Palermo

Distance from Palermo Km. 8 | h. 00:00 | SP

Mondello

Mondello is a tourist destination par excellence for the Palermitans as it is located only a few kilometres from the city. Until the end of the 19th Century it was a noxious and foul-smelling swamp, however, in 1898 the area was reclaimed by Prince Francesco Lanza di Scalea and subsequently leased by the municipality to an Italian-Belgian company which commenced development of the area by creating a lido, a hotel and 300 villas. During this period the Art Deco villas of the Belle Epoque were constructed, some by noted architects such as the Sicilian architect Ernesto Basile. The small fishing village was thus transformed into a rich and elegant resort and its development continued until the end of the 1990's. Today Mondello's rich heritage of historic villas remains intact; some of the villas have been completely restored over the years while others are left semi-abandoned. The lido was completely renovated several years ago and now houses a prestigious sailing club and the Charleston restaurant. For a number of years the beach has been covered in the summer with wooden beach huts which are rented to families and used for various purposes. The beach huts have invaded all of the sandy part of the beach which has been partially eroded over time. From 2008, however, the company which operates the beach is slowly eliminating the unsightly beach huts and transforming the beach by creating small areas with bars, deck chairs and umbrellas which undoubtedly helps to create a more pleasant and livable environment. Mondello is a place which retains an extraordinary fascination, above all out of season when its white beach is infrequently used and the splendid Caribbean colours of the sea can be seen in their full glory. In the village of Mondello, still partially used by the local fishermen, there are numerous restaurants where you can eat excellent fish and seafood, either standing or sitting down. Beyond the town lies the Capo Gallo Nature Reserve which was created in 2001. Upon payment of a small entry fee, you can enter the reserve and swim in one of its small, sandy coves or from the rocks. The reserve is also an ideal place for hiking. You can walk to a fascinating, abandoned lighthouse along the unmade coastal path which runs through the reserve. Sailing regattas are regularly organised at Mondello by the local sailing clubs Circolo della Vela and Circolo Canottieri Roggero di Lauria. Each year in May the Windsurf World Festival takes place at Mondello under the organisation of the Circolo dell'Albaria and the world's best windsurfers come to compete at the event. In Mondello you can rent inflatables, pleasure craft and windsurfers and take classes in scuba diving and surf kiting. All essential services are available in the village: buses, chemist shops, supermarkets, restaurants, self-service cafes, pizzerias, sandwich bars, mini-golf courses, tennis courts and discotheques (only in summer).

Distance from Palermo Km. 11 | h. 00:00 | SP

Monreale

Distance from Palermo Km. 17 | h. 00:00 | A

Bagheria

Distance from Palermo Km. 68 | h. 00:00 | A

Cefalù

The seaside resort of Cefalù is located 70 kilometres east of Palermo in the centre of the north coast of Sicily and is one of the 15 municipalities which form the Madonie National Park. Cefalù is included in the group of The Most Beautiful Towns in Italy, an exclusive selection of small towns noted for their artistic, cultural and historic interest, for the harmony of their urban infrastructure and for the quality of life and facilities available to their inhabitants. The origins of Cefalù date back to pre-history. The Greeks gave it its current name and the subsequent Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Norman occupations left their mark on the medieval historic centre with its narrow streets cobbled with stones from the beach and limestone from the nearby mountain and imposing Fortified Cathedral constructed in the town's main square by Roger II in 1131. The town is adorned with numerous palaces, churches, monastries and chapels, some of the most important examples of which are the Itra, Santa Maria della Catena, Santo Stefano or Chiesa del Purgatorio, Chiesa di S.S. Salvatore, Palazzo Arcivescovile, Osterio Magno, Palazzo Pirajno and the medieval baths. The town also contains an important museum, the Museo Mandralisca, which hosts an archeological collection, a collection of monetary artefacts and an art gallery. Cefalù still retains its picturesque small harbour, located close to the small beach inside the town and complete with traditional wooden fishing boats which are painted by the local fishermen. There are numerous meeting-places and restaurants in the town, however, we suggest that you only go to those that are recommended in the guide books. The sea here is crystal-clear and there are some beautiful beaches in the area such as the Kalura, Mazzaforno and Settefrati.

