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Mondello is classic seaside resort with beautiful beaches within a short bus ride from Palermo. The resort offers wonderful opportunities for those who like to spend their holidays in various activities and for those who prefer to take time off from sightseeing and sport and relax by the turquoise sea laying on the beach or just wander around small shops with crafts and enjoy food and drinks.

Mondello has a serene holiday atmosphere with its private villas, palm trees, and stunning vistas on surrounding cliffs. The Mondello beach is long and nicely curved, made of soft golden sand and stretch for 1.2 miles (2 km). It slopes gently into the sea which makes the beach very convenient for families with kids. Pedlars on the beach with food, drinks and suviniear as well as picturesque cafes and bars lined up along the beach complete the picture.

For those who love cities, Palermo, the capital of Sicily, offers museums, historic buildings and churches and whatever else you can find enjoyable in a city (which also has an opera house, Teatro Massimo, and Politeama theatre).

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Palermo hosts an international airport (PMO), Falcone-Borsellino Airport located at Punta Raisi, 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Palermo. The airport is one of the busiest in Italy; there are flights from most of European countries including such cities as Cologne/Bonn, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Zürich, Brussels, London, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Madrid, Malta, Tunis, Moscow. Most Italian cities have flights to Palermo as well: Milan, Venice, Bologna, Rome, Verona, Naples, Turin, Genoa, Cagliari, Pisa. The airport can be reached by bus or by train (Palermo has the railway station, Palermo Centrale)

If you prefer train, Palermo is connected to all the major destinations in Sicily, such as Taormina, Catania and Siracusa. There are direct trains from Rome via Naples, the trip lasts about 12 hours and costs $95 economy and $131 comfort. For schedule and details please visit Rail Europe web site.

There is also a possibility to travel to Palermo by sea; it can be especially convenient if you travel with the car and do not want to drive. Ferry services to Palermo available from Genoa, Rome (Civitavecchia), Livorno and Napels. The duration of the trip is 20.5 hours, 13 hours, 19 hours and 10 hours respectively. Ticket prices depend on a number of factors including the type of accommodation (chair, type of cabin) and if you have a car or not. As an example, From Genoa to Palermo the basic tariffs (2011) are €83 for chair and €171 - €197 for a cabin. If you have a car it will cost you more about €30. Basic tariffs from Napels to Palermo are €40 for chair and €78 - €103 for a cabin. For details and schedule visit the web site of Grandi Navi Veloci.

Once in Palermo, the easiest way to come to Mondello is by bus - it takes about half an hour to get there. The standard AMAT city bus tickets (including discounted day tickets) are valid for Mondello. Renting a car may make sense only if you plan to drive around the whole Sicily. If you destination is only Palermo - Mondello, using taxi can be more convenient if you prefer cars as means of transportation.

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As with most Italian seaside resorts, your best bet is July and August. If you prefer less people, September is still an excellent option. No matter what month you come, keep in mind that Mondello can be very busy during weekends.

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There are two ways to approach to your accommodations while visiting Mondello. On the them is to stay in Palermo and then come to Mondello. This is certainly doable since the resort is very close to the city. However, if you really want to enjoy the atmosphere of the resort and everything it can offer, you should find an accommodation in Mondello. One of the good place to stay there is Mondello Palace Hotel (Viale Principe Di Scalea, 90151 Palermo), prices per night start from $140. Hotel is located in a quiet place with extensive grounds, lush garden and swimming pool. It also has its own, private beach very close to the hotel. Most of the rooms have sea views.

Another popular option is one of B&Bs:
- Il Glicine - sul Golfo, a cozy bed and breakfast just a few steps from the beautiful beach (Via Saffo - 90151 Mondello, Palermo). From $120. - Il Mio Giardino (Via Mondello 3 - 90151 Mondello, Palermo), another cozy place with friendly atmosphere. From $140.

Finally, consider renting a villa, especially if you travel with your family. A nice 3 bedroom villa in Mondello with capacity up to eight or ten guests can cost you around €3200 at pick season (July - August). Research and book hotels in or near Mondello, Italy

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If you like active holidays, Mondello is a nice place for different kinds of sports including windsurfing, jet-skiing or boats/pedal-boats (equipment is available for rent). Seashore near Mondello is a good place for jogging. Mountings on both sides of Mondello are good for short hikes; in particular, Monte Pellegrino (almost 2000 feet or 600 meter high) offers from its top a wonderful panorama of Palermo, of other mountains and the sea. On the other hand, if all you want is to make few splashes in a turquoise waters of Mondello bay to cool down, and sip some cold drinks in-between or spend some time thoughtlessly in a beach club, restaurant on a pier with beautiful vistas, you can have all this as well.

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Palermo is among the top tourist destinations in the region for visitors from Italy and Europe. Because of this, Mondello, as one of Sicilian capital's suburbs with fantastic beaches, can be quite crowded. The resort can be especially busy during weekends with crowds of Palermitani invading Mondello.

While in Mondello and if you like to walk, visit Real Tenuta della Favorita, a large park created in 1799 by Ferdinand III of Bourbon, when the Neapolitan revolution, driven by the Napoleon troops, drove him out of Naples. This Palermo park (accessed from Piazza Leoni) stretches from the foot of Mount Pellegrino to the Palermo district of Pallavicino. Two long alleys, named Hercules and Diana, go through the park. Today, Tenuta della Favorita is very popular, because it links the city with the famous seaside resort of Mondello. Ferdinand also build a small palace in oriental style called Chinese Mansion. The adjacent building, in the same style, now houses the Museum of Ethnography G. Pitrè. The park is also a home to Villa Niscemi full of antique furniture and works of art. The Parco della Favorita is a part of the Regional Natural Reserve "Monte Pellegrino", covering 1020 hectares established in 1996 as a regional nature reserve.

You can combine your stay in Mondello with exploring Palermo. If you travel in July, remember that July 15 there is a major social and religious event in Palermo called the Festino, the celebration of Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo who saved the city from a terrible plague in 1600

Since 1985, Mondello is the home to the World Windsurfing Festival, renamed in 2001 World Festival on the Beach, an annual event that brings together various sport activities (windsurfing, sailing, kite, beach volleyball), various musical performances, expositions. The festival usually takes place in the second half of May. For details, visit the official Web site of the festival.

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Tags: Bay (3); Beaches and sun (11); Festino; Food and drink (7); Golfo; Il Glicine; Il Mio Giardino; Italy (9); Landscape (17); Mondello; Mondello Palace Hotel; Monte Capo Gallo; Monte Pellegrino; Mountain (16); Palermo (2); Real Tenuta della Favorita; Resort (7); Santa Rosalia; Sicily (3); Southern Italy (2); Villa Niscemi

Web Sites:   Grandi Navi Veloci – Traghetti per Sardegna, Sicilia, Spagna, Malta, Tunisia, Marocco
  Palermo turismo - Provincia Regionale di Palermo
  Travel By Train In Europe: Eurorail, Eurail Pass & Train Tickets - Rail Europe | (mentioned 2 times on Naviquan)
  World Festival on the Beach

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