The Lions of Sicily

The Florio Family were a prominent entrepreneurial Italian family who started many lucrative activities in Sicily involving the export of Sicilian products, such as Marsala wine, in the nineteenth century. The family extended their interests to shipping, shipbuilding and fisheries, mainly tuna production and preservation.

The historical story of the family, of Calabrian origins from Bagnara Calabra, took place in Palermo between the 19th and 20th century. After a disastrous earthquake destroyed their family home in 1783, Paolo Florio born in 1772 and father to Vincenzo Florio, decided to move to Palermo to start a new life with his wife and young son. He opened in Palermo on Via Materassai a shop selling herbs and spices, colonial products and quinine, which was used to treat malaria. The shop quickly became one of the most prosperous businesses in the city attracting jealousy from fellow business owners who were of true Sicilian descendants and opposed to this new family from Calabria.

When Paolo Florio died in 1807 his son Vincenzo was still too young to succeed him in managing the shop, so his younger brother Ignazio who managed the business took over the ownership. Ignazio was also entrusted with his nephew who he took under his wing and took him the into family business and even sent him on a trip to England under the tutelage of business rival and English friend Ben Ingham, who exceled at exporting Marsala, so that Vincenzo could learn and gain new experiences in England.

Ignazio understood the need to expand the family business beyond the shop and this led the Florio family to infinite wealth. When Ignazio died in 1828 Vincenzo who was only 29 at that time succeeded his uncle in his fathers business.

Vincenzo Florio senior gave impulse to the tuna fishing industry and founded its canned preparation. He was also involved in the sulfur industry and founded a bank.

In 1832 he established a factory for the production of Marsala wine and in 1841 the Oretea foundry. As a ship owner he promoted the development of maritime communication with the continent and built numerous steamers. Vincenzo strived to become part of Sicilian nobility but was not easily accepted or warmly welcomed by aristocratic Sicilians who would never accept him as he was of Calabrian origin and this irked Vincenzo very much and he hoped that he would be able to marry off his son and two daughters to a wife and husbands of noble Sicilian origin.

Over time the family, with the help of Vincenzo’s wife, eventually became leading characters of the Belle Époque period, setting the standard for wearing the most up to date fashion, owning many works of art, boasting only the best in interior design and the dinners and balls they held in their properties became legendary across Palermo and western Sicily. They became public figures with thanks to the relationships they formed with nobility and the entrepreneurs of the British Empire.

Some of the houses they owned in Palermo were Palazzina dei Quattro Pizzi known as Casa Florio in the zone of Arenella and Villino Florio on Via Regina Margherita, also Villa Florio on the island of Favignana. The properties were decorated in an art nouveau style which was popular between 1890 and 1910 during the Belle Époque period. There are many other buildings that the Florio’s can be credited for as well.

Vincenzo senior's son Ignazio Florio considerably developed all other industries founded by his father but in the beginning of the 1900's the family had to face an increasingly deteriorated economic reality in Sicily and suffered failures and closures of many business activities. Eventually the Florio dynasty moved to Rome.

Marsala Wine Production … Vincenzo Florio senior bought up great swathes of land near Marsala and set to making his own vintage wine with exclusive grapes. Florio purchased the Woodhouse business in the late nineteenth century and consolidated the Marsala wine industry. In 1773 English trader John Woodhouse had landed at the port of Marsala and discovered the local wine in the region which was aged in wooden casks and tasted similar to Spanish and Portuguese fortified wines then popular in England. Woodhouse recognised that the 'in perpetuum' process raised the alcohol level and alcoholic taste of this wine whilst also preserving those characteristics during long distance sea travel. Woodhouse further believed that fortified Marsala wine would be popular in England and indeed Marsala proved so successful that Woodhouse returned to Sicily and in 1766 began its mass production. In 1806 it was another Englishman and friend to the Florios, Benjamin Ingham, who opened new markets for Marsala in Europe and the Americas. The Florio Winery in Marsala was founded in 1832 by Vincenzo Florio and it has been in continuous Marsala wine production since then. He was the first Italian producer of Marsala wine which was originally discovered by the British. He built splendid cellars in the tuff rock typical of Sicily in which to produce and preserve the wine. The winery carries the emblem of a lion, hence gaining the family the nickname “The Lions of Sicily”. Today it is a wonderful place to visit and taste the wine.

