Living Like a Sicilian Noble
Photo courtesy of the Thinking Traveler.
Sicily has developed a new luster for sophisticated travelers over the last few summers. The cultural and style influencers, who had gravitated toward such idyllic Italian destinations as Puglia and the Aeolian Islands, now declare the island as one of the country’s best-kept secrets. With Palermo named Italy’s capital of culture for 2018, the city, along with the entire island, is readying for an influx of visitors who will come to take in Sicily’s vast artistic riches.
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There are few better ways to experience an authentic, if rarified, Sicily than with a stay at one of its extraordinary historic properties, many still owned and lived in by the aristocrats whose families have called them home for centuries. Some titled families are opening properties for the first time, broadening their rental portfolios or refurbishing and expanding apartments within their sprawling palaces. Rentals, which can range from a palace pied-à-terre to a palatial countryside estate, run from the exceptionally affordable to the five-figure weekly fees one would associate with summer in the Hamptons or the South of France.
For first-time visitors, Prince Ruggero Moncada, owner of the Palazzo Biscari in Catania, advises thinking of Sicily as more than “a simple island.” He says, “We like to define it as an isolated continent, formed by dozens of tiny nations with colors, flavors and very different characters.”
Here are seven properties with long aristocratic heritages to consider when visiting Sicily.
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PALAZZO ALLIATA DI PIETRATAGLIATA
The 15th-century Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata is one of the most significant structures in Palermo today, blending seven centuries of architectural styles that are magnificent visual reminders of Sicily’s complex history. “Each generation made its own contribution,” says Princess Signoretta Alliata di Pietratagliata, whose family has owned the palace for hundreds of years. Her marriage to Biagio Licata, prince of Baucina, was an important moment in the palazzo’s history, a dynastic watershed making the couple the 26th generation of the two clans to live there. (The Baucina princes originally built the palace.)
In the palazzo, the Chandelier Apartment is available for rent. It was recently renovated with a modern style, although antiques are dispersed throughout. In addition, the family offers other properties to guests: a seaside retreat, Villa Il Moro, not far from Palermo; and an early 19th-century farm in Collesano, Fattoria Mongerrate, that was part of a fiefdom owned by the prince’s family.
“It is a very beautiful and off-the-beaten-path version of Sicily,” the princess says of the area surrounding the farmhouse. Their properties offer an opportunity to enjoy a posh Sicilian city and country lifestyle.
Starting rate: The Chandelier Apartment in Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata, approximately $300 per night, minimum stay of three nights. Villa Il Moro: $4,130 to $7,100 per week, minimum stay of seven nights. Apartments at the Fattoria Mongerrate: $95 per night, minimum stay of three nights.
Contact: palazzoalliata14@gmail.com, 39.347.526.4276, palazzoalliata.it
This palazzo, along with a number of the other palaces and villas in this feature, is a member of ADSI, the Italian Historical Residences Association. adsi.it
PALAZZO LANZA TOMASI
The Leopard is one of the best-selling novels in Italian history—and the basis of the iconic Luchino Visconti film starring Burt Lancaster. Its author, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, was the last Italian prince of Lampedusa, and his Palazzo Lanza Tomasi, located in Palermo’s Kalsa, or Arab district, is a must-see attraction. Although the 18th-century seaside palazzo’s piano nobile (main floor) is devoted to the writer’s memorabilia, including the book’s original manuscript, his heir, Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi, and Gioacchino’s wife, Nicoletta—the Duke and Duchess of Palma—still live on the property. There are also 12 apartments with contemporary furnishings for rent that are often used by, but not limited to, students of the duchess’ popular cooking school.
The food of Sicily, like its art and literature, is kaleidoscopic in scope, and learning about it can provide a memorable, and delicious, history lesson. “Sicilian cuisine reflects millenary influences, due to the foreign presences that forged our incredibly rich culinary culture,” says the duchess. “My classes aren’t only about food.” She takes students to experience some of Palermo’s most vibrant, in-use landmarks—the fruit, fish and vegetable markets—before overseeing the preparation of a four-course meal, which is then served in the palazzo’s dining room.
