– While in Catania you must visit Palazzo Biscari, the guide tells me as she gives the number of the prince so I can ask for an appointment.
I remain flabbergasted.
What, is there a prince in Catania? Like, a real prince? With an impressive palace… And apparently he gives tours of his property…
Needless to say, I instantly mobilized. The Prince responded, so I went. And the tour was more than worth it.
How to book a tour at Palazzo Biscari?
Short history of Palazzo Biscari
A visit to the Palazzo
Ceremonies and film location
How to book a tour at Palazzo Biscari?
In case you don’t have such a nice guide as Natalie from Guruwalk, just visit the Palazzo site. Here you can send an email or write via Whatsapp to schedule your appointment. A ticket for a guided tour costs 10 euros. Tours are available in Italian, English and French.
Insider tip!: Visiting hours range between 10 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon. Make sure you send the mail (at least) one day prior to the day intended for visit.
You can also visit on your own, without a guide; in this case, the price is 7 euros. But it is totally worth visiting with a guide. You’ll hear interesting stories of the family and the place itself!
Short history of Palazzo Biscari
The palace of the Paternò Castello, Princes of Biscari, is one of the most important and well-known buildings of eighteenth-century in Catania, a triumph of Sicilian baroque.
It stands on a stretch of the sixteenth-century walls of the city, on which, immediately after the huge earthquake of 1693, Ignazio Paternò Castello III, Prince of Biscari, obtained permission to build the Palace. Agatino, first Prince of Biscari, married his 12-year-old niece and had 15 children together. This decision was a strategic one, in order to keep all the lands and property in the hands of one family.
Vincenzo IVth Prince of Biscari was another singular character in the history of the Palazzo. He tried to hide a story of love between a maid in the palace and himself. When his wife found out about the love affair, she took a drastic measure and buried the woman alive. Outraged by his wife’s reaction, the Prince decided to stay silent for the rest of his life. You can recognize him in the painting that represents a prince holding papers in his hands.
Ignazio Vth (1714-1786) completed the palazzo based on the buildings of his predecessors. A great scholar, archaeologist and lover of the arts, a significant figure in the cultural life of Catania in the mid-eighteenth century, Ignazio dedicated large rooms of the Palace to the creation of an archaeological, numismatic and naturalistic museum open to all scholars. He also goes by the name Prince Archeologist.
A visit to the Palazzo
The biggest private palace in Catania is enormous, although you only visit a tiny piece of the 600 rooms. It is home to approximately eleven private families.
I didn’t find the entrance too spectacular. The palace has a big courtyard where you can wait if you are too early.
Strategy is one key element that characterizes the castle. The rear imposing facade (facing the port of Catania) is decorated with extraordinarily crafted sculptures and decorations in Sicilian Baroque! Its strategic purpose isn’t hard to guess! The castle is situated on the defensive walls that protected the sea at the time. Being situated at the sea (it is only after 1950 that the sea was slightly shifted to where the harbour is today), the palace was the first thing people saw when arriving in Catania. So, it meant the power, the strength and prestige of the family.
The highlight is the spectacular ballroom with stucco (3D decorations) on the walls and large paintings. This masterpiece of Rococo architecture captivated my attention with the spectacular ceiling that celebrates the glory of the Biscari family.
I was simply astounded by the ingenuity of the architects. The ceiling features a balcony where the musicians would perform, barely visible to those below. This is both a measure to enhance the acoustics and to leave more room for the ladies’ magnificent dresses. The access to this slightly hidden spot is made via a stucco-decorated staircase that successfully imitates clouds or the waves of the sea. I can assure you it is much more interesting in person than in pictures.
The apartments are less grandiose, but nonetheless compelling. If you opt for the tour, you’ll find out about the mirrors or the secret of rosewood in the French apartment. Also, it is here that you’ll walk on one of the best-preserved Roman floors in Italy two thousand years old.
Insider tip!: The Biscari Museum was the third public museum in the world after the opening of the Capitoline Museums and the Vatican.
Ceremonies and film location
Biscari Palace makes an exquisite film location. It is the ballroom that the palace borrowed to the new Netflix series, a remake after the old movie and book, The Leopard (Il Gattopardo).
The palazzo hosts fashion shows, ceremonies, and is a luxury wedding set. With a liking for arts and music, boasting magnificent acoustics, the place is an ideal venue for chamber music, but not only. Coldplay shot one of their videos there, while Mick Jagger, a friend of the family, had the opportunity to play in the famous hidden balcony.
Have you been to Palazzo Biscari before? How did you like it? Do you have any further visiting tips or suggestions? I look forward to reading your experiences!
