#1 HIRE A PRIVATE GUIDE - As you know, when on holiday, every minute counts. Palermo's history is ancient, intriguing and inspiring, having an expert guide giving you insights makes for a rewarding experience. You can tailor your experience to what you want to see.

#2 TAKE A STREET FOOD TOUR - Palermo's cuisine is a world on its own, and it's best to do it with a professional. Try Streaty.com.

#3 BOTANICAL GARDENS - Extending for 10 hectares, the Botanical Garden of the University of Palermo is a huge open-air museum, it boasts over two hundred years of activity and houses a vast variety of plants.

#4 MONREALE'S CATHEDRAL - Just hop on the local bus for the 30-minute journey. The Cathedral of Monreale is a thirteenth-century church, apparently a church like any other. Once you enter, you will discover a wonder before your eyes.

#5 CAPUCHIN CATACOMBS - Skeletons and embalmed bodies. Absolutely unsuitable for an impressionable audience, the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo are one of the most disturbing places you can visit in your life.

#6 PUPPET MUSEUM ANTONIO PASQUALINO - It houses a splendid collection of 3,500 pieces from all over the world: puppets, shadows, props and posters are expertly displayed on the three floors of the former Hotel de France. Notable is the collection of puppets of the Sicilian and Neapolitan schools and the signature puppets made by artists such as Kantor, Baj and Guttuso. The museum represents one of the best museums of theatrical activity.

#7 MONDELLO'S BEACH - This strip of light sand, between Monte Pellegrino and Monte Gallo, lapped by turquoise waters and dotted with Art Nouveau villas provides a much needed restore from sightseeing.

To help you plan your holidays in Sicily, we have put together sample itineraries to inspire you to discover the most beautiful places to combine with Palermo.

And as always, we will also give you our best tips and tricks so you can make the most of what your trip offers. Also, you will also find the best choice accommodations in each location.

Here are our recommended itineraries for a 7 or 14-night holiday in Sicily!

A botanical paradise, with holly woods and superb corners where the gaze is lost among hills, rivers and peaks that reach up to 2000 meters. The Madonie Regional Natural Park, a mountain massif halfway between Catania and Palermo, is the ideal destination for spring and summer breaks.

On the Madonie, you can hike on the most well-equipped paths, birdwatching, horseback riding or mountain biking, visit caves and natural cavities, geological sites with fossils, and excursions along the waterways.

Besides enclosing dozens of hill-top villages with baroque churches and small museums, the Madonie Park is also a treasure trove of ancient and unforgettable flavors: sheep's milk ricotta, tastier in spring for the richness of the pastures, vegetable appetizers from organic gardens, pork, salami and sausages, cheese desserts.

Just over an hour from Palermo, Madonie Park is an excellent addition to a city break in Palermo.