The Castle of Donnafugata

A labyrinth of charm and beauty

Tall and imposing, the Donnafugata Castle dominates the Hyblean highlands. Its view suddenly offers itself to the visitor. Traveling through the typical landscape of the Baroque Land, with its calmness, among farms and grazing cows, turning your gaze toward countryside outlined by dry stone walls, it imposes itself elegantly to offer a majestic spectacle. To access theancient manor house, one must cross a long avenue populated by lively locals. The aristocratic residence, among the most imposing in Sicily, is a treasure chest containing splendid jewels, such as the castle, park, and museum. About 15 kilometers away from Ragusa, the structure, first owned by the Chiaramonte family, passed to the Arezzo de Spuches family in the mid-17th century. The white building is on three levels, in neo-Gothic style, and covers a very large area, over 7500 square meters. The splendid and rich aristocratic rooms, as many as 122, leave room for dreams and invite one to imagine rich banquets and festive evenings. The mansion, a popular tourist destination, has also been an important film set for several productions, such as the TV drama “Il commissario Montalbano,” or the films “Viceroy” by Roberto Faenza, “Kaos” by the Taviani brothers and “Il racconto dei racconti” by Matteo Garrone.

A walk in the lush Park of the Castle, a historic garden that covers about eight hectares and comes in three different types: the informal English garden, the formal French garden, and the rustic orchard-garden, once used for the cultivation of aromatic plants and beekeeping, a treasure trove of about 1,500 plant species. The park contains not only a striking and distinctive chapel but also a unique stone structure, a labyrinth into which you can wander.

Other advice: don’t miss the sunset view. The warm lights of the sun’s rays breaking over the landscape offer an unparalleled spectacle from here

Tour Guides


Giulia Giaquinta
+39 339 7101474
giugiaqui@gmail.com
Languages: Italian, English, French

Marco Palermo
+39 320 2199836 –
marco.palermo50@hotmail.com
Languages: Italian, English, Spanish

Salvatore Pisani
+39 338 3302260 –
sandywind@tiscali.it
Languages: Italian, English, French

Elena Romano
+39 3338138876 –
elenaromano4@virgilio.it Languages: Italian, English, French

Roberto Sammito
350 0959576 –
www.visitvigata.com
info@visitvigata.com
Languages: Italian and Spanish

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