Tuna Production … The Tonnara of Favignana, officially known as the Ex Stabilimento Florio delle tonnara di Favignana and Formia (Former Florio Tuna Fishery of Favignana and Formica) is located on the island of Favignana which is part of the Egadi Islands off the western cost of Sicily. Vincenzo Florio introduced the use of oil to conserve tuna for shipment in cans. The tonnara was established in 1859 and was in operation until 1977 and was one of the largest tuna fisheries in the Mediterranean. In the early 2000's the tonnara was restored and converted into a museum.

Shipping ... In October 1861, soon after Sicily was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy, Vincenzo Florio senior founded the Societa in Accomandita Piroscafi Postali-Ignazio e Vincenzo Line (Florio Line) with a fleet of nine steamers. In 1881, Ignazio Florio, his son, merged with the Rubattino company in Genova, giving rise to the Navigazione Generale Italiana, which operated a line to New York City. The company also ran to Mediterranean and Black Sea ports, Canada, India, the Far East and South America. At the time of the merger, the Florio Line was already a major company with a monpoly on the trade in the Mediterreanean. The New York Times described the Florio's as the "Merchant Prince's of Europe". The Cantiere navale di Palermo (Palermo Shipyard) was founded in 1897 by Ignazio Florio junior, grandson of Vincenzo Florio but he was forced to sell the shipyard in 1905.

Motor Racing ... In 1906, Vincenzo Florio junior, brother of Ignazio Florio junior and youngest grandson of Vincenzo Florio senior, created the Targa Florio, one of the oldest car races in the world. The first Targa Florio covered 277 miles through multiple hairpin curves on treacherous mountain roads where several changes in climate frequently occurred and racers even faced bandits and irate shepherds. The race passed through many small villages and fans lined up along the roads with no protection from the race cars. Whilst the first races consisted of a whole tour of the island, the track length in the race's last decades were limited to the 72 km (45 mile) of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, which was lapped 11 times around the Madonie Mountain range. The race was suspended in 1978 because of safety concerns. Today, the race continues with a different circuit as a minor racing event each year.

Villa Igiea ... In 1899 the Florio family bought Villa Domville, now known as Villa Igiea, from the English admiral Sir William Domville. Ignazio junior and his wife Franca had planned to convert this grand building into a sanitorium, motivated by their daughters tuberculosis and were inspired by its location in the Aquasanta (Saint Water) region of Palermo, historically known for its restorative properties. However their plans changed and instead they decided to create a luxury hotel worthy of the most stringent international standards attracting illustrious guests such as King Edward VIII of England. In 2019, Villa Igiea was acquired by Rocco Forte Hotels and this grand ex property of the Florio family has been restored preserving its unique heritage.

The Historical Novel ... In 2019, the author Stefania Auci wrote a historical novel about the family The Florios of Sicily ("I Leoni di Sicilia" leoni meaning lions) which was a best seller selling over one million copies and was released in 35 countries. The novel was based on the true story of the family. In the book the Florio's arrive in Sicily, with nothing but the clothes on their backs after the earthquake which destroyed their hometown in Calabria. Against all odds the family begin their new life despite the looming Napoleonic wars and devastating plagues. When Vincenzo senior is spurned by his aristocratic lover, he vows to avenge his honour by becoming the wealthiest man in Italy. Sacrificing love and family, he strives to buy what cannot be his by birth. In some ways the true heroes of the novel are the women of the Florio family, especially his wife Giulia, who only a mistress at first, is fiercely intelligent and runs the family empire from the shadows. In 2021, Stefania Auci released a sequel, The Triumph of the Lions (L'inverno dei Leoni) due to be published in English in March 2024.

The Lions of Sicily ... A streaming series adaption of the novel titled The Lions of Sicily was produced by Disney Plus Italia and directed by Paolo Genovese, starring Michele Riondino as Vincenzo Florio, who most of you know as Young Montalbano and Miriam Leone as Giulia who was born in the province of Catania. For the filming of the series Palermo was transformed into an open air set going back two centuries within the historic centre of the city between Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Bellini, Piazza Villena, Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele. The filming also involved some historic buildings such as Palazzo Comitini, Palazzo Gangi (known for having been used as a location for the filming of Il Gattopardo (The Leopard), a 1963 film by Luchino Visconti), The Norman Palace and Palazzo Alliata di Villafranca, in addition to the Church of Spasimo, Palazzo Mirto and the area of Piazza Sett'Angeli. Some scenes were filmed on the Egadi Island of Favignana at the former Florio tuna factory, in Marsala at the Florio Winery, Trapani at Villa Nasi and also Cefalù which was used for the harbour scenes and as a backdrop for Palermo back in time. Scenes were also filmed on set in Rome.

