focused on emotions committed to perfection

focused on emotions
committed to perfection
destination
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of
Palermo. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important
role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Palermo is located in the northwest of the
island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The city was founded by the Phoenicians, but named by the Ancient Greeks as Panormus meaning “always fit for
landing in.” Palermo became part of the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire and eventually part of the
Byzantine Empire, for over a thousand years. From 827 to 1071 it was under Arab rule during the Emirate of
Sicily when it first became a capital. Following the Norman reconquest, Palermo became capital of a new
kingdom (from 1130 to 1816), the Kingdom of Sicily. Eventually it would be united with the Kingdom of Naples
to form the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification of 1860.
The population of the Palermo urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 855,285, while its metropolitan area
is the fifth most populated in Italy with around 1.2 million people. In the central area, the city has a
population of around 650,000 people. The inhabitants are known as Palermitans or poetically panormiti. The
languages spoken by its inhabitants are the Italian language and the Sicilian language.
Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and touristic capital. It is a city rich in history, culture, art, music and
food. Numerous tourists are attracted to the city for its good Mediterranean weather, its renowned
gastronomy and restaurants, its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches, palaces and buildings, and its
nightlife and music. Palermo is the main Sicilian industrial and commercial center: the main industrial sectors
include tourism, services, commerce and agriculture. Palermo currently has an international airport, and a
significant underground economy.[citation needed] In fact, for cultural, artistic and economic reasons,
Palermo was one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean and is now among the top tourist destinations in
both Italy and Europe. The city is also going through careful redevelopment, preparing to become one of the
major cities of the Euro-Mediterranean area.
Roman Catholicism is highly important in Palermitan culture. The patron saint of the city is Saint Rosalia. Her
feast day on July 15 is perhaps the biggest social event in the city. The area attracts significant numbers of
tourists each year and is widely known for its colourful fruit, vegetable and fish market at the heart of
Palermo, known as the Vucciria.
destination
HOTEL – VILLA IGIEA
Welcome to the Villa Igiea Hilton.
A dive in a swimming pool overlooking the bay of Palermo, surrounded by luxuriant gardens, cherished by the
warmth of the Sicilian sun, delighted by a pleasant cocktail in our exclusive pool bar. An immersion in a
prestigious villa, belonging to the Florio family, restyled by Ernesto Basile at the end of the 19th century,
when you can discover the exclusive combination between precious interiors and state-of-the-art facilities.
Casa Florio’s Mundane Splendour
The end of the 19th century represented the Primavera Siciliana. Ignazio Florio bought a private villa elonged
to Sir Domville to create an exclusive health centre converted into a luxurious hotel. In summer 1898 the
Florios met the famous painter Giovanni Boldini. While he stayed in Villa Igiea he portrayed a painting of "The
Unique" as the famous poet Gabriele D’Annunzio used to name Donna Franca Florio. This masterpiece is
admirable in our exclusive dining restaurant. The atmosphere that one breathes at the Villa Igiea Hilton gives
you a walk in the extraordinary gardens and in silence admire the wonderful sunrise. An impressive array of
services as a pleasurable complement to an exclusive luxurious stay: a pool-side outdoor area, fitness centre,
tennis court with night lighting, business centre, exclusive dining restaurants, lounge bar terrace, piano bar
and room service. Available the Yacht house deluxe room and the direct access to the hotel from a reserved
marina yacht mooring.
HOTEL – PIAZZA BORSA
We believe that it is hard to imagine a structure that better encapsulates the idea of "living in the centre" than
the Grande Hotel Piazza Borsa. All of the attractions described in the other pages - squares, parks,
monuments, shopping streets and much more - can be found within 500 metres of the hotel. The windows of
each room offer different points of view of the constantly changing heart of the town: from the roofs of old
Palermo that form a sort of a gigantic presepio, to the hustle and bustle of Piazza "Cassa di Risparmio" (Piazza
"Borsa" to Palermitans). Other rooms overlook the elegant "passetti" of Palazzo Cattolica Briuccia or the
cupolas and bell towers of the “town with a hundred churches”, or even the medieval Piazza San Francesco
and its famous church. This is just one of the reasons why our 127 rooms offer as many different
experiences of Palermo as you could desire. Each room has its own separate design and personality, but all of
them aim to provide maximum comfort, from the most exclusive suite to the snuggest single room.
