• SICILY
& AEOLIANs •

Sicily is the scent of orange blossom with a hot and oriental flavor: A magic made up of sounds, colors and emotions. Almost touching the tip of Italy’s toe, Sicily’s strategic position at the center of the Mediterranean sea has led many invaders from Greeks to Byzantines, Normans and Saracens to fight over it.

The city of Palermo represents the sum of this perfect imperfection that makes Sicily this unique land: a chaos of culture and a strong energy under the southern sun.

Quoting The Financial Times : “Palermo is getting ready to reclaim its birthright as the Sicilian destination Ne Plus Ultra.”

Hosting a vibrant contemporary art scene, there is a growing number of wine and cocktail bars and talented young chefs. The stunning hotel restoration by Rocco Forte of Villa IGIEA reveals one of Sicily’s gems. The dream of the powerful family Florio lives again in the rebirth of their villa by the sea.

Leave Palermo and take yourselves towards the frat volcano Etna, or IDDA – HER– as it is called in the local Sicilian dialect. One of nature’s marvels with its black soil that has given life to precious vineyards that are now a prestige in Italian wine culture.

Even further south towards the extreme tip of Sicily is the Val di Noto and it’s fabled Baroque towns and fishermen. Here you will find the nature Reserve of  Vendicari, one of the most beautiful reserves in the Mediterranean with its beaches that are never crowded. There are many places to explore here like the fishing village of Marzamemi just beyond the southern end of the reserve. If you feel more adventurous you really can’t miss trekking in the Sicilian islands surrounded by the turquoise sea.

The aEolian Islands are the perfect place  to experiment the real Mediterranean diet, high in fruit and vegetables, fish and extra virgin olive oil. More than a quarter of Sicilian farms are organic. The island’s fertile volcanic soil produces many different crops such as citrus fruits, olives, artichokes and almonds. On the island of Salina you can take a break from the world and sleep in a famous winemakers estate surrounded by vineyards at Tasca D’Almerita for a true experience of the tastes of the island.