Journeys' Legacy in Palermo

Micaela Giacobbe
4 days ago
3 min read

Legacy doesn’t begin with celebration. It begins with intention.

With choices made quietly. Relationships built slowly. Spaces walked not for spectacle, but for significance.

That’s where I found myself last week—in Palermo, again, not to conclude our plans for Journeys Italy 2025, but to ground them. To stand where history breathes and ensure our event belongs not only in this city—but to it.

We’ve always known Palermo was the right host. But legacy isn’t about what you know. It’s about what you build.

Palermo, in Stone and Soul

This is not a city that merely offers venues—it offers legacy. The palaces we’re entering are not just ornate—they are sacred. Cappella Palatina with its golden mosaics and Norman grandeur, doesn’t just welcome guests—it silences them. It reminds you of the divine power of design. And later, as we return under nightfall, its beauty takes on an entirely different intimacy—private, reverent, unforgettable.

Then there is Villa Igiea perched where Palermo meets the sea. Walking its corridors, you feel its history as a place of repose for aristocrats, artists, and diplomats. It carries the elegance of another era, yet remains deeply alive, anchored in the present. It’s the kind of place where a conversation becomes a commitment.

And what can be said of Palazzo Gangi other than that it might just be the most cinematic setting in Sicily? Arriving there in a classic Ape Calessino, winding through Palermo’s noble streets thanks to Sicilian Journeys, you feel less like a delegate and more like a character in your own Italian film. The past isn't re-enacted—it’s relived.

Even Villa Tasca, where our final night will unfold, is more than just the closing scene. It's a crescendo. A gardened paradise once home to poets and composers, now echoing with new ideas and future partnerships. Under its chandeliers, we’ll toast what was, what is, and what’s next.

And throughout this experience, Palermo’s sensory richness is never just ornamental—it’s integral. One evening, guests will savour a dinner crafted by the Michelin-starred chef of Locanda Don Serafino. His cuisine doesn’t just honour Sicily—it elevates it, one dish at a time. This is not simply gastronomy. It’s memory-making.

Palermo becomes our guide. On foot, through markets and marbled halls. In motion, in vintage vehicles. In pause, in piazzas. It’s not a tour. It’s a transmission.

Palermo’s Champions

No vision becomes real without the right people—and in Palermo, we’ve found individuals who are not only exceptional at what they do, but committed to doing it with purpose.

Alessandro Anello, Councillor for Tourism, and the City of Palermo, have backed this event with the kind of dedication that transforms a host city into a true partner. Their belief in the potential of Palermo, and in what Journeys stands for, has elevated every step of this journey.

Marcello Mangia, owner of Grand Hotel et Des Palmes, brings a depth of understanding and a quiet elegance that is rare in our industry. I recently wrote about Marcello because his leadership is the kind you feel—not through show, but through substance. His property is not just our host hotel—it’s our anchor.

Barbara Iaccarino of Sicilian Journeys has given our event emotional and cultural depth. She doesn’t offer tours—she offers immersion. Palermo through her lens is layered, meaningful, unforgettable.

Meanwhile, Barbara Iurato of Eracle Travels ensures our experience moves with precision. Elegant transfers, seamless transitions, flawless logistics—her work is the rhythm behind every moment. Distinct in their strengths, both women are integral to this event’s integrity.