All rooms are provided with: bath and/or shower; centralized air conditioning with individual controls; wide
selection of complementary toiletries; direct dial telephone; internet cable connection; mini bar; room safe.
All rooms on all floors are served by four lifts, one for each separate zone of the hotel.
What would it be like to organize a major event at "Piazza Borsa", or simply hold a small meeting?
Our response is “special, efficient, well organized, etc.”, but why trust our word?
Come and see with your own eyes. In order to meet the expectations of the most demanding clients, we have
strived to provide our facilities with every advanced technical service on the market. In rooms whose structure
made permanent facilities impossible, we designed alternative mobile technologies to achieve the same purpose.
HOTEL – ET DES PALMES
The Grand Hotel et des Palmes was founded in 1874 by the ancient patrician family Ingham - Whitaker,
previously built in 1856 and connected by a secret passage to the Anglican Church which still faces the
hotel. The patrician house consisted of two floors, a garden winter 's (now Hall) and an exotic garden
stretching to the sea. The marriage between the widow Ingham and Giacomo Medici, will change the fate of the
home, which was sold to a local operator, will become the Grand Hotel et des Palmes, Palermo from all known
as "The Palms". Ernesto Basile, one of the greatest masters of the Art Nouveau style in 1907, has
transformed the hotel by making changes in the hall, and also, English decorators made a inlaid wood ceiling
in Sala Caminetto, very similar to this in a ceiling hall of Palazzo Montecitorio.At the Grand Hotel et des
Palmes was written the history of Sicily; in 1881 Richard Wagner completed his "Parsifal", in 1882 Francesco
Crispi imparted lessons in politics, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando used to reside there often, the French writer
Raymond Roussel stayed there until his death; General Carlo Poletti made it his headquarters during the
Second World War, and finally, Baron Di Stefano "the prisoner Hotel", chose to stay at Des Palmes and
remained there for 50 years until his death . Today, the history, characters that have ruled and beauty
salons, make it one of the most famous hotels in the world, but above all make it the favorite destination for
holidays, business and ideal setting for memorable events and banquets.
DAY BY DAY PROGRAM
Day 1
13.40 arrival of group A
Transfer to hotel, welcome standing finger buffet lunch & check in
Visit of monreale
16.15 arrival of group B
Transfer to hotel and welcome drink upon arrival
18.00 Groups gather together and Meeting in hotel
Welcome Dinner at Kursaal Khalesa restaurant
Back to hotel and overnight
Day 2
Full day visit to Mothya island, Marsala and Erice
Lunch in a typical farmhouse with olive oil tasting or in florio winery
Back to hotel and time at disposal to relax
Set dinner in hotel
Day 3
Half day visit to the city centre
Lunch at the typical Antica Focacceria S. Francesco
Afternoon at leisure
Gala dinner at Palazzo conte federico or villa alliata
Back to hotel and overnight
Day 4
Group A - Half day visit to Segesta
Group B - Half day visit to Morneale + Segesta
Lunch at Agorà restaurant overlooking segesta temple
Transfer to the airport for departure
End of services
MONREALE
The Cathedral of Monreale (Monreale, means “Royal Mountain” in Italian) is set on the lower slopes of Mount
Caputu overlooking Palermo, the capital city of Sicily. Its interior contains the richest Byzantine mosaics in
Italy, embellished with more than two tons of pure gold. While the outside of this church is interesting and
lovely with beautiful and intricate bronze doors, it is fairly simple like most Norman structures. It is the
extraordinary rich interior that is considered a national treasure and makes this the most visited of all
Palermo attractions. The brilliantly colored mosaic figures and icons of the Cathedral of Monreale are set
on a background of gold mosaic tesserae, or tiles. There are about 130 individual mosaic scenes from both
the Old and New Testament. These scenes are in three rows encircling the interior, except for the front of the
church that has two rows behind the high altar that are topped by a huge mosaic of Christ Pantocator
(Almighty or All Powerful) looking down on the entire congregation. This image of Christ is more than 40 feet
wide and 25 feet high. Unusual in Byzantine mosaics in Italy or anywhere else in the West are two scenes—one
showing William II being crowned by Christ, and another depicting William II offering the Monreale Cathedral
to the Virgin Mary. You will rarely see living monarchs represented interacting with religious figures. Another
unusual image shows Saint Thomas Beckett, who was murdered in the Canterbury Cathedral in England in
1170. While these images spread across Europe after his murder, few reached this far south so early.
The Cathedral of Monreale has lovely bronze doors. Two of these were made by the noted sculptor Bonanno
da Pisa from Tuscany, who also designed doors for the Duomo in Pisa. One of these was unfortunately
destroyed in a fire. The surviving door depicts the wide sweep pf the Christian narrative, from Adam and Eve to
the Ascension of Christ.