Distance from Palermo Km. 76 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Scopello

Scopello is a small and picturesque village born towards the end of the eighteenth century around a Baglio, on the site of a pre-existing Arab rural home. The charm starts to entail you from the moment of your arrival at the village of Scopello, when you are obliged to park your car outside the walls of this village, accessible only as pedestrians. On the little village square is an old fountain which was once a drinking trough for animals and in front of which rises a majestic archway to the Baglio itself. Entering through this you have the impression of going back to the past: the little souvenir and local art and crafts shops, the cafe, the restaurant and the bank all maintain their original and evocative architectural styles in harmony with the Baglio that welcomes them. All along the square are a number of grocery stores and cafes, as well as the well-known artisan bakery “Antico Forno” where you can taste the local focacce and the so called “pani cunzatu,” an excellent oven baked and seasoned bread. It is a pleasure to stop and talk to the old people in this village while they are weaving their bulrush baskets under the shade of a tree on a sundrenched afternoon. The few and narrow streets that go down from the little square towards the sea offer evocative views over the Zingaro Nature Reserve. This scenic coastal Reserve extends between Castellamare del Golfo and San Vito lo Capo. Its unspoiled and uncontaminated coast is undoubtely the most beautiful coast in western Sicily. A few metres down from the village going towards the sea is the charming small inlet (“caletta”) enclosed by the prominent Faraglioni. Next to the Faraglioni and protected by some ancient watchtowers is the Scopello’s Tonnara. This tuna fishery has been well-known since time immemorial (it is indeed cited on texts dating back to 1200) and was operational until a few years ago. From the dock opposite the fishery it is possible to access the crystalline waters of this bit of coast and enjoy a pleasant swim. Today the Tonnara is a sort of “museum of the sea” offering a scenario of rare beauty. The three towers bestow an aura of mistery and charm upon the landscape that merges nature and history together. They date back to different historical periods and were part of a larger defensive and communication structure. There are various long pebbled beaches in Scopello boasting fresh and crystalline waters, among which are Guidaloca, Cala Bianca, Cala Rossa and Cala dello Stinco. At around 40 km from Scopello is the vast and beautiful beach of San Vito lo Capo, a white and sandy beach, a favourite local tourist destination rich with facilities (such as cafes, fast foods, ice-cream parlours and restaurant along the sea). The fishing village and the attractive Macari beach are only 4 km away from San Vito lo Capo. This beach is embedded in a large bay formed by different small inlets with sandy beaches and crystalline waters. Scopello is renowned for its exquisite cuisine which – like the Trapani area – has been influenced by the Arab tradition. Among the celebrated local recipes are fish couscous, grilled tuna and fish soups.

Distance from Palermo Km. 112 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Erice

Erice is a small medieval town located on the top of the mountain of the same name some 750 metres above sea level in the Province of Trapani in eastern Sicily. It was founded by exiles from Troy who discovered the perfect location in which to live until the Roman conquest in 244 B.C. and it is likely that the town was named "Venere Ericina" during this period after the mythical Roman goddess. Following the Byzantine occupation the town was occupied by the Arabs and subsquently by the Normans who constructed the Castle on the site of the old sanctuary and created three new entrance gates: Carmine, Spada and Trapani. Numerous palaces and churches were constructed during the Norman conquest providing the town with an atmosphere that is both fascinating and mysterious, a sensation that is heightened when the town is immersed in cloud which happens frequently, even during the summer. Further significant architectural additions were made during the 19th century when reconstruction of the central square took place and several new and important buildings were erected. Since 1963 the Ettore Majorana Scientific and Cultural Centre has been located in the town, an initiative of Professor Antonino Zichini which attracts the most able academics from around the world for the scientific study of problems relating to a range of different fields: from medicine to law, from history to astronomy and from philology to chemistry. For this reason the town is dubbed the "City of Science". Access to the town can be gained via the winding state road or via the cable railway which takes 10 minutes from the valley below to the centre of the town. Erice is an unmissable destination in Sicily: its narrow cobbled streets, its houses clinging to the rocks, its towers, its churches and its castles which will conquer your hearts and minds and inspire you to dream. Erice has remained almost as it was in medieval times with the exception of some excellent restaurants and cake shops which can be found in the centre of the town!

