The City of Villas and Taste enchanted international buyers during the Borsa del Turismo Extralberghiero (BTE) held in Palermo from 8 to 10 November. In particular, on 11 November, Bagheria hosted an educational tour dedicated to 25 tour operators from all over Europe and overseas.
The tour began with a visit to Villa Butera, where the buyers were welcomed by Mayor Filippo Maria Tripoli, City Council President Andrea Sciortino, Councillor for Tourism Francesco Gurrado , and the Council, with some city councillors present. Afterwards, they admired the beauty of the Villa dei Mostri, Villa Palagonia, welcomed by the students of the Liceo Artistico Renato Guttuso, who paraded in clothes inspired by the master’s works, made in past years by the high school students themselves.
The tour continued in Aspra, with a visit to the Museo delle Acciughe (Museum of Anchovies) of the Balistreri brothers, an immersion in the local seafaring tradition. Next, the Guttuso Museum in Villa Cattolica opened its doors, offering visitors the opportunity to admire the works of 20th-century master Renato Guttuso accompanied by museum employee Francesca Mineo.
The tour ended with a tasting of typical local products, organised by the Slow Food Condotta of Bagheria chaired by Valerio Barone, with the classic bagherese sfincione of the Conti bakery that together with that of theAntico forno Scaduto were the protagonists of the Associbo tasting stand at the BTE, as well as the culinary delicacies made by the BonaeBonè association, the jams and creams of U’ barunnieddu, the good cunzato bread composed in front of the buyers themselves during a show cooking by Maria Guzzo of Cutìa Cucina e Putia cheeses from the Scianna dairy, concluding with excellent desserts from the Don Gino bar and sipping liqueurs from Amari Siciliani and wines provided by the Duca di Salaparuta winery, and listening to Noemi Di Martino tell the story of 200 years of Duca di Salaparuta, all amidst the decorations from Pina Castronovo ‘s art workshop , lemons from Apo Sicilia and ceramic works by Patrizia Di Piazza, Laura Buzzetta, Maurizio Scianna and Paola Miceli.

‘We are extremely satisfied with the outcome of this tour in Bagheria and the three days in Palermo,’ said Tourism Councillor Francesco Gurrado . ‘Bagheria presented itself to the world as a unique destination, rich in history, art, and traditions. I would like to thank all those who contributed to the realisation of this event, in particular the Pro Loco of Bagheria Genius Loci and the Pro Loco of Aspra, Apo Sicilia, the Slow Food Convivium, Amari Siciliani, U‘ Baruneddu, the Balistreri brothers, the administrator of Villa Palagonia Tommaso Sciortino, the Consulta Giovanile,the artists Di Piazza, Buzzetta, Scianna and Miceli, and the press and tourismoffices.’
The councillor also emphasised the importance of the involvement of the students of the Renato Guttuso art school accompanied by their teachers Giusy Zizzo and Rita Lazzagara: ‘Their participation gave a fresh and original touch to the event, demonstrating how culture and art can be a driving force for the tourist development of the territory.’
In the previous days, Bagheria was also present at BTE with a dedicated stand, where information materials were distributed and promotional videos presented. The aim is to make the city better known and to attract more and more visitors.
The Borsa del Turismo Extralberghiero is a fundamental opportunity to promote Bagheria on an international level,’ concluded councillor Gurrado. ‘We will continue to work hard to consolidate our position on the tourist market and to ensure that more and more people discover the beauty of our city.

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