Suite Privileges Terms

• Pool Suite
• Mimosa Suite
• Peonia Suite
• Acacia Suite

Sicily's Emerging Blue Zone: a new longevity programme at Verdura Resort

The new wellness immersion is connected geographically and culturally to a region recognised for supporting healthy ageing

Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel, has announced a new Longevity Programme at its award-winning Irene Forte Spa, inspired by remarkable scientific research revealing a longevity hotspot in Sicily's Sicani Mountains.

The small mountain community of Caltabellotta has been identified as an emerging Blue Zone by Professor Gianni Pes, a pioneer of Blue Zone research, together with leading biogerontologist Professor Calogero Caruso. This latest paper is the result of nearly two decades of investigation across Sicily, with a year spent focusing specifically on Caltabellotta. The research, assisted by Verdura Resort, reveals the town's extraordinary demographics as an emerging Blue Zone and attributes the remarkable vitality of its inhabitants to a way of life that balances tradition with natural abundance.

“We had long suspected something unique was happening in Sicily's mountain towns,” says Professor Pes. “Caltabellotta stood out, not only in the data, but in its deeply rooted traditions, diet, and way of life.”

Drawing on these findings and her own long-standing and personal ties to this community just 22 km from Verdura Resort, Irene Forte – an honorary citizen of Caltabellotta – has created a way to connect guests with the region's rare natural rhythms and lifestyle practices.

Irene Forte comments, “I've been visiting this town for over a decade. I love it so much that I chose to get married here, and I'm proud to be an honorary citizen. To now see it recognised through such rigorous science is deeply moving. It confirms what we've always felt in our bones - this place has something special and is one of the reasons why Irene Forte Skincare is deeply rooted in Sicily.”

Mediterranean rituals enhanced with modern science

Irene Forte Skincare captures the essence of the region in what has become known as the Mediterranean Diet for the Skin. Backed by 40 years of scientific research, the natural formulas support long-term skin health with high quality Mediterranean ingredients.

Building on this philosophy, the Longevity Programme integrates the latest diagnostics, including blood panels, Vega food sensitivity testing, and Wellness Age™ evaluations, with time-honoured Sicilian traditions. Soil-to-table produce, natural therapies, gentle movement in nature, and results-orientated Irene Forte Skincare treatments are all designed to boost vitality as part of a preventative approach.

A signature trek through the Sicani hills, followed by a traditional lunch, introduces guests to the very landscape now recognised for its contribution to healthy ageing. These insights can be integrated into making positive lifestyle changes once home.

Caltabellotta, adds Professor Caruso, is a true natural laboratory for longevity, offering compelling evidence of how environmental factors, diet, stress levels, and lifestyle habits can profoundly shape the aging process. While genetic predisposition plays a role, it is ultimately our lifestyle, the environment we live in, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the quality of our social connections that most influence our long-term health.

Nourish to flourish: a Sicilian culinary philosophy

When designing the menus, celebrated chef and Creative Director of Food Fulvio Pierangelini worked with clinical nutritionist Giancarlo Giammarresi. Together, they crafted Nourish menus that are nutritionally balanced and brimming with home-grown produce, designed to re-educate the body to crave what truly nourishes it.

Guided, held and personalised

Guests are supported throughout their stay, from their initial consultations to simple tools to continue their wellness journey:

Blood panel analysis and Wellness Age™ check: tailored insights to optimise the programme benefits.

Personalised nutrition plans and Vega food sensitivity testing with Mediterranean-inspired cuisine aligned to individual needs.

3D skin analysis and bespoke Irene Forte Skincare facials: enhancing skin health and radiance.

Movement through personalised and group sessions: improving strength and mood through mindful activity and fitness classes.

Guided trek through the Sicani Mountains with traditional longevity lunch: connecting guests to natural rhythms and traditions.

Thalassotherapy with pool access and restorative spa treatments: promoting relaxation, circulation, and emotional balance.

Final wellness review and take-home advice from the resort's expert team: empowering guests with achievable practices.

Each element works in harmony to enhance physical health, mental focus, and emotional wellbeing, offering guests a meaningful reset they can carry into everyday life.

Verdura Resort Enhances Golf Experience with New Clubhouse & Earns Award for Landscape and Biodiversity Protection

Rocco Forte Hotels continues to grow in Agrigento with a new clubhouse and wins prestigious award for commitment to protection of landscape and biodiversity from the Italian Golf Federation.

July 2025: Sicily’s Verdura Resort has unveiled a new clubhouse positioned between its two championship golf courses, strengthening its status as one of Europe’s leading luxury golf destinations.

Positioned between the resort’s award-winning West Shore and East Links courses, the clubhouse brings together classic architecture, refined finishes and contemporary functionality offering golfers a space to relax, recharge and reconnect.