Distance from Palermo Km. 79 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Segesta

The date of its founding is unknown, however historical documents indicate that the city was inhabited in the 4th century B.C.. The Greek historian Tucidides writes of refugees from Troy crossing the Mediterranean and arriving in Sicily to found the cities of Segesta and Erice. The refugees were called the Elymni. According to myth Segesta was founded by Acestes, the city's first king, who was the son of the noble Trojan Egesta and the river god Crimisus. From the time of their foundation, Segesta and Selinunte were at war with each other over their respective boundaries. The first encounter took place in 580 B.C. when Segesta emerged victorious. In 415 B.C. Segesta asked Athens for assistance against the initiative of Selinunte which was supported by Syracuse. The Athenians took as a pretext Segesta's request and set off for Sicily with a large expedition, besieging Syracuse but suffering disastrous defeat. The encounters were concluded in 409 B.C. when Selinunte was besieged and defeated by the Carthaginians, once again at the request of Segesta. In 307 B.C. many inhabitants of Segesta were horrifically murdered or sold into slavery by the tyrant of Syracuse Agatocles for not having supplied the economic assistance that he demanded. After the fierce repression, Agatocles changed the name of the city to Diceopoli or "just city". In 276 B.C. the city was ceded to the armed forces controlled by Pyrrhus and returned to Punic influence after the death of the Epirote. In 260 B.C. during the first Punic War, the city allied itself with the Romans who treated it with great respect as according to tradition they had common ancestors - both peoples were descended from Trojan refugees. The Romans defended the city from an attempt by the Carthaginians to reconquer it. It was subsequently granted the status of a 'free city' with an exemption from paying taxes in contrast to other cities in Sicily (civitas libera ac immunis). In 104 B.C. the slave revolts or so-called 'servile wars' began in Sicily at Segesta guided by Atenione. The revolts were extinguished in blood by the Romans in 99 B.C.. In the 5th century Segesta was destroyed by the Vandals and was never reconstructed on its previous scale.
Nevertheless, a small settlement remained and after the expulsion of the Arabs the Normans constructed a castle there. The castle was enlarged by the Svevi people and became the centre of a medieval town. It then disappeared in all but name until 1574 when the Dominican historian Tommaso Fazello, an expert in the identification of ancient cities in Sicily, discovered its location.
The archeological site contains a magnificent temple noted for the quality of its perfect Doric features. It appears that the temple was never finished as traces of the cells, the roof and grooves on the columns have never been found. Its completion may have been terminated by the onset of war or alternatively it is possible that the temple was used for indigenous rites or that the cells and roof were constructed from wood. Some traces of the cells have recently been found inside the temple together with traces of earlier buildings which point to the fact that the temple was constructed on a site which had a much earlier religious significance. The temple has 6 smooth columns on each of the two shortest sides and 14 columns on each of the two longest sides making a total of 36 columns. The temple was constructed during the last 30 years of the 5th century B.C. on the top of a hill to the west of the city outside the city walls. Its construction and its current condition make it one of the most beautiful temples of antiquity. The theatre, which likely dates from the middle of the third century B.C., is located on a hill opposite the temple at a height of approximately 440 metres. Seating for the spectators is divided into seven sections made from travertino marble. The horizontal division of the theatre made it easy for spectators to move from one section of the theatre to another. The upper section is now semi-derilict and little remains of the stage which, according to experts, would have been decorated with columns and pillars. The theatre could seat up to 3,000 spectators.

Distance from Palermo Km. 110 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

San Vito lo Capo

Distance from Palermo Km. 72 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Madonie National Park

