A restored Art Nouveau Florio family palazzo on Palermo's seafront, reopened by Rocco Forte in 2021. One hundred rooms in the Belle Époque Sicilian grande dame — and Olga Polizzi's most ambitious Italian restoration.
"Restored Art Nouveau Florio family palazzo on Palermo seafront. Reopened by Rocco Forte in 2021. The Belle Époque Sicilian grande dame."
Villa Igiea was originally built between 1899 and 1908 as the Belle Époque Sicilian palazzo of the Florio family — at the time the wealthiest family in Sicily, who had built their fortune in tuna and Marsala wine — and operated as a luxury hotel from its earliest decades. The property's architecture is Art Nouveau (Liberty in Italian), with original frescoes by Ettore De Maria Bergler and the early-20th-century Florio-family interiors. Rocco Forte Hotels acquired and comprehensively restored the property over a multi-year programme, reopening it in summer 2021 as Olga Polizzi's most ambitious Italian restoration project (Olga Polizzi is Sir Rocco Forte's sister and the company's design director).
The 100 rooms split between the original main palazzo (with the Belle Époque architectural features, original frescoes, and seafront views), the smaller Cottage accommodations in the gardens, and the multi-bedroom Suites including the Florio Suite — the property's flagship, occupying the original Florio family master apartments. The Junior Suites overlooking the Mediterranean are the most-requested mid-tier.
The grounds — the original Florio gardens descending to the Mediterranean seafront, the heated outdoor pool, the spa, and the gardens themselves — are extraordinary. The 400-year-old palm trees, the original Florio botanical collection, and the seafront promenade make the gardens themselves a destination. The Igiea Spa runs Rocco Forte's signature wellness programmes.
Dining is at three restaurants. Florio Restaurant is the headline modern Sicilian fine-dining in the original palazzo dining hall. Igiea Terrace is the casual all-day on the seafront terrace. The cocktail bar in the original Florio family library is among the more architecturally distinctive hotel bars in Italy. Service is the consistent Rocco Forte family-owned standard. Villa Igiea is the most architecturally significant Palermo luxury hotel and the answer for travellers who want the historic-Florio-palazzo experience as the base for a Palermo and broader Sicily trip.
The Palermo anniversary at the Florio palazzo. Book a Junior Suite with Mediterranean view. Florio Restaurant dinner in the original dining hall; the gardens at sunset; the spa programme. The combination of the Belle Époque setting, the Olga Polizzi restoration, and the Rocco Forte service produces a Palermo anniversary stay with depth.
The Sicily honeymoon for couples who want the urban-cultural Palermo setting rather than Taormina or Verdura's resort settings. Villa Igiea is the city base for exploring Palermo's Cathedral, the Quattro Canti, the markets, and the wider western Sicily. The honeymoon at Villa Igiea is the Palermo-cultural version of the Sicily honeymoon.
Villa Igiea's setting on the Palermo seafront, the gardens, and the small-property atmosphere work for solo travellers who want substantive cultural Sicily access. The Florio Restaurant and the cocktail bar accommodate solo guests well; the property's pace works for travellers who want both the Sicilian-historic immersion and the city access.
Salita Belmonte 43
90142 Palermo, Sicily
Acquasanta seafront, north of Palermo center; 25 min from Palermo (PMO)
100 rooms across original 1899-1908 palazzo + Cottages
Cottage Room from €600/night
Junior Suite with sea view from €1,200
Suite from €2,400
Florio Suite from €5,500
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Minimum stay: 2 nights
Restored Florio family palazzo (1899-1908)
Reopened by Rocco Forte 2021
Olga Polizzi restoration
Original Bergler frescoes
400-year-old palm gardens
Open year-round
Peak: June–September (book 3 months ahead)
Best value: April–May, October–November
High-speed WiFi throughout
Reliable signal in all rooms
In-suite office setups on request
From €600/night. The Florio Suite needs direct Rocco Forte contact. Junior Suites with sea views book 3 months ahead in peak.
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