public mountain roads near Cerda in Sicily that hosted the world's oldest road race from 1906 to 1977; the old Floriopoli pits still stand and the 72 km Piccolo Circuito remains driveable today.
- 62 kmEriceA misty medieval hilltop town above Trapani, reached by cable car or hairpin road with sweeping coast views.
Driving in Italy
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€8.50/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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