The Madonie mountains contain one of the most noted mountain eco-systems in the Mediterranean basin due to the rich diversity of its flora. The Madonie National Park was created in 1989, covers an area of 40,000 hectares and contains 15 municipalities: Petralia Sottana, Isnello, Polizzi Generosa, Geraci Siculo, Collesano, Cefalù, Gratteri, Castelbuono, Caltavuturo, Scillato, Petralia Soprana, Pollina, Castellana Sicula, Sclafani Bagni and San Mauro Castelverde. The highest point in the Park is Pizzo Carbonara at an altitude of 1,979 metres which is the second highest mountain on the island. The woods at the foot of this mountain are amongst the most varied in the Mediterranean. Up to a height of 1,500 metres you can find beech trees, elm trees, holm oak trees, cork oak trees and even holly trees. Numerous endemic plants have also found an ecological niche here. The small mountain towns and villages, many of which were founded by the Arabs and Normans to defend the hinterland, offer a glimpse of the past which has remained almost intact. Various commercial activities take place in the Park such as sheep farming, the production of excellent cheese, the production of ceramics at Polizzi Generosa and Collesano, stone masonry at Geraci, the production of wooden barrels, staircases and handles and weaving of willow baskets. There are also some small producers of excellent olive oil at San Mauro Castelverde and Scillato and exquisite pastries and liqueurs at Castelbuono where there is also an important winery, Abbazia Santa Anastasia, a former convent surrounded by vine-covered hills. Several trails accessible on horseback or on foot run through the park and enable you to discover its magnificent beauty. Some of the most important sites include the natural amphitheatre of Monte Quacella, Piano Cervi and its copper beach trees, the Santuario della Madonna dell’Alto, Piano Pomo with its enormous holly trees, the Grotta del Vecchiuzzo at Petralia Sottana, the valley of Madonna degli Angeli which runs down from the flanks of Monte San Salvatore and the bucolic Valle di Pomieri. All of the trails are easy to follow and are well signposted, however, you will find a map indicating the location of these trails at each of our properties in the area. If you would like to discover the traditional social and cultural atmosphere of Sicily which has all but disappeared in other parts of the island, we suggest a visit to some of the mountain towns and villages in the Park. In particular we recommend Castelbuono with its imposing Castello di Ventimiglia, Polizzi Generosa perched on the crest of a rock at a height or more than 1,000 metres with a delightful historic centre bursting with churches and monuments, Petralia Sottana founded by the Normans and Petralia Soprana, the highest town in the Madonie mountains, small and medieval in nature, where time seems to stand still, Geraci Siculo with its tortuous, narrow, paved streets and the imposing town of Gangi with the best view of all over the Madonie. The further you penetrate into the heart of the Park, the more glimpses you will catch of the traditional Sicilian rural way of life. In nearly all of the towns and villages in the Park, religious festvals are strictly observed and celebrated. Over the years many of these festivals have been transformed into traditional town festivals and festivals to celebrate local produce. Nowadays it is quite likely that you will encounter one of these festivals at almost any time of the year. However, the Park offers other opportunities. For golf enthusiasts there is a recently-constructed 18 hole golf course at Campofelice di Roccella surrounded by ancient olive and citrus trees. For the entertainment of adults and children alike, there is the new Parco Avventura Madonie located in the middle of a dense wood near to Petralia Soprana with various acrobatic paths in the trees, horse riding, archery, trekking and many other attractions. For lovers of the sea, towards the north-eastern part of the Park facing the Mediterranean Sea, there is the seaside resort of Cefalù and a little further on the town of Finale di Pollina. In this wonderful stretch of coastline there are numeorus bays and inlets with small sandy beaches. The Madonie also have a fine tradition of food and wine based on the numerous specialities of the region such as fagioli a badda from Polizzi, recognized by the Slow Food movement, mountain greens and vegetables and locally produced meats. A number of good restaurants in the area have modified and adapted traditional recipies with excellent results. Noted examples can be found in the towns of Gratteri, Castelbuono, Polizzi Generosa and Castellana Sicula. Please contact us if you would like names, addresses and telephone numbers. There is also no shortage of bars and pastry shops where you can sample some of the typical local biscuits and pastries. A map of the Park is available in the map section of the website.

Distance from Palermo Km. 19 | h. 00:00 | A + SS

Solunto

Solunto is an ancient town near Palermo, founded in the IV century B.C. by the Carthaginians. They maintained their control over the town for more than a century, during which Solunto became a large seaport hub, competing against Palermo and Mozia. Later on, it fell into the hands of Dionysius the Elder, tyrant of Syracuse, and it was probably in this period that it was destroyed. Solunto was later rebuilt and occupied by a group of Greek mercenaries, while during the first Punic War it was handed to the Romans. These two pieces of information are endorsed by the presence of Greek inscriptions and by a dedication in Latin to the wife of Roman Emperor Caracalla.
The excavations started in the nineteenth century had already released part of the city, but they were resumed in 1952 and carried on in subsequent years. A significant section of the urban fabric has thus been brought to light, that allows us to reconstruct the urban structure, fully reorganised around the mid-fourth century B.C. The town occupies the plateau of Mount Catalfano, an area that originally was to be around 18 hectares.
Situated at the entrance of the excavation site, the Antiquarium exhibits materials from two Solunto houses in some display cases: two arete-thymiaterion (incense-burners), ceramics from the IV century B.C. to Roman times; fragments of painted plaster. In addition, three Punic-style stones and a small votive relief with a knight are displayed, as well as a series of Hellenistic and Roman capitals; some late-Hellenistic and Roman statuettes, a few coins from Solunto and other Sicilian hubs. Shortly after crossing a suburban quarter of little interest, one reaches the area with the most luxurious houses and stores, of which one can admire the ruins and some mosaics fragments.
The most important ruins are:
The Gymnasium: right after the side street, in the subsequent block, is the so-called Gymnasium, excavated and restored in the mid-nineteenth century, when the columns of the peristyle were raised with arbitrary additions. Within the house, remnants of rich mosaic floors are still visible, as well as Fourth-style paintings belonging to a restoration carried on in the second half of the I century A.D.
The House of Leda is another fairly well-preserved dwelling, that took its name from the subject of one of its paintings. The house was excavated in 1963. The rooms are richly decorated with mosaics and paintings. In the peristyle are the remnants of a mosaic with black and white wave patterns. In a large hall that looks out to the west of the peristyle (perhaps the triclinium) are stored some Fourth-style paintings of the late first century A.D., replacing the original First-style paintings, of which traces remain. The rich decoration of this house was completed by a number of sculptures: three small draped female statues, two of which in marble and one in limestone, with hands and feet made of marble (exposed in the Antiquarium).
The Sanctuary lies on the returning path to the Agora, at the next intersection with a side road (called "via Salinas"). Here begins the main public area of the town. The road is interrupted by a threshold, which prevented the access of cars in the agora. Right on the left is an important building complex, identifiable with a sanctuary. The left one is characterized by an altar with three stones, typical of Phoenician-Punic cults. An inclined platform, reaching from the altar to a bowl, was probably used to collect the blood of victims. The central area, characterized by a two-step platform extended to the four sides, was certainly intended for worship ceremonies. Nothing can be said of the third room, in ruins. The whole complex shows a number of refurbishments carried out up until imperial times.

