Points of Interest POI

Famous as The Monsters Villa is an eighteenth century building located in Bagheria, it was built starting from 1715 on behalf of Ferdinando Francesco I Gravina Cruyllas, prince of Palagonia, by architect Tommaso Maria Napoli. The legend tells of the evil influence of the monstrous stone “guardians” on men (able to cause abortions or monstrous parts to pregnant women) and the very high cost of the whole architectural project, combined with the thousand notorious oddities even inside the walls, all... Continue Reading

Solunto, one of the three Punic cities of Sicily with Mozia and Palermo, occupies a beautiful position on a slope of the promontory formed by Monte Catalfano which overlooks the sea with Capo Zafferano. Founded by the Carthaginians in the 4th century BC, perhaps on the remains (or nearby) of an older Phoenician city, after about a century it passed under Roman rule. The Archaeological Site can be visited from Tuesday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and... Continue Reading

It is a small village near the villa. The inhabited center largely located on a promontory directly overlooking the sea was founded around the seventeenth century, originally born as a fishing village in the employ of an ancient tuna fishery. The bay, a tourist attraction of remarkable beauty, is located within the Gulf of Capo Zafferano, from which it is possible to enjoy a spectacular view and a crystal clear sea with iridescent colors from intense blue to emerald green.... Continue Reading

Porticello is the largest village in the municipality of Santa Flavia. Today it is one of the most important fish markets in Sicily. It looks like a picturesque seaside village with brightly colored houses and stalls full of seafood. Its sea with clear and transparent waters is an invitation for lovers of boat trips and divers who will find themselves in front of a superb show.

The Guttuso museum, located in the villa Cattolica, is in Bagheria. Built on three floors, it was inaugurated in 1973 and hosts the Renato Guttuso works donated by the master to his hometown. In addition to the artwors of Guttuso, representing over forty years of activity, it also hosts works by 20th-century artists such as Cagli, Mario Schifano, Mario Bardi, Onofrio Tomaselli, Silvestre Cuffaro, Domenico Quattrociocchi, Pina Calí, Vincenzo Gennaro and Giuseppe Pellitteri, Mimmo Pintacuda, Giuseppe Tornatore. Over the years... Continue Reading

The park of Monte Catalfano is a real haven of peace of about 300 hectares where you can spend a few hours relaxing, taking long walks. It extends for about 1.5 km with steep sheer cliffs, even a hundred meters high. In the park there are numerous paths that cross the Mediterranean scrub and reforested areas and constitute scenic routes with natural caves that are home to different species of birds of prey.

The anchovy museum tells the story of this small legendary fish today. Designed and built by the Balistreri brothers to defend the ancient art of fishing and salting anchovies. The first part of the museum tells the life of the ancient Sicilian companies for the processing of the catch through the ancient lithographic stones and the historic tin boxes, the tools for fishing and for the conservation of the fish. The second part of the museum is dedicated to the... Continue Reading

Built in 1880, the lighthouse of Capo Zafferano was a military garrison during the last two world wars; for this reason it was equipped with a series of buildings and a lookout tower. One hundred years after its construction, with the transfer of its last guardian, the lighthouse was abandoned, now functioning only as a signal with batteries and a twilight ignition system. Today the lighthouse has become a destination for relaxing walks to see the beautiful view of the... Continue Reading

Aspra, a small fishing village, is famous for its waterfront, where the fish market comes to life every morning, and for its production of ice creams, made according to an ancient tradition. Not to be missed are the spectacular frescoes painted by Renato Guttuso in the main church of the town. A very famous attraction is the procession of the sea of ​​the Addolorata Maria SS. The party takes place on September 15th and the festivities last for five days... Continue Reading

Where the sea meets the sky A few steps from our Villa, rises the Blue Arch. A bridge of natural rock that is, certainly, one of the most beautiful views of the Sicilian coast due to its particular location and conformation that seems to delimit the azure blue of the sea from the cerulean sky. Its fame has also reached TV: with the romantic name of “Arch of Kisses” it made his way in an advertisement for Baci Perugina that... Continue Reading