Starting rate: Superior apartments start at approximately $190 per night. A one-day cooking class is around $190 per person, or $177 for palace guests.
Contact: info@cookingwiththeduchess.com, butera28.it
PALAZZO CONTE FEDERICO
“Our house tells the story of Palermo with 2,000 years of history,” says Alwine Federico, who lives in Palazzo Conte Federico with her husband, Alessandro, the property’s namesake count. His family descends from Frederik II, the 13th century Holy Roman Emperor.
“The palazzo is constructed on top of a Punic-era city wall, has a 12th century Arab-Norman tower and many Baroque salons,” she says. Despite the palace’s very long past, the Federicos have been the only family to live in it.
At present, there is one guest apartment to rent, Il Medioevo, with seven other flats undergoing renovation and due for completion in March 2018. Some of the palazzo’s main rooms can be rented for gala evenings and dinner parties.
Starting rate: Approximately $425 per night for Il Medioevo, minimum stay of two nights.
Contact: contefederico@contefederico.com, 39.091.651.1881, contefederico.com
VILLA TASCA
While on holiday, Sicilian nobles took their concept of grand-style living to the country and seaside, and the splendid Villa Tasca, about six miles from Palermo, is a prime example of this taste for rural luxe. While the villa was home to a number of families, the Tascas, counts of Almerita, came to own it in the 19th century.
One of the largest palazzi in the Palermo area, where everyone from Giuseppe Verdi to Jacqueline Kennedy came to visit, it offers enormous reception rooms and lavish bedrooms with intricate stucco work and frescoes. Terraces with majolica tiles overlook the 20-acre park and enormous swimming pool set in the Mediterranean garden.
Starting rate: $20,550 to $27,588 per week.
Contact: info@villatasca.com, 39.091.6574305; Huw Beaugié, huw@thethinkingtraveller.com, 44.020.7377.8518, thethinkingtraveller.com
VILLA VALGUARNERA
For Baroque sumptuousness it’s hard to surpass the 18th century Villa Valguarnera in Bagheria, a seaside town 13 miles from Palermo. Over the centuries the enormous villa has hosted a who’s who of prominent personalities, such as the writer Stendhal, General George Patton and filmmaker Luchino Visconti—and in more recent times, fashion and entertainment luminaries like Dolce & Gabbana, who shot a perfume commercial here with Sophia Loren.
Today the villa is owned by Princess Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca, a noted Middle East expert and author whose family holds 54 honorific titles. The villa’s glorious piano nobile, which can be rented on a weekly basis, includes a ballroom, frescoed reception rooms and three bedrooms. Many rooms offer dramatic views of the sea and 52-acre garden.
Starting rate: Approximately $14,100 per week
PALAZZO BISCARI
Goethe came here in the 18th century; Coldplay arrived a few hundred years later, to film the video for “Violet Hill.” No matter the era or artist, the block-long Palazzo Biscari in Catania never fails to impress—this 700-room palace is a prime example of Sicilian rococo.
Despite the palazzo’s size and grandeur, Prince Ruggero Moncada, who lives there, says that he doesn’t think of it as a museum “but as a house that is one with the family who built it and continues to inhabit it.” He describes the palace’s rental apartment as “comfortable, not luxurious. We will never be a five-star hotel. For us, the human relationship is the most important thing and to make our guests happy.” The apartment, which can house up to four people, has a terrace, balcony and courtyard.
Starting rate: Around $60 to $120 per night, depending on the number of guests.
Contact: Nicoletta Moncada Paternò Castello, info@palazzobiscari.com, 39.095.715.2508, palazzobiscari.com
PALAZZO CASTRO GRIMALDI
Recently opened to guests, the Palazzo Castro Grimaldi, perched on a hill overlooking the city of Modica in southern Sicily, is noted for its exquisite period interiors, little changed since the late 19th century. According to Francesco and Raffaele Emmolo Tommasi Rosso, owners of the palace and descendants of the titled Castro and Grimaldi families who gave the 17th century palace its, the rooms have an aristocratic tone, but the size remains that of a dwelling or a lived-in apartment.