MOTHIA, MARSALA and ERICE
MOTHIA
This tiny island just off the coast north of Marsala was once the home of the Phoenician colony that was
expelled in 379 BC and founded Lilibeo (Marsala). The island of Mozia, which is owned and operated by a
foundation established by the winemaking Whitaker family (who built the Anglican Church and Villa Malfitano in
Palermo), has a remarkable museum and the ruins of an equally remarkable civilization, complete with a harbor
and cemetery. Some of the finds on display in the museum have a distinctly Egyptian influence, while others
seem almost Hellenic. Though certain of these items were brought to Motia from Asia Minor, others were made
locally, based on "foreign" influences. Mozia and its unique museum provide the visitor with a rare unspoiled
glimpse into Sicily's Phoenician past. Mothia itself was founded before 700 BC on the island now known as San
Pantaleo in a large lagoon ("Stagnone"). Mothia emerged as one of the most prosperous colonies of the
Phoenicians' loose Mediterranean confederation. The more noteworthy features are the fortifications, a
submerged road that used to link the island to the mainland, near Birgi, the cothon (or drainage basin and
harbour) and the main sanctuaries, in particular the tophet, where the burnt remains of offerings and
sacrifices in honour of the god Baal Hammon were collected. Thousands of carved steles where discovered
here, and these are the most convincing evidence of Punic sculpture. The most ancient part of old Mozia's
industrial area includes several semicircular furnaces, identical in construction to the more ancient pottery
furnaces used in Phoenicia. Historians generally agree that the most more violent attacks of the Syracusan
army probably occurred near the northern gate, ending in defeat and plunder in 397 BC.
MOTHIA, MARSALA and ERICE
MARSALA
Marsala occupies the site of Lilybaeum, the principal stronghold of the Carthaginians in Sicily, founded by
Himilco in 396 BC after the abandonment of Motya. Neither Pyrrhus nor the Romans were able to reduce it by
siege, but it was surrendered to the latter in 241 BC at the end of the First Punic War as a condition of the
peace treaty. In the later wars it was a starting point for the Roman expeditions against Carthage, and under
Roman rule it enjoyed considerable prosperity. It obtained municipal rights from Augustus and became a colony
under either Pertinax or Septimius Severus. The Arabs gave it its present name "Marsala," which is derived from
the Arab "Marsa Allah" (port of Allah) or "Marsa Ali" ("port of Ali", intended also as "great port", as Ali in
Arabian language is synonymous with "great"). The huge ancient harbor that lay on the northeast was destroyed
by Charles V in the 16th century, to prevent its occupation by pirates. The modern harbor lies to the
southeast. On May 11, 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Expedition of the Thousand landed at Marsala and
began his campaign to overthrow Bourbon rule in Sicily, during the Unification of Italy process.
Little remains of the ancient Lilybaeum. Fragments of the city walls, squared stones, and some foundations of
buildings between the walls and the sea are visible. The so-called grotto and spring of the Sibyl is located
under the church of San Giovanni Battista (1555), and is traditionally considered the tomb of the Cuman or
Siculian Sibyl. To the east of the town is a great fosse which defended it on the land side, and beyond this
again are quarries like those of Syracuse on a small scale. The modern town takes the shape of the Roman camp
within the earlier city, one of the gates of which still existed in 1887. Sights include the campanile and
convent of the Annunziata, and the Baroque Church of the Purgatory. The main street (the Cassaro)
perpetuates the name castrum. The Biagio Anselmi Archaeological Museum houses an example of Carthaginian
ship used during the Battle of the Aegates Islands (241 BC), as well as other ancient remains from the area.
