Rocco Forte’s Retreat In Sicily: Verdura Resort

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Verdura Resort is a five-star haven nestled on Sicily’s southwestern coast with two world-class golf courses.

James Hogg

When it comes to choosing a destination for his own family holiday, Sir Rocco Forte, Executive Chairman of London-based luxury hotel company, Rocco Forte Hotels, can certainly go anywhere in the world he desires. Yet each summer, he returns to the same cherished place: Verdura Resort, a five-star haven nestled on Sicily’s southwestern coast. Accompanied by his wife, children (all of whom are involved in the business), and their families, Forte finds both joy and rejuvenation at the resort he personally envisioned—and brought to life.

Verdura Resort Reflects Its Sicilian Location

Tucked away on the coast of Sciacca, approximately 80 miles from Palermo, Verdura Resort stands out as one of the few properties in the Rocco Forte Hotels collection that was designed and developed entirely from the ground up by the Rocco Forte team. Every detail reflects company’s signature blend of classic elegance, contemporary style and impeccable attention to detail.

Verdura is a serene waterfront sanctuary on the Mediterranean amidst 230 hectares of land dotted with olive groves and citrus orchards. The fragrant scent of orange blossom fills the air. Automobiles are not used on the property as guests either rent a golf cart or use a complimentary bicycle to get around the resort.

As with all Rocco Forte properties, Verdura Resort reflects the company’s deep commitment to authenticity and offers something rare: a true sense of immersion in place. Every detail at the resort reflects its Sicilian location. The architecture and design incorporate local materials, textures, and colors.

Cuisine celebrates Sicilian tradition at Verdura’s seven bars and restaurants that showcase seasonal and locally grown produce and regional wines. Most of the staff hail from nearby towns, adding warmth and character to the guest experience. “We pride ourselves on creating properties that are both luxurious and deeply connected to their surroundings,” explains Forte. “At Verdura, that philosophy comes through in everything—from the food to the service to the smallest design touch.”

Verdura Resort: A Mediterranean Masterpiece

While many properties in Sir Rocco’s prestigious portfolio—Hotel de Russie in Rome, Villa Igiea in Palermo, Brown’s Hotel in London, The Balmoral in Edinburgh, and Hotel Savoy in Florence, to name only a few—are housed in historic and architecturally significant buildings, Verdura is one of the exceptions. A ground-up passion project, it was born entirely of Forte’s ambition to craft a luxury resort that features golf in addition to many other activities and amenities.

“I wanted to build a golf resort in the Mediterranean,” recalls Forte. “There are plenty of world-class golf resorts in the United States, but very few at that level in Europe. So I found a piece of land in Sicily and built one myself.”

Developing Verdura, however, was far from easy but the hotelier was determined to see his vision come to fruition. “This place had a very difficult birth, which started with buying the land,” recalls Forte, who needed to convince 72 different land owners to sell their parcels. Remarkably, they all agreed to sell at the same price. “Once I managed to do that, I thought, all my troubles were over,” he adds. “But then I had to get all of the planning permissions which was not easy.” The project was temporarily paused by an environmental group, adds Forte.

Verdura Resort’s World-Class Golf

Building a world-class golf resort on an island where golf is almost unheard of was no easy task. To make his vision a reality, Forte enlisted famed American golf architect, Carl Philipps to design two 18-hole championship-length courses and a 9-hole par 3 course. Forte had one requirement: the course designs needed to respect the land and its natural beauty.

In order to construct the golf courses, heavy equipment had to be brought from the mainland. Local workers were taught how to build the courses and also how to maintain them. “Everybody had a learning curve because they didn’t know anything about golf beforehand,” says Alessandro Maria Cardini, Golf Manager at Verdura Resort. “There was a double task of having to teach the people how to manage golf and how to understand the golf. It really was an incredible adventure.”

As grass is not native on the island, the courses were seeded with Bermuda grass—selected because it can handle extreme temperatures during the hot Sicilian summers. But while the two courses feature the same types of grass, they are very different and display Phillips’ range of ability, points out Alessandro.

The West Course (also known as the Shore Course) plays wider and longer than the East course. It features expansive fairways and finishes dramatically with five holes (14 through 18) situated alongside the sea.. The East Course, a links course, is more intimate in feel, and winds through inland terrain offering a contrasting experience to the West Course. Both feature Bermuda grass, well-suited to the island’s warm climate, and fast greens with Stimp readings between 10 and 11. Occasionally, wind conditions can make certain pin positions on both courses considerably challenging.

Verdura recently opened a new golf clubhouse complete with a pro shop and lounge where guests can relax after a round. Golf is popular at the resort especially during the cooler months of March, April, May, October and November, with clinics and other programs offered to guests during that time. The summer months of June, July and August are more family-oriented.