After the success of the US television series The White Lotus whose second season was set and filmed in Taormina, Noto, Cefalù and Palermo it is now the turn of The Lions of Sicily which promises to attract new tourists to Palermo and the western coastline of Sicily in 2024.

Palermo ... Palermo was used as a location for many scenes of The Lions of Sicily. Palermo is the intriguing Capital City of Sicily. Its history is ancient and interesting. It was the Arabs, describing it as "paradise on earth", who contributed greatly to its glory. Subsequently, with thanks to Norman domination, the city became a rare example of majestic architecture. The Arab-Norman tourist route is not to be missed which includes the Cathedral, the Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel. Today what remains of earlier ages coexists with modern life creating a multicultural city. The city boasts fabulous street food markets which make it a perfect destination for foodies. Palermo can be a great weekend getaway or it is fabulous as a gateway to the rest of the western side of the island and beyond. One of the most notable locations used in the series was Piazza Pretoria. This square is just steps away from the Quattro Canti and more commonly referred to as the square of shame due to the nude statues perched around the edge of the elaborate fountain.

Trapani ... Trapani has been a busy port town since the Phoenicians landed here but gained importance during Spanish rule as the closest port to Spain and it remains a bustling area. I have been told that a visit to Piazza Mercato del Pesce (fish market) in the morning is a must followed by an afternoon in Erice. The Port of Trapani is also the gateway to the stunning Egadi Islands, three hidden gems that are set just off the western coastline. It is also the location for the Florio Winery where the family produced their Marsala wine. The Arabs built more than thirty salt evaporation ponds between Trapani and Marsala in the 15th century which were the largest in Europe at that time. Today the landscape here is still dominated by these salt pans and their windmills that were used to pump the sea water and grind the salt. Unlike other Italian saltworks here much of the work is still done by hand. A salt museum is housed in the three hundred year old Salina di Nubia salt house. The Trapani Saltworks are now a nature reserve and a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reserve. Hundreds of species of birds live here including flamingos, storks and herons who feed on the fish in the basins and lagoons. Whilst the many birds find shelter in the salt flats by far the elegant pink flamingos add charm and colour to this area. The best times to enjoy this bird paradise are during the migratory routes in Spring and late Autumn.

Favignana ... The Egadi Islands also known as 'the islands of the goats' are a group of lush islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the northwest coast not far from the cities of Trapani and Marsala. The magic of these islands is their beaches and transparent waters which are a dream come true. Levanzo, Favignana and Marettimo are about 20 minutes from Trapani by hydrofoil and are great for relaxing on a summers day as there is pretty much nothing here except for the cerulean sea and pristine beaches. The islands are most famous for the mattanza, the ancient Arabic tuna fishing rituals and you will see old tonnaro (tuna factories), including the Florio families, dotted around the islands. These islands are favoured by the Sicilians for summer holidays. Favignana is butterfly shaped and is also known as La Farfalla (the big butterfly of the sea). It is an island that allows you to breathe in the Mediterranean fresh air and forget all your worries. Favignana is dotted with tufa quarries and you can visit the caves and explore the handywork of the old quarrymen.

Cefalù … Further away to the east of Palermo, on Sicily's scenic north coast, the charming town of Cefalù is one of the most popular seaside resorts of the Tyrrhenian coastline. It is listed as one of "The most beautiful towns in Italy" and is part of the Madonie National Park. This small fishing village, now a resort with thanks to its great sandy beaches, lies on a strip of land between the sea and a huge promontory looming above. The modern holiday resorts lie either side of the historic medieval centre which has enticing warren like alleyways that lead to a main piazza that always has a hub bub of activity with chic cafes and a Norman Cathedral which also boasts stunning mosaics inside.

The Lions of Sicily is currently streaming on Disney Plus with an English language voiceover

Coming soon March 2024

Stefania Auci, The Triumph of the Lions

The sequel to The Florios of Sicily

Available to preorder on Amazon

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For Driving Experiences in Sicily I recommend

GTS Grand Tour in Sicily

GTS is the official partner of the Targa Florio

Drive in the footsteps of the Florio family in one of the GTS sports cars driving Sicily's legendary circuits including the Targa Florio Circuit, The Madonie Park Circuit, Etna Race, Oldest Gran Prix Circuit, Inspector Montalbano Circuit, The Godfather Circuit plus many more … Visit www.gtsicily.com for more information

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Links:

Hotel Villa Igiea www.roccofortehotels.com

Casa Florio www.casaflorio.org

Florio Winery www.duca.it

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