Agriturismo Masseria Rossella
Piana degli Albanesi | Palermo | SICILY
Contrada Rossella, km 28,9 s.p.5 90037 Piana degli Albanesi (Palermo)
Farmhouse accommodation
in the hills with
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Welcome to untouched countryside
The history
Once upon a time there was a King, who fleeing for his life from his home town, was in search of a place where he could fulfil his passion for hunting. It was the end of the eighteenth century and the King was King Ferdinand III of Borbone. Fleeing from Naples he chose to settle in Palermo and while looking for a place to build his own hunting lodge, he came across the monumental and impressive Busumbra Rock and was ecstatic. It was by his wish that 30km south of Palermo, at the foot of the Busambra Rock, that an imposing royal lodge was built and 12,000 hectares of wood created where woods had never existed before. The Ficuzza wood is still today the most widespread forested area in western Sicily.
It is well-known that the rulers of Sicily have always been foreigners, and not always very well liked, in particular by the powerful Princes, who tried to take on their role and sometimes showed their annoyance in a rather eccentric way. The Prince of Belmonte, for example, seeing the intentions of the King, bought 7000 hectares of the confining land and built the splendid Masseria Rossella right in front of the royal lodge, beyond the valley. The princely farm estate of the Masseria Rossella was thus born from a “royal” offence!
In the early nineteenth century the Masseria was passed down to the Baron Dara family who, through two centuries of dedication, still run it today with great passion. Today it is an organic agricultural company and an enchanting farm stay. The whole building, now renovated to its former splendour is recognised by the Local Council for Cultural Heritage for its high historic value.
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Services in Agriturismo Masseria Rossella
At Masseria Rossella you can simply listen the birds chattering, enjoy the sun, relax in a hammock in the wood, go for a invigorating walk around the property or have a refreshing swim in the pool. You can enjoy the colours of the sunset with a book in one hand and a drink in the other, or go trekking on the CAI tracks (Club Alpino Italiano) some of which pass through the estate. If you like sports, Masseria Rossella offers a 3 day paragliding course, single jumps or a jump in tandem, if you are a beginner. You can take our mountain bikes, go on a guided trek through the Ficuzza wood and even walk to the top of the Busambra Rock (1600m). You can also do a Sicilian cookery course with the chef. Masseria Rossella offers a tour of the cultural wealth of the surrounding area, wine tasting tours and visits to the the lake of Piana degli Albanesi, a WWF oasis. If you haven't got a car, Masseria Rossella offers a transfer service to and from the airport. You won't have time to do everything.
Finally, you can take home your favourite products form Masseria Rossella: extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, eggplant and artichokes in oil, jam, seasoned cheeses and olives, wine, home-made pasta and soap made from olive oil. You will be surprised by its simple and effective cleaning power and the incomparable velvet effect of the soap, just how our grandmothers used to make it.
The restaurant offers specialities made from home grown produce from the farm, and local and seasonal produce: tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cauliflowers, artichokes and home-made sauce. Ricotta, caciotte and cacio cavallo are all famous cheeses from Piana degli Albanesi. And then there are the desserts, home-made biscuits, and home-made jam of the farm. Also the preserves, olives and freshly picked vegetables, and salami made from our famous black pigs. We have local wines on our wine list and after tasting them you will be pleasantly surprised by their quality and want to visit the vineyards. You will be overwhelmed by the intense flavours of this land.
Where we areIt is said that
Sicily is rather like a dusty old chest full of precious gems, so it would be impossible not to mention the area surrounding
Masseria Rossella. Just under 10 km to the west, clinging to the rock of the same name, is the ancient Greek city of Jato, whose theatre, agora, streets and houses are still perfectly visible. A few kilometres to the south are the Arab thermal baths of Cefalà Diana, to the north the famous Monreale and Palermo and the town of Piana degli Albanesi with its beautiful lake is only 10km away. Piana owes its name to a large group of rich and powerful Greek-Albanian Catholic families, among whom are the ancestors of the present owners of Masseria Rossella, who, fleeing from the Turkish invasion in Greece and Albania at the end of the 15th century, obtained permission from the King to settle in an unreclaimed area of Sicily. They obtained the right to keep their orthodox rites, to host their own bishop (called the Pope), and to cultivate their own language and “Arberesh” culture. This prolific colony founded 5 communities in a 50km area: Piana degli Albanesi, Palazzo Adriano (founded by the Dara family), Santa Cristina Gela, MezzoJuso and Contessa Entellina. You will be surprised when walking around these villages to hear still today this dialect with its ancient foreign roots. Finally, if you are a cinema lover you will be pleased to know that a short distance from the farm you will find unforgettable places in which scenes from films such as The Leopard, Cinema Paradiso and Salvatore Giuliana were filmed.
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Swimming pool
Pets allowed
Local products
Organic products
Credit Cards
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