Surroundings
Segesta
According to the legend, Segesta was founded by the Elymi a people of mysterious origin who are linked by some to the Trojans. The Temple of Segesta is one of the world’s most perfectly preserved Doric temples from the days of antiquity and stands in splendid and solemn isolation on the hill facing Monte Barbaro. The city of Segesta was built above the temple on the top of the mountain. The site is made more majestic by the deep valley that envelops it. In the fading gold and pink sunlight of a Sicilian afternoon, you can stand here and absorb the full view and the setting framed by the distant peaks of Monte Barbaro and Monte Bernardo. It is perhaps the most magnificent view in Sicily.
Monreale Duomo
The Cathedral of Monreale is the apex of Arab-Norman art. It is famous for its remarkable interior with magnificent gold mosaics representing episodes from the Old Testament. The cloister has pointed Arab arches with geometric motifs sculpted on the capitals of the 228 white marble twin columns. Once you step foot inside the golden interior, your eye won’t know where to look. This brilliant cycle of 12th- and 13th century art occupies the aisles, the choir and the entire nave, vividly bringing to life scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Today, the Monreale Cathedral is the last and most stunning of the Norman churches of Sicily and is viewed as one of the architectural wonders of the Middle Ages.
Zingaro Natural Reserve
Between Castellammare del Golfo and Trappani, along the coast, you will find the Riserva dello Zingaro, a nature reserve of about 1600 ha sloping down to the sea. The lush vegetation of the reserve has become the favorite refuge for birds and mammals of many species, some of them very rare. The small coves scattered all over the coast are a pilgrimage point in summer for all those who want to refresh body and mind in this unspoiled natural paradise.
Castellammare del Golfo
This town was the Greek and then an Arab fortress. It became an important trading and tuna-fishing centre in the Middle Ages. In the heart of the town, on astrait, is the Aragonese Castle, and the old picturesque streets of the medieval quarter known as “castri di la terra”. Castellammare is also a great seaside resort. You will find here wide beaches, small coves, crystal clear sea and an atmosphere rich in Mediterranean flavors and colors that are typically Sicilian.
Palermo
The island capital, Palermo is just 30km away from Villa Partinico. A melting pot of cultures — from Arab to Norman and Spanish — it is a city rich in stunning works of art and local character. Behind the elegant facades, you find some of the region’s — and the country’s — finest art, particularly in the splendid churches, but also in the good museums. With a fabulous natural setting, surrounded by rugged mountains and the sea, it’s a place that combinesdecadent gems like the Kalsa district with fascinating jewels like the Norman Palazzo Reale and city cathedral.