Andrew Edwards

Suzanne Edwards

The Grand Hôtel et des Palmes is an icon of Palermo life. Its rooms and public spaces have witnessed the events that have shaped twentieth century Sicily, everything from the suicide of a poet to political intrigues and a clandestine mafia meeting. The hotel has a long and venerable history. It started out as a private residence for the Ingham-Whitakers, the Anglo-Sicilian family of marsala wine fame, before being sold to the hotelier Enrico Ragusa in 1874. Wagner was one of the most eminent early guests, looking for inspiration to finish his last opera, Parsifal. A few days after its completion, a nervous Renoir arrived to paint his portrait. Months later came Guy de Maupassant, who asked to see Wagner's former suite so that he might detect 'a little of his personality'. The novelist and poet, Raymond Roussel, arrived in the 1930s, but was destined to leave in a coffin. Arthur Miller, Sophia Loren and Maria Callas were all guests and when Visconti was filming The Leopard in Sicily, the entire cast – notably Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon – visited the hotel. Lancaster even dined with a Baron who had made the hotel his home for reasons shrouded in mystery. Less illustrious guests have included the occultist Aleister Crowley, Lucky Luciano and other mafiosi. Even Giulio Andreotti, the former Italian Prime Minister, who stood trial for complicity in the murder of a journalist and mafia association in the '90s opted for the hotel's Belle Époque opulence. A richly researched history of this historic hotel, with a cast of characters ranging from the good to the bad and the decidedly ugly.

The History of the Grand Hôtel et des Palmes, Palermo

Ghosts of the Belle Époque

Rising up from the heart of the Mediterranean, Sicily has a rich and ancient history spanning over 2,000 years. A bounty prized by invaders from the Greeks, Romans and Vandals to the Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Sicily's violently beautiful landscapes are haunted by a vibrant mix of cultures and her soil has always been fertile ground for the literary and artistic imagination. This compelling guide uncovers the island's multi-faceted personality through those literary figures who have managed to get under her skin - from Pindar, Cicero and Aeschylus to Shakespeare and Cervantes; DH Lawrence, Coleridge and Oscar Wilde to Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Ezra Pound and Lawrence Durrell; as well as local writers who have defined the modern Italian novel - Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and Leonardo Sciascia. Through their words and lives we witness the beauty, pain and power of the Sicilian cultural landscape and discover how the potent mix of influences on the island's society has been preserved forever in literature.

A Literary Guide for Travellers

Sicily

Murder, music and the mafia in Sicily's Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel et des Palmes is an icon of Palermo life. Its rooms and public spaces have witnessed the events that have shaped twentieth century Sicily, everything from the suicide of poets to political intrigues and clandestine mafia meetings. The hotel has a long and venerable history. It started out as a private residence for the Ingham-Whitakers, the Anglo-Sicilian family of marsala fame, before becoming a hotel in 1876 and a favorite stopover on the Grand Tour. Wagner was one of the first guests to stay, looking for inspiration to finish his last opera, Parsifal. A few days after he completed it, Renoir arrived to paint his portrait in celebration. Next came Guy de Maupassant, who demanded to stay in Wagner's suite to be close to his 'presence'. The novelist and playwright, Raymond Roussel, checked in in the 1930s and checked out a few years later--in a coffin. Arthur Miller, Sophia Loren and Maria Callas were all regular guests and when Visconti was filming The Leopard in Sicily, the entire cast--notably Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon--stayed at the hotel. Less illustrious guests included Aleister Crowley, Lucky Luciano and Giulio Andreotti, the former Italian Prime Minister, who stood trial for murder and mafia associations in the '90s. A richly researched history of this historic hotel, with a cast of characters ranging from the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Suzanne Edwards

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