Emporio seafaring Phoenician and later Roman Empire, it was conquered by the Arabs in 827 and enjoyed a period of great splendor which I am witness to the Old Town, which keeps unchanged the original setting with its Islamic “Kasbah”, made up of narrow streets, narrow alleyways and picturesque courtyards and Arab-Norman church of San Nicolò Regale situated on the shores of the port channel on the river Mazaro. Site of the first Parliament of Europe and the Bishopric of the most ancient of Sicily, the city, which now has more than 55 thousand inhabitants, rich in numerous churches including the Cathedral Basilica with its beautiful frescoes Gaginis, San Michele, Sant ‘Ignatius, St. Francis, St. Venerable Lady and the Norman High.