Palio dei Normanni in Sicily in August is a three day event which commemorates the ousting of the Arabs from Sicilian territory by the invading Normans.
It seems hard to believe that the Normans were busily invading Sicily around the same time as the Norman conquest of England in 1066. This time it was at the expense of the occupiers of the time from Arabia.
Sicily has long been at the centre of wars due to its strategic importance as a Mediterranean island which almost acts as a bridge between mainland Europe and the north African coast. The frequent changes all left their mark on Sicilian culture and helped make it the interesting destination that it is today.
The event takes place in Piazza Armenia in the Enna province, central Sicily. Children particularly love the parade of the medieval knights on horseback, up to the cathedral where they are blessed. For more information on the Palio dei Normanni which is on this year from the 13th to 15th August see paliodeinormanni.it
It is not too late to book a holiday house in Cefalu in northern Sicily for August as we still have some availability in our range of over 50 Sicilian properties. There is plenty of cultural activity to attend when you take a villa holiday in Italy as it has such a rich history.