This summer, 10 Students and two faculty members are traveling to Italy to examine the Etruscan, Greek, Roman, medieval, renaissance and modern footprints on the Italian peninsula and in Sicily. Please enjoy this blog post below from Emily ’28 where she shares how the group traveled from Palermo to Monreale and Marsala, exploring stunning cathedrals, ancient ruins, and island history, while deepening their cultural understanding and enjoying local food and group bonding.
After spending a day and a half in Palermo, we woke up early in the morning to prepare for departure. Arriving at the hotel dining, I sipped my last cup of cappuccino before heading to the bus. It took one hour to drive from Palermo to Monreale, a town and commune located about four miles inland of Palermo.
I was able to capture some beautiful scenery during the bus ride. The landscape seemed like a realistic painting and the ocean was cerulean blue. Eventually we arrived at Monreale and since there was a short distance between the parking lot and the tourist attraction, we climbed up several flights of stairs before we reached the Monreale Cathedral.
The Monreale Cathedral is a national monument of Italy built in the 12th century by king William II, and serves as a great example of Norman Architecture. Upon arriving we were given time to explore the Cathedral. Joshua ‘26, Suditi ‘27, and I discussed the extent of beauty of the Cathedral and the psychology behind the feeling of awe. We brought up a few questions: is this building considered beautiful because that was the way we were taught, and why do we do or do not feel awe when we come across these infrastructures? The interior of the building contained images similar to the Palatine Chapel and the amount of labor and craftsmanship was evident. The Cathedral contained a blend of influences from different cultures.
Before lunch we walked through a cramped tunnel inside the Cathedral and saw a breathtaking view of Monreale from above. Then, we ate sandwiches for lunch and visited the Abbey of Monreale. The interior was formed on a Latin cross. We then hopped back onto the bus and began heading towards Marsala, a commune in the westernmost part of Sicily. After dropping our luggage off at the hotel, we immediately went to the dock in order to tour Mozia, a city located on an island off the west coast of Sicily. It was a ten-minute ferry ride between the shores. In Mozia, we toured the museum where many remaining artifacts were preserved. We learned about the history of the settlement and translated a section of the Aeneid. Eventually we departed the island and returned to Marsala, where we enjoyed a feast for dinner.
I ordered a pizza Capricciosa, which contained toppings such as ham, olives, and mushrooms. It was a great time for group bonding; we once again practiced our Italian as we ordered food and had funny conversations while we waited. I enjoyed my meal with peach iced tea (Tè Pesca) and a lemon sorbet (Sorbetto al Limone) for dessert. After a two-hour long dinner, we returned to the hotel at 9:30 P.M. by a short walk. From there we said good night and headed to rest.
I am very excited for what will come for our trip! Although it is only Day #2, there is still so much to come! I would like to give my thanks to Ms. Delwiche, Dr. Houston, Sophia, Raffaella, Antonio, and everyone who were involved in the creation of this trip. Thank you all so much for making this trip so enjoyable and fun!