Curated by award-winning architects Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen, the designers have used the heritage of traditional golf clubhouses as the inspiration to pay tribute to the game’s roots. Inside vintage golf posters, curated memorabilia, and golf-inspired design elements such as ball-shaped furnishings and rich wood panelling, creating a space that blends classic elegance with distinctive character. Deep green tones, plush leather seating and mosaic flooring enhance the refined, welcoming atmosphere.

At the heart of the new clubhouse is the club lounge and bar, situated directly beside the 18th hole of the West Shore course. Opening into a panoramic terrace, appointed with sofas and lounge seating, the space provides a setting for players to enjoy a post-round drink whilst enjoying uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean Sea and the verdant fairways. Inside, the atmosphere is refined: a large screen broadcasts major international tournaments and sporting events, while the bar features a curated selection of fine wines, premium spirits and local craft beers.

The clubhouse features a premium golf shop stocked with top-tier apparel, equipment and accessories from a collection of golf’s most prestigious brands. In addition, the venue is also set to host a variety of social events – from casual gatherings to competition prize-giving ceremonies and private celebrations.

Sir Rocco Forte, a passionate golfer himself, commented: “Verdura is a golfer’s paradise with two 18-hole spectacular championship courses, superb practice facilities and a nine-hole course. When we built Verdura, the vision was to create the best golf resort in Europe. The new clubhouse is a sensational addition to the top-notch hospitality we offer, the friendly staff, excellent food and high-quality service — all essential to the golfer’s experience. I’m very proud of the new clubhouse, it creates connections for all our guests and I look forward to being able to spend some time there.”

The clubhouse is the latest in a series of significant golf and resort enhancements to be unveiled by Verdura Resort. Over the past year, both courses – which were designed by acclaimed architect Kyle Phillips – have benefitted from a major upgrade, including the installation of a sustainable new irrigation system. Meanwhile, the resort’s golf academy has been expanded and fitted with the latest swing analysis and club-fitting technology – part of a wider multi-million-euro investment in Verdura’s golf facilities.

Verdura Resort continues to elevate its golf experience while honoring its commitment to preserving the natural landscape and historic heritage of its unique location. In recognition of this dedication, the President of the Italian Golf Federation, Cristiano Cerchiai, presented the award of commitment to the protection of the landscape and biodiversity to Donato Di Ponziano, Verdura Resort’s Golf Development Manager.

"What we are doing to preserve nature, the landscape and its historical riches reflects Sir Rocco Forte's vision and dedication of our close-knit team. We will continue this commitment and thank the Federation for recognising our work”.

Verdura Resort Wins Top European Honor at World Golf Awards

Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel, has been named Europe’s Best Golf Hotel at the 2025 World Golf Awards, confirming its reputation as one of the continent’s leading destinations for golf and hospitality

Now in its twelfth year, the World Golf Awards recognize excellence across the global golf tourism industry, honoring destinations, resorts and courses that set the standard for quality and service. Part of the World Travel Awards program, they are widely regarded as among the most respected distinctions in international golf hospitality.

Located on Sicily’s southern coast, Verdura Resort brings together exceptional sporting facilities, understated design and thoughtful service. Conceived by Sir Rocco Forte and designed by Olga Polizzi, the resort’s architecture was created to blend with the surrounding landscape, using natural materials and low-lying buildings that frame views of the Mediterranean.

Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels said: "This prestigious award recognizes the exceptional dedication of our team, which consistently strives to deliver a high-performing course for our members and guests. Our commitment to excellence leads us to create golf experiences that are both high-end and deeply immersed in the destination. At Verdura, that philosophy is reflected in everything we do".

Set across 230 hectares of olive groves and coastline, Verdura features 203 rooms and suites, each with private terraces overlooking the sea, alongside 20 Rocco Forte Private Villas. Facilities include two championship 18-hole courses and a nine-hole par-three course designed by Kyle Phillips, seven restaurants and four bars, a private beach, tennis and padel courts.

Verdura’s East Links and West Shore courses continue to attract golfers from around the world, recognized for their conditioning, playability and coastal views. Supported by a modern golf academy and Italy’s only European Tour-approved Performance Institute, they provide an experience that matches the quality of the resort’s other facilities.

At the heart of the resort’s lifestyle amenities is the Irene Forte Spa, a relaxing retreat offering thalassotherapy pools, a 25-metre indoor pool, Finnish sauna, hammam, state-of-the-art fitness studio and outdoor relaxation areas surrounded by Sicilian flora. Treatments draw on organic ingredients grown locally and are complemented by a full calendar of fitness and wellness classes.

Dining at Verdura reflects Sicily’s culinary heritage. Zagara offers elegant regional dishes using seasonal ingredients, Liolà provides a relaxed trattoria setting and Amare serves freshly caught seafood within touching distance of the Mediterranean. Guests can also enjoy lighter options at the Clubhouse or visit one of the resort’s well-appointed bars.

