Palazzo Lanza Tomasi di Lampedusa

Palermo is a very intimate and secret city, hiding many of its beauties. Walking in the historic centre full of contrasts, you come across beautiful squares and opulent restored buildings and in other very decadent and crumbling ones.
To fully understand what the beautiful mansions only suggest with their facades one must enter them.
You will be received by the owners, children of the ‘Leopards’, aristocrats and modern entrepreneurs at the same time.

Brief History

The Lanza Tomasi palace, which faces Palermo’s seafront, was built by the Lanza Branciforte family in the second half of the 17th century atop the Spanish military casemates behind the 16th century city walls.
In 1728 it was leased to the Theatine fathers who created there an Imperial College for the education of young aristocrats. In 1768 the palace was bought by Giuseppe Amato, Prince of Galati, who unified the frontage on the sea in Vanvitelli style, adding the terrace.
In 1849 the palace was bought by Prince Giulio Fabrizio Tomasi di Lampedusa with the indemnity paid by the king of Naples for the expropriation of the island of Lampedusa!
Giulio Fabrizio, an amateur astronomer, would be the model for the main character in “The Leopard”, the novel written by his great-grandchild Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.

In 1862 the rich ship-owners De Pace bought half of the palace and transformed it according to the taste of the period. An imposing marble staircase was created along with a grand ballroom with a walnut and cherry wooden floor.

In 1948 Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, who had lost his family palace in the bombings of 1943, bought the De Pace’s property and lived there until his death in 1957. His adoptive son Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi has unified the whole property and thoroughly restored the building. The furnishings of the ballroom and the writer’s library are mostly from the destroyed Lampedusa palace, the furnishings, pictures and objects of the other rooms are from the Lanza di Mazzarino palace.

Il Palazzo

The beauty and peculiarity of this sea-front building compared to others in the city is its brightness, the sunlight of its rooms opening onto the sea. Today the tireless and polyglot Duchess efficiently manages the Palace.

The Visit

Our customers visit the residential apartments of Palazzo Lanza Tomasi and meet their hosts, Duca and Duchessa Lanza Tomasi.

You will have lunch in the beautiful dining room, among the monumental entrance, the ballroom, the library and then chat to your host on the fragrant, flower-strewn sea-view terrace.

sec. XVIII - Palermo

Excursion:

Private visit for small groups, minimum 6 persons

Transportation:

Private transfers on request 

Period: all year round - reservation is required

Duration: around 1 hour

Quote on request

Including: visit of the Palazzo
received by the Duchess and lunch in the elegant dining room 
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The palace is available to host private dinners and gala evenings.

Guests can experience also a cooking class with the Duchess followed by lunch in the elegant dining room
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Info & reservation

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