The courses are well-regarded and highly ranked by Golf.com, Golf Digest, and Golf World Magazine among others. The resort has hosted professional tournaments including the Sicilian Open and the Rocco Forte Open.

Verdura Resort Is For Guests Of All Ages

In addition to golf, Verdura, which officially opened in 2009, features a wide range of activities and programs for guests of all ages. Its 4,000-square-meter Irene Forte signature spa has eleven treatment rooms, four outdoor thalassotherapy pools of varying sizes, temperatures and salinity levels, an indoor infinity pool, hammams, saunas and a Technogym-outfitted fitness center. The spa features the award-winning Irene Forte skincare line, nutrient-rich natural and organic handmade products inspired by Sicily.

A tennis center features a pro shop, six clay tennis courts, Pickleball and Padel courts. At Verdura’s beach, guests can relax in private cabanas or partake in such water sports as diving, standup paddle boarding, jet surfing and flyboard.

The resort welcomes guests of all ages and features a Kids Club located in its own facility that offers programs geared toward young guests. Here, kids can take cooking classes in a kid-sized kitchen, learn how to do different science experiments in a laboratory or swim in a swimming pool designed just for them. Children up to 12 years of age receive special benefits such as discounts toward food and beverage services.

Verdura’s popular Academies with the Stars are especially popular among guests as it features weekly workshops run by renowned coaches and sporting stars. Guests, both young and old, have the opportunity to enroll in its soccer, basketball, rugby, tennis, Padel, swimming, karate and even rhythmatic gymnastics taught by professionals. For example, Verdura invites Italian football hero Gianluca Zambrotta and a group of professionals to the resort to hold several sessions in which junior players, aged six to fourteen, can build their confidence on and off the pitch with a mixture of games, friendly matches and technical workshops.

Whether it is for a family getaway or a luxurious golfing holiday, Verdura’s combination of natural beauty, world-class golf, unspoiled beaches, crystal blue water, and 300 days of sunshine each year is unsurpassed. It is little wonder this five star resort continues to top the list of Europe’s finest retreats.

Verdura Resort’s Guest Accommodations And Owners Villas

Every one of Verdura’s thoughtfully designed accommodations, including guest rooms and suites, have uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean with many also enjoying views of the golf course. There are a wide variety of suites, including ones with expansive terraces, kitchens and living rooms while a few have a private swimming pool. Every room was recently renovated and offers elegant and comfortable furnishings, with large luxurious bathrooms.

Verdura recently developed expansive three and four bedroom luxury turnkey villas on site that are available for purchase and also for guests to book as rentals. Each villa is exquisitely decorated and features its own swimming pool, full kitchen and laundry room. Owners and guests renting the villas can request that the resort’s concierge service stock refrigerators with specific food and beverages in advance of their arrival. The resort will also provide a private chef, upon advance request, and as well as provide daily housekeeping and all maintenance of the villa. Homeowners have full access to the amenities offered by the resort, including the hotel’s swimming pool, children’s programming tennis courts, spa facilities, fitness center.

Homeowners are given access to the golf courses and the practice facilities throughout the year, including when the resort shuts down during the off-season. Every villa comes with its own golf cart, as cars are not permitted to be driven on the property (nor are they needed onsite). Homeowners can enroll in a rental program in which the resort will handle all aspects of the rental, from maintenance and cleaning, in exchange for a portion of the rental income. Villas are priced from €3,013,500. Interested owners can also choose to build a customized home with four to seven bedrooms.

Getting To Verdura Resort

Located 115 kilometers from Palermo Airport, Verdura is easily accessible yet worlds away from the bustle of city life. It is a place where tradition meets luxury, and where one man’s vision has created a destination now treasured by discerning travelers from around the world.

“Sicily is one of the most beautiful regions in Italy and it has such a unique history,” says Giulio Polegato, General Manager at Verdura. “It offers so much from art to food and wine. But one of its best attributes is the warm character of the people who come from this region. This resort reflects all of these aspects.”

Most guest stays at Verdura Resort are four or five days in length and they prefer to eat most, if not all, meals on the property. Some guests pair a visit to Verdura Resort with a visit at another Rocco Forte hotel, such as the stunning Villa Igiea, a seaside boutique hotel located in a 19^th century palazzo on the Gulf of Palermo and Hotel de Russie, one of the most luxurious and prestigious hotels in Rome that is located between the Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps.

Several airlines offer direct service from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to Palermo’s Falcone Borsellino Airport in Sicily, which is the closest airport to Verdura Resort. Delta Airlines offers seasonal non-stop service between JFK Airport in New York, N.Y. and Palermo.