MOTHIA, MARSALA and ERICE
ERICE
Erice is located on top of Mount Erice, at around 750m above sea level, overlooking the city of Trapani, the
low western coast towards Marsala, the dramatic Punta del Saraceno and Capo san Vito to the north-east, and
the Aegadian Islands on Sicily's north-western coast, providing spectacular views. The ancient name of Erice
was Eryx, and its foundation was associated with the eponymous Greek hero Eryx. It was not a Greek colony,
but was largely Hellenized. It was destroyed in the First Punic War by the Carthaginians, and from then on
declined in importance. Eryx was conquered by Aghlebids in 831 and was renamed as Cebel Hamid (In Western
sources Gebel Hamed, meaning Mountain of Hamid). It was ruled by Arabs over 3 centuries until Norman
conquest in 1167. Normans renamed it Monte San Giuliano. It was known as Monte San Giuliano until 1934. In
the northeastern portion of the city there are the remains of ancient Elymian and Phoenician walls indicating
different stages of settlement and occupation in antiquity. There are two castles that remain in the city: Pepoli
Castle, which dates from Saracen times, and the Venus Castle, dating from the Norman period, built on top of
the ancient Temple of Venus, where Venus Ericina was worshipped. According to legend, the temple was founded
by Aeneas. It was well-known throughout the Mediterranean area in the ancient age, and an important cult was
celebrated in it. In his book On the Nature of Animals, Aelian writes that animals chosen for sacrifice would
voluntarily walk up to the altar to be killed. A cable car (funivia) runs from the outskirts of Trapani to the
town of Erice.
PALERMO CITY CENTRE WALKING TOUR
it’s actually a very nice walk towards some of the most important and beautiful monuments in Palermo. We will
start from the most colossal and breathtaking monument in all of Palermo: “The Royal Palace or Norman
Palace.” Throughout Palermo’s history, it has remained a constant reminder of the power interests inherent
in Sicily and today it actually houses the Sicilian Regional Assembly. Once inside, you will marvel at the
magnificent “Palatina Chapel” which, richly decorated with Byzantine mosaics, is still the most visited
monument in Sicily. Five minutes walk from the Royal Palace, via “Porta Nuova” (the ancient portal to the old
city), you’ll get to the majestic Palermo Cathedral. This Cathedral was erected in the medieval ages on top of
the ruins of a little church and then later transformed into a mosque during the Arab period.
Just two steps from here you’ll reach “Zisa Castle” a medieval architectural construction with typical Arabic
features, built to house the Royal family during the summertime. The “Cuba Castle” also has Norman-Arab
features and this architectural style actually characterises a large part of the medieval constructions in the
city. Out of city’s many fountains, we won’t miss the one in Piazza Pretoria, “Pretoria Fountain”. It’s situated
behind the “Quattro Canti”, right in the square opposite Aquil Palace, today used as the town hall. It was
commissioned and developed in Tuscany in the middle of the 16th century by local nobility and was later
bought and restructured by the Senate of Palermo to be positioned in the square of the very same name.
SEGESTA
Segesta (Sicilian: Seggesta) was the political center of the Elymian people, located in the northwestern part
of Sicily, in what are now the province of Trapani and the comune of Calatafimi-Segesta. According to the
tradition used in Virgil's Aeneid, Segesta was founded jointly by the territorial king Acestes (who was son of
the local river Crinisus by a Dardanian woman named Segesta or Egesta) and by those of Aeneas' folk who
wished to remain behind with Acestes to found the city of Acesta. In 415 BC Segesta asked Athens for help
against Selinus, leading to a disastrous Athenian expedition in Sicily (415-413 BC). Later they asked Carthage
for help, leading to the total destruction of the city of Selinus by the hands of Carthage. Segesta remained
an ally of Carthage, it was besieged by Dionysius of Syracuse in 397 BC, and it was destroyed by Agathocles
in 307 BC, but recovered. In 276 BC the city was allied with Pyrrhus, but changed side in 260 BC when it
surrendered to the Romans. The city was not punished by the Romans for its long alliance with Carthage, but
owing to the mythical common origin of the Romans and the Elymians (both descendants of refugees from Troy)
it was granted the state of a "free and immune" city.
The ruins of the city are located on the top of Monte Bàrbaro at 305m above sea level. The city was protected
by steep slopes on several sides and by walls on the more gentle slope towards the temple. The hilltop offers
a view over the valley towards the Gulf of Castellamare. The city controlled several major roads between the
coast to the north and the hinterland. Very little is known about the city plan. Aerial photography indicates a
regular city plan, built in part on terraces to overcome the natural sloping terrain. The current remains might
be from the reconstruction after the destruction of the city by Agathocles. Current archaeological work
indicates that the site was reoccupied by a Muslim community in the Norman period. Excavations have unearthed
a Muslim necropolis and a mosque from the 12th century next to a Norman castle. Evidence suggests that the
mosque was destroyed after the arrival of a new Christian overlord at the beginning of the 13th century. The
city appears to have been finally abandoned by the second half of the 13th century.
