NEW ITALIAN ART DECO SUITE AND INFINITY POOL OPEN AT PALAZZO PREVITERA IN SICILY
Palazzo Previtera, a luxury guesthouse, contemporary art gallery and living museum situated in the quiet town of Linguaglossa, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily is opening a new suite in a restored dovecote and adding an infinity swimming pool, this August.
A 10 year restoration, overseen by Alfio Puglisi, a descendent of the family that built the palazzo in 1649, resulted in Palazzo Previtera opening to guests for the first time in 2023 with three guestrooms in the main house and two cottages in the gardens, sleeping 12 in total.
The new suite, sleeping two and situated in the gardens was once an old dovecote and documents, now preserved in the palazzo’s library, show that family members would send out doves to communicate their chess moves with aristocrats around Etna. As chess was not widely played at the time, it was necessary to use the doves to send the messages about their moves to neighbouring estates. The interiors of the suite honour the Italian art deco era with a 1930s double bed and armchairs, sourced by the family from Milan before WW2. Geometric shapes and bold colours are combined with luxurious materials such as Caracalla and Guatemala marble in the bathroom. Oak parquet floors continue the mid century look in the bedroom, while the bathroom is accessorised with retro tap fittings. Mid century lighting finishes the look. A highlight of the new suite is a roof terrace with clear views over to Mount Etna.
The new infinity pool, open to all guests, is surrounded by white stone tiles with wooden deck chairs and vibrant persimmon-orange coloured ceramic coffee tables. Lined with rainwater blue tiles, the pool is filled with sea salt sourced from the Marsala salt pans in Western Sicily. Guests relaxing by the pool will be treated to views of Mount Etna and the historic bell tower of Linguaglossa. The swimming pool sits within the mature garden, filled with roses, olive, lemon, magnolia and jasmine trees as well as pomegranates, avocados, peaches and apricots, all of which are served to guests at breakfast.
The palazzo is one-of-a-kind, filled with history, restored silk fabrics, ornate painted ceilings and original floor tiles, as well as contemporary art and mid-century touches. Palazzo Previtera also features museum rooms that preserve over 500 years of Sicilian history and Alfio is on hand to guide guests around the palazzo’s museum rooms. The art gallery in the cellar beneath the palazzo is a leading centre for contemporary art in Sicily and guests can be introduced to resident artists either over breakfast or at work in the nearby studio in an old hazelnut barn a few minutes walk away.
Palazzo Previtera also offers a series of experiences for guests interested in immersing themselves in Sicilian culture. These included cooking classes in the palazzo’s retro kitchen designed by Raymond Loewy in 1935, foraging trips to a nearby hazelnut farm in search of the Etna Hazelnut, fennel, wild asparagus and herbs and lessons in Etna cheese making. Guests can also learn traditional embroidery, as seen in the palazzo itself, in a local home in Castiglione di Sicilia famous for its embroidery, on the northwest of Etna.
The new suite at Palazzo Previtera sleeps two and costs from Euros 350 per night including breakfast.
A stay in a guest suite in the main house costs between 150 and 250 Euros per night, sleeping two, with breakfast.
Palazzo Previtera is one hour from Catania airport.