And if you’re wondering if there’s a connection with the Monaco Grimaldis—yes, there is. Last October, Prince Albert of Monaco visited Modica, taking the residences where his distant relatives lived. The ground floor for rent features three exquisite reception rooms, two bedrooms and a dining room. During their stay, guests can also hire a monsù, the name given by Sicilian aristocrats to their chefs. (The term comes from the French word monsieur, as cooks often studied French cuisine.) The monsù specializes in dishes that reflect the culinary traditions of Sicily’s noble families.
Starting rate: Approximately $940 per night; $5,300 per week
Contact: info@palazzocastrogrimaldi.com, 39.331.867.0292, palazzocastrogrimaldi.com
PALAZZO ALLIATA DI PIETRATAGLIATA
The 15th-century Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata is one of the most significant structures in Palermo today, blending seven centuries of architectural styles that are magnificent visual reminders of Sicily’s complex history. “Each generation made its own contribution,” says Princess Signoretta Alliata di Pietratagliata, whose family has owned the palace for hundreds of years. Her marriage to Biagio Licata, prince of Baucina, was an important moment in the palazzo’s history, a dynastic watershed making the couple the 26th generation of the two clans to live there. (The Baucina princes originally built the palace.)
In the palazzo, the Chandelier Apartment is available for rent. It was recently renovated with a modern style, although antiques are dispersed throughout. In addition, the family offers other properties to guests: a seaside retreat, Villa Il Moro, not far from Palermo; and an early 19th-century farm in Collesano, Fattoria Mongerrate, that was part of a fiefdom owned by the prince’s family.
“It is a very beautiful and off-the-beaten-path version of Sicily,” the princess says of the area surrounding the farmhouse. Their properties offer an opportunity to enjoy a posh Sicilian city and country lifestyle.
Starting rate: The Chandelier Apartment in Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata, approximately $300 per night, minimum stay of three nights. Villa Il Moro: $4,130 to $7,100 per week, minimum stay of seven nights. Apartments at the Fattoria Mongerrate: $95 per night, minimum stay of three nights.
Contact: palazzoalliata14@gmail.com, 39.347.526.4276, palazzoalliata.it
This palazzo, along with a number of the other palaces and villas in this feature, is a member of ADSI, the Italian Historical Residences Association. adsi.it
PALAZZO LANZA TOMASI
The Leopard is one of the best-selling novels in Italian history—and the basis of the iconic Luchino Visconti film starring Burt Lancaster. Its author, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, was the last Italian prince of Lampedusa, and his Palazzo Lanza Tomasi, located in Palermo’s Kalsa, or Arab district, is a must-see attraction. Although the 18th-century seaside palazzo’s piano nobile (main floor) is devoted to the writer’s memorabilia, including the book’s original manuscript, his heir, Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi, and Gioacchino’s wife, Nicoletta—the Duke and Duchess of Palma—still live on the property. There are also 12 apartments with contemporary furnishings for rent that are often used by, but not limited to, students of the duchess’ popular cooking school.
The food of Sicily, like its art and literature, is kaleidoscopic in scope, and learning about it can provide a memorable, and delicious, history lesson. “Sicilian cuisine reflects millenary influences, due to the foreign presences that forged our incredibly rich culinary culture,” says the duchess. “My classes aren’t only about food.” She takes students to experience some of Palermo’s most vibrant, in-use landmarks—the fruit, fish and vegetable markets—before overseeing the preparation of a four-course meal, which is then served in the palazzo’s dining room.
Starting rate: Superior apartments start at approximately $190 per night. A one-day cooking class is around $190 per person, or $177 for palace guests.
Contact: info@cookingwiththeduchess.com, butera28.it
PALAZZO CONTE FEDERICO
“Our house tells the story of Palermo with 2,000 years of history,” says Alwine Federico, who lives in Palazzo Conte Federico with her husband, Alessandro, the property’s namesake count. His family descends from Frederik II, the 13th century Holy Roman Emperor.
“The palazzo is constructed on top of a Punic-era city wall, has a 12th century Arab-Norman tower and many Baroque salons,” she says. Despite the palace’s very long past, the Federicos have been the only family to live in it.
