Journeys Italy 2025: Palermo in the Fam-Meet way

Journeys Italy 2025 brought carefully selected international luxury travel advisors and outstanding Italian suppliers to Palermo for four days that felt genuinely special. Together, they represented USD 205 million in annual travel sales and clients who regularly spend around USD 2,000 per guest per night.

What they experienced in Sicily was not a typical event. It was a carefully curated journey that blended one-to-one business, rare access and shared moments that you simply cannot create on your own.

Arrivals, first impressions and a relaxed beginning

Our story began with arrivals into Palermo, with buyer transfers managed smoothly by Eracle Travels. Some advisors had already spent several days exploring Sicily on a dedicated pre-event fam trip with Sicilian Journeys, which closed as the main programme began. They arrived not just as visitors, but already emotionally connected to the island.

Sicilian Journeys then guided a first exploration of Palermo, offering a local introduction to the city’s character, history and rhythm. It was informal, insightful and the ideal way for delegates to land in the destination.

That evening, everyone gathered at Grand Hotel et Des Palmes for a warm welcome apericena hosted by Mangia’s. It felt relaxed and natural – people moved from one conversation to another, reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones. The energy in the room already hinted at the quality of the days ahead.

Markets, meetings and Michelin-level dining

The following morning began back at Grand Hotel et Des Palmes with the official Journeys welcome, supported by Mangia’s, followed by our first round of one-to-one Fam-Meet® appointments and a coffee break. The atmosphere was open and focused: advisors and suppliers got straight into the real conversations that matter.

From there, we stepped into Palermo’s culinary soul with Towns of Italy. A guided Culinary Market Adventure took delegates through the city’s vibrant markets, tasting their way through local specialities, talking to producers and feeling the city at street level. This flowed into a generous Market-to-Table lunch, also hosted by Towns of Italy, where everyone sat down together, still buzzing from the experience.

In the afternoon, the business moved to Villa Igiea for further Fam-Meetings supported by Rocco Forte Hotels. The setting was ideal for thoughtful, in-depth discussions. After the appointments, a drinks reception and show-around allowed delegates to experience the property more fully and continue their conversations in a more informal way.

The evening took things up another notch. Delegates were welcomed at Palazzo Arone dei Baroni di Valentino for a signature dining experience, with dinner sponsored by Locanda Don Serafino. It was one of those nights that felt both intimate and memorable: a beautiful setting, refined cuisine and a room full of people who knew they were part of something special.

Transfers throughout were coordinated seamlessly by Eracle Travels, allowing delegates to focus purely on the experience.

Palazzi, viewpoints and a private masterpiece

The next chapter of the programme opened with welcome remarks and another round of one-to-one Fam-Meet® meetings, before delegates were transferred to Palazzo Asmundo, overlooking Palermo Cathedral, for more appointments. Meeting in such a striking, historic setting added a different dimension to the conversations – it felt less like a conference and more like being invited into someone’s home.

Delegates then returned to Grand Hotel et Des Palmes for a relaxed lunch hosted by Mangia’s, creating a welcome pause in the middle of a very full day.

In the afternoon, the tone shifted again as we stepped into Palermo’s aristocratic heritage. Travelling by charming ape calessini, and with Sicilian Journeys as our guide, delegates visited two of the city’s most remarkable residences: Palazzo Gangi and Palazzo Butera. The combination of the journey, the stories and the access made this one of the most talked-about elements of the programme.

Back at the hotel, there was time to rest and reset before the evening’s highlight: a private tour of the Duomo di Monreale, once again curated by Sicilian Journeys. Experiencing this extraordinary space after hours, away from the crowds, was a privilege. Delegates stood quietly, taking it all in – it was one of those rare moments where the room fell silent in genuine awe.

A Gattopardo finale at Villa Tasca

The final night brought everyone together at Villa Tasca. We were welcomed by Giuseppe Tasca, who shared the history and stories of his family home, setting the scene for a very special evening.

The closing dinner, Gattopardo style, was created by Garajo & Cucina Nomade, with Tasca d’Almerita wines completing the experience. It felt celebratory, elegant and emotional – the perfect finale to a week in which people had really lived Palermo, not just visited it.

Once again, Eracle Travels ensured every transfer was taken care of, from the first arrival to the last journey back to the airport, with optional post-event fam visits supported by both Sicilian Journeys and Eracle Travels for those able to stay on.

What it meant to be there

What made Journeys Italy 2025 special was not only the programme, but how it felt to be part of it. The Fam-Meet® format was visible everywhere: in the way people relaxed over a market tasting, how they opened up at a dinner table, how a shared moment in Monreale shifted a conversation the next day.

New relationships were formed in a very real way. Existing ones were strengthened. Advisors and suppliers left Palermo not just with business cards and notes, but with shared memories – and those are the foundations that lead to long-term business.

For those who joined us, it was a privilege to experience Sicily from the inside.

For those who weren’t there, it is exactly the kind of week you don’t want to miss twice.

Looking ahead

Journeys Italy returns next year, this time in Emilia Romagna, where we will host Journeys Italy 2026 at the Lucia Magnani Health Clinic. It will bring a new layer to the Fam-Meet® experience, combining our relationship-led approach with a focus on wellbeing and renewal.

Palermo has reminded us, once again, that when people share powerful experiences together, trust follows – and when trust is there, business becomes a natural next step. That is the Fam-Meet® way, and Journeys Italy 2025 delivered it beautifully.

Till next time

Micaela and the Journeys team