RESTAURANTS
LA BOTTE – MONREALE
Traditional restaurant located 5 min. from the cathedral famous for the quality of food and for its ambience
RESTAURANTS
BAGLIO FONTANASALSA - MARSALA
A country style lunch with tasting of home made olive oil in a old traditional baglio (fortified country house)
RESTAURANTS
CANTINE FLORIO - MARSALA
Unique dinner setting in the canteen of the most renowned marsala wine producer of the world
RESTAURANTS
KURSAAL KHALESA – PALERMO
Tradition meets style, history meets modernity in this one-of-a-kind restaurant housed in a medieval palace
RESTAURANTS
ANTICA FOCACCERIA SAN FRANCESCO - PALERMO
Italian street food at its best in this old (but newly refurbished) historical gastronomic landmark.
RESTAURANTS
AGORA’ - SEGESTA
Superb panorama on the templ for a splendid farewell lunch before departure
GALA DINNER
PALAZZO CONTE FEDERICO - PALERMO
Palazzo Conte Federico is one of the oldest and most important buildings in Palermo. It is in the centre of the
old city only a few steps away from the Cathedral, the Royal Palace and the Cappella Palatina. It has two
entrances, one on the Via dei Biscottari and one on the Piazza Conte Federico. The palace is built on PunicRoman city walls which originally surrounded ancient Panormus. The tower on the south side of the palace is
one of the few remaining parts of the old city wall. It dates back to the 12th century and is Arabic-Norman
origin. Above the double-arched Norman windows can be seen the coat of arms of the imperial family of the
Hohenstaufen, of the kingdom of Aragonia and the city of Palermo.In the course of the centuries Count
Federico's palace has undergone several reconstructions. Because of this you can observe various
architectural styles: High painted ceilings from the 14th century, baroque ceiling frescoes by Vito D'Anna and
Gaspare Serenario, various sculptures and Marabitti's lion fountain from the 17th century as well as the
grand stairway with the interior walls done by Marvuglia.In the numerous halls valuable antiques and
paintings can be admired. Of special notice is the weapon collection in the knights' hall. Since Count Federico's
family, which can be followed back to the Staufen Emperor Friedrich II, has lived in this palace for centuries
the personal atmosphere remains and makes a visit to this historic building a unique experience.
GALA DINNER
VILLA ALLIATA CARDILLO – PALERMO
Villa Alliata-Cardillo’s recovery is interesting and radical, placed in
ancient Borgata Cardilo. In it origins it was a seventeenth century beam
which, when holiday vogue became popular, was transformed in a
residential villa as new owner’s will: Judge Domenico Cardillo, just
conferred the marquis title of nobility recognized for his merits in the
legal field (1772). The building was completed by his son Agostino who,
on his 1815 death, left the completed and already rounded by a large
garden villa to his son Antonio.
Only an half of the estate was handed down to Alliata family in 1870,
when Emanuela Cardillo, Antonio’s daughter, married Pasquale Alliata
di Villafranca, while the remaining half of the villa passed to sister
Adelaide Cardillo, married Cloos. After 126 years the actual owner,
Stefania Alliata Lodetti succede in reunifying the ancient estate
complying with the original structure. Once the villa restored its
identity, the building renovation, coordinated by Arch. Rosario
Busardò, came off with a philological key.
The entire restoration was made following the old volumetric outines
of seventeenth century building. On groundfloor, in a zone which is
actually the entrance area with a filter to events hall, we respected
the old ambiental morphology preserving the two ninenteenth century
vaults made by terracotta bricks. Using sustaining masonry, the old
already existing terrace was re-shaped on the first floor, measuring
quasi 350sqm. The terrace was paved with majolica blue and white
bricks, revivaling the tipical seventh century wave, rounded by a
calcarenite sicilian balustrade.
Contacts
plus39 events S.r.l.
Via Raffaello Sanzio 36
20149 Milano
Italy
+39 02 49518950
+39 02 49518964
+39 06 95557050
+39 348 8717437
www.plus39events.com
lorenzo@plus39events.com