Golf and More: Verdura Resort’s Charms Extend Beyond the Summer

Thanks to its scenic beauty and warm welcome, Sicily is perennially popular with summer tourists seeking seaside rest and relaxation – but, in recent decades, the island has built on its undeniable USPs (remarkable ancient relics, delicious food and wine and year-round warmth) to offer even more. Now, numerous music festivals, cultural and sporting events pepper the calendar, so it’s no wonder that an increasing number of people are choosing to holiday here once summer’s heat has faded.

On the south-western coast of Sicily, a stone's throw from the archaeological sites of Selinunte and Agrigento, Verdura Resort makes the perfect base to embrace all that the island has to offer. And besides its incredible setting, the hotel’s huge variety of sports and activities mean there’s something to do whatever the season.

A Taste of Sicily

It’s impossible to visit Sicily without soaking up the island’s flavours and aromas: the scent of rosemary and orange blossom on the breeze; the delicious softness of warm brioche and the cool hit of granita; the markets full of fish straight from the sea. Verdura Resort’s owner Rocco Forte has always recognised the fundamental role that food plays in the island’s identity and was keen to make the hotel the perfect place to savour Sicilian cooking and wine. 

Under the guidance of the Creative Director of Food Fulvio Pierangelini, the resort’s menus use the freshest ingredients, many of which come from the resort’s organic garden, and draw on the island’s rich culinary heritage. Guests inspired by Sicily’s vibrant flavours can even take cookery lessons during which the secrets of the island’s much-revered grandmothers are revealed. Then there’s the chance to tour local cellars to search out the best vintages.

Precious Family Time

The notion of family is central to Rocco Forte Hotels and Verdura Resort has been the perfect destination for children, parents and grandparents ever since it opened. Always with an eye on the environment and sustainability, Verdura has a vast range of activities and entertainment for guests of any age – one particular highlight being picking produce in Verdura's organic garden with our gardener. The more adventurous can opt for horse riding along the beach or a bike riding through Ancient Greek ruins.

A Golfing Paradise

One of the biggest plus points of our resort is its sports facilities, including our swimming pools, football pitches and tennis courts. Here, children can enrol in sports academies and train with qualified coaches while private lessons are offered for adults.

But there’s one sport that has a particularly special place at Verdura Resort and has contributed to making the resort famous all over the world: golf. Named ‘Best Golf Resort in Italy for 2022’ by Today's Golfer, Verdura hosts two wonderful courses, the East and the West, as well as a nine-hole training course. 

Designed by the American architect Kyle Phillips, these courses are both technically demanding and scenically beautiful, thanks to their position by the sea and empty countryside. These unique characteristics have made them home to prestigious tournaments in the past, including the Sicilian Open and the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open, as well as parts of the European Tour.

However, you don't have to be a pro to play at Verdura. Novices and beginners can learn from PGA qualified instructors. All coaches are certified in the use of the latest technologies for biomechanical analysis, which allow them to adapt training to the specific needs of each student and to quantify their improvements in real time.

Pro-Am Buccellati 2023 at the Verdura Resort

This year, Verdura is once again home to a prestigious golf event. Alongside esteemed jeweller Buccellati of Milan, the resort will host the Pro-Am tournament from the 1st to the 5th of November 2023. It’s the thirteenth tournament of its type for this natural partnership: the Buccellati family, just like the Fortes, has a long entrepreneurial history of creativity and innovation and a deep bond with golf. 

Thirty teams of amateur players, led by professional golfers, will compete on the East and West courses. In addition to their prize money, winners will be rewarded with precious silver shells produced by the jeweller.

The Pro-Am Buccellati is much more than a sports tournament. A series of cultural and food and wine events will frame it, allowing players and the public to find out more about Sicilian culture and everything it has to offer. To make the event even more special, participants will have the opportunity to sample caviar from renowned suppliers and co-sponsor of the tournament Adamas, accompanied by Gin Mare – a spirit that captures the taste of the Mediterranean.