At present, there is one guest apartment to rent, Il Medioevo, with seven other flats undergoing renovation and due for completion in March 2018. Some of the palazzo’s main rooms can be rented for gala evenings and dinner parties.
Starting rate: Approximately $425 per night for Il Medioevo, minimum stay of two nights.
Contact: contefederico@contefederico.com, 39.091.651.1881, contefederico.com
VILLA TASCA
While on holiday, Sicilian nobles took their concept of grand-style living to the country and seaside, and the splendid Villa Tasca, about six miles from Palermo, is a prime example of this taste for rural luxe. While the villa was home to a number of families, the Tascas, counts of Almerita, came to own it in the 19th century.
One of the largest palazzi in the Palermo area, where everyone from Giuseppe Verdi to Jacqueline Kennedy came to visit, it offers enormous reception rooms and lavish bedrooms with intricate stucco work and frescoes. Terraces with majolica tiles overlook the 20-acre park and enormous swimming pool set in the Mediterranean garden.
Starting rate: $20,550 to $27,588 per week.
Contact: info@villatasca.com, 39.091.6574305; Huw Beaugié, huw@thethinkingtraveller.com, 44.020.7377.8518, thethinkingtraveller.com
VILLA VALGUARNERA
For Baroque sumptuousness it’s hard to surpass the 18th century Villa Valguarnera in Bagheria, a seaside town 13 miles from Palermo. Over the centuries the enormous villa has hosted a who’s who of prominent personalities, such as the writer Stendhal, General George Patton and filmmaker Luchino Visconti—and in more recent times, fashion and entertainment luminaries like Dolce & Gabbana, who shot a perfume commercial here with Sophia Loren.
Today the villa is owned by Princess Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca, a noted Middle East expert and author whose family holds 54 honorific titles. The villa’s glorious piano nobile, which can be rented on a weekly basis, includes a ballroom, frescoed reception rooms and three bedrooms. Many rooms offer dramatic views of the sea and 52-acre garden.
Starting rate: Approximately $14,100 per week
PALAZZO BISCARI
Goethe came here in the 18th century; Coldplay arrived a few hundred years later, to film the video for “Violet Hill.” No matter the era or artist, the block-long Palazzo Biscari in Catania never fails to impress—this 700-room palace is a prime example of Sicilian rococo.
Despite the palazzo’s size and grandeur, Prince Ruggero Moncada, who lives there, says that he doesn’t think of it as a museum “but as a house that is one with the family who built it and continues to inhabit it.” He describes the palace’s rental apartment as “comfortable, not luxurious. We will never be a five-star hotel. For us, the human relationship is the most important thing and to make our guests happy.” The apartment, which can house up to four people, has a terrace, balcony and courtyard.
Starting rate: Around $60 to $120 per night, depending on the number of guests.
Contact: Nicoletta Moncada Paternò Castello, info@palazzobiscari.com, 39.095.715.2508, palazzobiscari.com
PALAZZO CASTRO GRIMALDI
Recently opened to guests, the Palazzo Castro Grimaldi, perched on a hill overlooking the city of Modica in southern Sicily, is noted for its exquisite period interiors, little changed since the late 19th century. According to Francesco and Raffaele Emmolo Tommasi Rosso, owners of the palace and descendants of the titled Castro and Grimaldi families who gave the 17th century palace its, the rooms have an aristocratic tone, but the size remains that of a dwelling or a lived-in apartment.
And if you’re wondering if there’s a connection with the Monaco Grimaldis—yes, there is. Last October, Prince Albert of Monaco visited Modica, taking the residences where his distant relatives lived. The ground floor for rent features three exquisite reception rooms, two bedrooms and a dining room. During their stay, guests can also hire a monsù, the name given by Sicilian aristocrats to their chefs. (The term comes from the French word monsieur, as cooks often studied French cuisine.) The monsù specializes in dishes that reflect the culinary traditions of Sicily’s noble families.
Starting rate: Approximately $940 per night; $5,300 per week
Contact: info@palazzocastrogrimaldi.com, 39.331.867.0292, palazzocastrogrimaldi.com
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