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San Marco castle was designed by the architect Domenico Cirrincione for the Lanza Filingeri family (the Princes of Mirto) and built in 1673. The structure encompasses an artillery tower dating back to the XVI century and it used to be the summer residence of the Mirto princes, the same owners of Palazzo Mirto in Palermo, now owned by the Sicilian Region.
During the Second World War, the castle hosted a cousin of the owners, the celebrated writer Tomasi di Lampedusa – the author of the famous historical novel “The Leopard”.
It is currently inhabited by the Camerata di Casalgismondo family, the Lanza Filigeri’s descendant.

The monumental-looking building features a façade with a large double-flight staircase, that runs around the entrance arches, and it is surrounded by a typical Sicilian park.

The gardens

A multitude of Mediterranean species grows in the gardens. The two main green areas are called “la Floretta” and “la Fruttiera”.

The “Floretta” is an evocative informal garden, full of benches and stone basins among shrubs, trees, vines and perennial plants such as laurustine (Viburnum tinus), red valerian (Anthyllis barba-jovis), Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), Spanish broom (Spartium junceum), Japanese cheesewood (Pittosporum tobira), thujas (Thuja occidentalis), pistachio (Pistacia vera), trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), and jade plant (Crassula portulacacea).

The “Fruttiera”, as the name implies, mainly hosts fruit trees, including figs (Ficus carica), almond trees (Prunus dulcis), banana trees (Musa paradisiaca), many citrus plants, centuries-old olive trees (Olea europea), Ceiba speciosa (formerly called Chorisia speciosa), Peruvian pepper trees (Schinus molle), bougainvillea, a large specimen of myrtle (Myrtus communis), and two gigantic Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis).

The peculiar garden hedges are made of asparagus (Asparagus spp.), a typical plant of many Sicilian gardens. Another interesting feature is the irrigation system: it consists of special canals – called “saie”, and old wells.

Beyond the villa, there are two residential abodes of the same size, which can accommodate up to six people.

Worth visiting nearby

The Natural Reserve of Monte Catalfano (five minutes-far, by car), the ruins of Solunto (a Punic-Roman city less than 2 miles away), the XVIII century villas of the Palermo nobles in Santa Flavia and Bagheria.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)