Glenn and I traveled to the island of Sicily last May via Paris and Rome, a
journey that took 18 hours. After such a long trip it was a delight to be
greeted at the Palermo airport by our traveling consort Edward and escorted
to our villa outside of the city. Sicily is much larger than we were
expecting and the landscapes and lifestyles are quite different from one
side of the island to the other. There are two main cities on the island. To
say that our travels took us from Palermo to Catania is like saying an
Italian feast takes you from wine to coffee – the wine is bold and the
coffee strong, but we always enjoy the antipasti, the paninis, the grilled
tuna and the cannolis (oh the cannolis!) in-between.
Sicily is the largest and one of the most diverse islands in the
Mediterranean. Rolling hills, rugged wilderness and dense forests cover the
interior while the coast is coated with golden beaches. Snow-capped Mount
Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, towers over it all. Three seas wash
the shores of this triangle in the Med and the people hail historically from
all corners of Europe, and from Asia and Africa. This diversity of
geography, history and culture is reflected not only in the Sicilian
lifestyle but also in the island’s architecture and cuisine.
Palermo and the Beaches of Mondello
We spent the first night in the elegant, 18th century Palazzo Villa Tasca, a
mansion near the historic center of Palermo. The villa’s long, stately
driveway leads you from the mayhem of the city to a private, quiet oasis. We
were greeted by a full compliment of suitably attired staff, including a
butler in white gloves who offered us chilled Prosecco from a silver tray.
The villa is adorned with a seemingly endless number of large, open rooms
and the ceilings in several of the suites are covered with intriguing18th
century Frescos. The home is surrounded by almost three acres of parkland
and a romantic pathway connects the house to a charming pond with swans and
a nearby gazebo. Like several properties owned by Sicilian nobility, the
property has been in the same family since the 14th century. We were joined
by the principessa the first morning for breakfast on a sun-filled terrace.
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