For guests wishing to make the most of the facilities, Verdura Resort’s Unlimited Golf and Family Golf packages provide tailored opportunities for every type of player, alongside access to practice facilities, coaching programs and the wider resort experience. For the first time, Verdura Resort will open its golf facilities for a special winter season, welcoming players on weekends throughout the winter (excluding the festive period), before the resort. Golfers will have access to the championship courses, Pro Shop, Clubhouse Lounge and private or group lessons with Verdura’s professional coaches.

Verdura Resort launches six figures golf investment plan

Rocco Forte Hotels’ Sicilian paradise, Verdura Resort has announced a six-figure investment plan for the 2024 season, designed to enrich the facilities of one of Europe's finest golf courses. Golfers can now benefit from the major remodeling of fairway surfaces, greens and bunkers on both the East and West Courses, with technical consultation from golf architect extraordinaire Kyle Phillips. Thanks to a renewed irrigation system, improvements have also been made in sustainability and environmental care, offering the ultimate luxury experience to guests. 

Passionate golfers looking to refine their swing can now take advantage of an indoor driving range space and a Performance Center equipped with the latest computerised tools, including Trackman, V1 Swing Analysis Software, 3D Balance Force plates, 3D Biomechanical Analysis, and Sam Putt Lab Analysis. Additionally, a modern club fitting laboratory allows players to utilise our expert golf professionals to fine-tune their equipment and receive valuable insights on maximising distance and perfecting shot direction.

For navigation around the greens, which are complemented by spectacular Mediterranean sunsets at the resort, players can now enjoy a new fleet of golf carts equipped with GPS systems starting this season. There are also exciting new additions to the shopping experience, with the Pro Shop featuring an increasing number of international brands. Born in 1995, Chiara Toniatti boasts an illustrious international career as a greenkeeper, she is among the few women worldwide who have chosen this professional path, and joins the golf team at Verdura Resort from the 2024 season. 

Sir Rocco Forte enthusiastically spoke about the golfing innovations of 2024:  “In the past 15 years, since the opening of Verdura Resort, Golf has always been a pillar of the Resort. Year after year, both the venue and golf courses contributed to the creation of a destination, also thanks to the larger number of passionate golfers. Our commitment grew accordingly over the years, through our improvements and investments, always seeking to offer the best in hospitality and sport.”

Suites & Beyond

Suites & Beyond is a new programme created exclusively for suite guests. It combines highly personalised service, privileged access to authentic experiences, and beautifully designed spaces that reflect the warmth of family-led hospitality and extraordinary character of each destination. Guided by individuality and care, Suites & Beyond creates special moments, hosted with generosity, making every stay truly memorable. 

THE SICILIAN ODYSSEY, A MEDITERRANEAN ITINERARY

To celebrate the return of history’s most legendary traveller to the big screen, Rocco Forte Hotels launches The Sicilian Odyssey, a new itinerary through dramatic nature reserves, ancient archaeological sites, and sweeping coastal landscapes connected to Homer’s epic and Sicily’s cinematic appeal.

Created exclusively for guests of Villa Igiea and Verdura Resort, The Sicilian Odyssey draws inspiration from Homer’s epic tale and the Sicilian landscapes associated with Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming film, arriving in cinemas this July. The itinerary offers three distinctive ways to discover Sicily’s mythology, cinematic scenery and extraordinary natural beauty: 

 The first stop is the island of Mothia, set within the Stagnone Nature Reserve and long associated with Sicily’s ancient Mediterranean history. Following a leisurely walk through surrounding Grillo vineyards, guests visit the Whitaker Museum, home to the celebrated Ephebe of Mothia, a remarkable 5th century BC sculpture, before savouring Sicilian specialities such as couscous and caponata in a secluded garden setting. 

The second chapter of the journey is the Zingaro Nature Reserve, reached via a two-hour yacht cruise from either Villa Igiea or Verdura Resort. Sailing along Sicily’s dramatic coastline, guests pass towering sea stacks, rugged cliffs and legendary sea caves before dropping anchor in secluded bays for a swim in crystal-clear waters. 

The final stop is the island of Favignana, whose rugged coastline and turquoise coves have made it a compelling setting for cinematic interpretations of the Mediterranean. Highlights include Cala Rossa, Cala Rotonda, Cala Azzurra and Cala del Bue Marino, alongside the town’s charming harbour and the historic Tonnara Florio, a powerful testament to the island’s centuries-old tuna fishing traditions and the legacy of Vincenzo Florio, who established Favignana as a leading centre of tuna production in the 19th century. 

 Offering an immersive exploration of Sicily’s mythology, landscapes and cultural heritage, the three stops invite guests to experience the Mediterranean through the lens of Rocco Forte Hotels and the warmth of Sicilian hospitality. The journey continues at Villa Igiea and Verdura Resort, where a photographic exhibition featuring a selection of striking images from the film set, courtesy of Universal Pictures, provides a captivating finale to the experience. 

SICILIAN ODYSSEY is available exclusively to guests of Villa Igiea and Verdura Resort and can be tailored to include one, two or all three experiences.