degiulio

We are wondering how long the bus ride from Piazza Indipendenza up to the Cathedral at Monreale would take? We are planning to do this on a Saturday afternoon in mid September. Can we expect the bus ride to take 20 minutes, 30, 60? Just looking for an approximation given that it's a Saturday afternoon. We have read various accounts of how long this trip can take and would like a better idea as we may be pressed for time.
Also, how much time to tour the Cathedral? We want to do it justice and not rush through.
Thanks.

Marija

I believe it took us about 30 minutes but, of course it depends on the traffic. The cathedral and cloister are not very large so you can "see" everything quickly. How much time you want to spend admiring the mosaics is up to you. <b>BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS ON THE BUS!!</b>

For more info see:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-november.cfm

kja

My recollection is that the bus took between 20 and 30 minutes. And as I recall, I spent several hours there - but I found it to be one of the most beautiful places I've seen, and I took time to savor it. I imagine one can see it in an hour or even a half hour if that's your preference. Enjoy!

Leely2

We probably spent a bit over three hours total including the bus to and from. Got the audioguides and listened to the whole thing. Not sure if it will make a difference, but we went on a weekday afternoon in March.

Have a great trip--Sicily is stunning!

degiulio

Thank you all. We are very much looking forward to Sicily and especially the Cathedral in Monreale.

mamcalice

Monreale is, indeed, worth a long visit. It was my favorite stop on our Sicily trip. It is a short bus ride (20 - 30 minutes). We probably spent 3 hours at the cathedral and then had a very good lunch nearby. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the restaurant.