From Solunto one enjoys fantastic views over the Tyrrhenian Sea, the promontory of Capo Zafferano and Porticello harbour.

Distance from Palermo Km. 56 | h. 01:00 | SS

Corleone

Corleone is a village in the country region of Palermo. Its fame started when its name was linked to the name of the mafia Family in the American movie saga “The Godfather.” In fact, the Corleone family does not exist. It is a cinematographic fiction. The truth is much more painful, because post-war Sicilian mafia grew on from its association with ascending Mafia bosses from Corleone, who after several mafia wars managed to get the upper hand over other groups, controlling effectively, through friendships and allegiances, the whole of Sicily. A slice of life experienced from the 1950s until today has been described in great detail in the recent book Don Vito, written by the son of Don Vito Ciancimino, a true Corleonese, who was a well-respected citizen and later became Mayor of Palermo. For more than two decades, he also represented an example of the connivance between governmental institutions and the Mafia causing the so-called “sack” of Palermo, which destroyed vast territories of agricultural land within Palermo’s “Golden Basin” (Conca d’Oro). Churches, villas, houses and refined palazzi of great architectural worth were burnt to the ground to provide space for the construction of gigantic reinforced concrete buildings commissioned by and belonging to mafia enterprises. This allowed the Mafia to extend its power over all licit and illicit matters connected with the local economy. During this period, a war with all Sicilian legal institutions was initiated, that in the 1980s and 1990s caused the unprecedented slaughter of all police officers, judges, paramilitary police members (carabinieri), journalists and members of other institutions who attempted to oppose its power. Today, after the arrest of all the first-rate mafia bosses, their close and distant relatives  still live in Corleone, the place that functioned as the bloody brawn and the brain of the Mafia. Even if overwhelmed by reinforced concrete building, Corleone maintains some of the characteristic features of the old silent code of omertà in this island, seemingly silent and lethargic, but still fiery in its heart through a collective will to re-establish its ancient power. Corleone deserves a visit to better understand the origins of the mafia phenomenon. It is possible to explore the places where the mafia bosses and their lieutenants lived, and quite often hid, such as the building where the mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano hid several times. The place now functions as an anti-Mafia laboratory where products coming from the territories confiscated to mafia bosses are on sale. Indeed today, a few dozen businesses exist in territories previously belonging to Mafia mobsters, which function as cooperatives of young people dedicated to production business. From a naturalistic viewpoint, an evoking scenery is offered by the “twin rocks”, one on the east side of the populated area, where the Castello Soprano lies along with ruins of an ancient watchtower; and the other in the centre of the village, the result of a geological limestone block collapse from the mountain face on which a medieval castle was later built (now a Franciscan retreat). At the foot of Castello Soprano you can enjoy a spectacle of nature: the so-called “Waterfall of the two Rocks”, which was formed by a leap of the stream of San Leonardo, an affluent of the Belice river that creates a suggestive and natural little lake surrounded by the ruins of an aqueduct, probably of Arab origins. The stream and its waterfall flow within a truly natural gorge, forming an inner canyon which can be explored on foot during summertime. Other tourist locations in this area are to be found near the groves of Rocca Busambra and Ficuzza, where the Royal Hunting Lodge lies, a sumptuous palazzo built in 1799 by the Bourbon King Ferdinand IV. Another visit-must is to “The Dragon’s Gorges” along the river Frattina.