Finally Santa Flavia, on the path of “La Via dei Tesori”, therefore present at the fifteenth edition of the streets of the Treasures which will take place on Sundays of 10 and 17 October from 9.00 to 14.00 in our town. It is an unmissable opportunity for the area: to become part of this festival, which offers an extraordinary showcase to the most precious historical sites, environmental and cultural routes of Sicily, giving visitors uncommon experiences that are often not easy to live.
There will be two guided tours: the first dedicated to Villa Filangeri and its Historical Park, while the second to Porticello, the fishing village and the shipwright. All this was possible thanks to the willingness of the entire administration in seeking and obtaining the inclusion in this event and in particular, the Councilor for culture Antonella Cavezzano, the Artistic Director Ezio Di Liberto, the Pro loco Santa Flavia worked. in the person of its president Antonina Imboccari, “Rotary, Rotaract, Interact club Bagheria”, the Civil Protection of Santa Flavia.

For those wishing to continue reading here is a bit of history proposing the two paths:

1. Santa Flavia – Villa Filangeri and Historical Park. The sumptuous residence of the prince with the centuries-old park was the summer residence of the Filangeri, princes of the territory, boasts a park of about 8,500 square meters full of pines, ficus, palm trees, basins, statues, stone seats, artificial mounds. The original nucleus dates back to the early decades of the seventeenth century when a small house owned by a priest stood in the area. In 1666, Prince Pietro Filangeri bought the house and the adjacent church of Sant’Anna, which was later transformed into the current Soluntina Basilica of Sant’Anna. Today the Villa has a Baroque style façade, with stucco medallions and Rococo garlands, a spectacular double flight of steps and four white marble statues, allegory of the Four Seasons. Inside, the billiard room designed by Ernesto Basile, with wooden paneling. At the entrance, on the left side, a small chapel with a neo-Gothic façade. In the rear elevation, which looks towards the park, there is the Winter Garden also created by Basile: a tuff structure with round arches, closed by windows with bronze fixtures and an artificial hill with a romantic taste, with a small bronze coffee house. Today the Villa is the seat of the Municipality of Santa Flavia. For info and reservations for this experience CLICK HERE.

2. Porticello, the fishing village and the shipwright.
The village of the ancient tonnaroti with the craftsman of boats is the heart of the maritime history of Porticello: the area is called San Nicolicchio, from the name of the church of San Nicola, built in 1439 and no longer existing, right there it found its first location the ancient slate painting that portrays the Madonna del Lume. According to popular tradition, the painting was found among the nets of some fishermen in the stretch of water in front of the bay.
In the eighteenth century, on the initiative of some fishermen, a larger church was built, where the venerated painting is still preserved on the altar. Every year, in October, the feast in honor of the Patroness is celebrated with an ancient and evocative procession of boats.
In the area stood the marfaraggio of the trap of Sant’Elia, that is the complex of buildings intended for the processing of tuna and also some warehouses and lodgings where the tonnaroti, that is the workers of the trap, resided.
A moment of particular interest of the visit will be the meeting in his yard with one of the last ax masters, Franco Lo Coco (son of Mastro Michele) who will tell visitors about techniques and curiosities about this very particular craft that has now almost disappeared, that of construction. by hand of boats, when they were still made of wood. For info and booking of this experience CLICK HERE.