While visiting the very beautiful Oratorio di Santa Zita (Cita), I heard some wonderful operatic music coming from somewhere. At first, I thought it was someone playing opera at high-volume. I followed the sound down to the salon, located at street level of the Oratorio. There I found a tenor opera singer, accompanied by a pianist, singing his heart out. I entered the salon and took a seat. A few minutes later, a young woman approached me. She told me that the duo was practicing for a concert that night. The music was wonderful, so I told her I would return. It turns out that the program is called Palermo Salotto Musicale, concertIncontri (Concerts and Get-togethers), an organization dedicated to promoting young musicians. That evening's concert, which consisted of a series of famous arias taken from a dozen lyric operas, among them Cavelleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, Tosca and Carmen, was thrilling. The singing of young tenor Alessandro Moccia, accompanied by the talented young pianist Paolo Gurrera, was magical, and the price, a mere €5, was a gift. The autumn series runs eekly through December 15. Not to be missed if you are in Palermo. So nice to see these old spaces come alive again!

Wonderful stucco decorations all over the walls and ceiling: white and gold. Most beautiful as are the other stuccoed oratories

The Baroque era was about movement and this incredible display of virtuosity illustrates the Baroque spirit like nothing else I have seen in Palermo. It is, as another person here wrote, like a giant wedding cake.

Instead of flat figures in mosaic, here you have sculptural depictions of the life of Mary and Jesus ALONG with secular stories, like the battle scene.

Although one person here wrote that it is a rip off - it most definitely is not. The churches here function much like museums (when not used for religious purposes). Another person wondered if it was open saying she arrived at 4:30 pm. If you read your guide book, you will see it is open until 1 pm and then closes.

You can't say you've see Palermo until you see this work of art! It is one of the most famous in the city.

Contrast a viewing of the Capella Paletina, the Cattedrale or one of the larger churches with a visit to this superb church which is hidden away in a side street less than 100 metres from Via Roma. Instead of gold leaf and mosaics you will find a profusion of white stucco comprising hundreds of sculptures fashioned by Giacomo Serpotta. Unlike most stucco decoration, Serpotta mixed his base material with marble dust and the figures he created have the sheen and feel of marble itself. As well as innumerable puti there is a series of biblical scenes that are rendered in the most exquisite detail. Flanking both main walls are wooden benches with impressive inlays fashioned from mother-of-pearl.