Villa SANT`ISODORO DE CORDOVA in ASPRA

It's wonderful that there's still so much to discover in the immediate vicinity of Casa America! We've often driven past the Villa Sant'Isodoro de Cordova, which presents an imposing sight even from afar, nestled amidst the greenery of the surrounding countryside. The villa is located in Aspra, a district of the neighboring town of Bagheria, situated on the coast and, like Porticello, steeped in fishing tradition.

Because rain was forecast for the first few days of our trip with our extended family in April 2026, we researched what we could do and came across the possibility of visiting the interior of the Villa Sant'Isodoro in the neighboring town as part of a guided tour. The fact that we ultimately visited the villa in sunshine made it all the more wonderful!

The villa was completed in 1648. For many generations, members and relatives of the de Cordova family lived there. The family came to Sicily during the long period of Spanish rule (1479-1713). At that time, many Spanish noble families received land, titles, and estates in Sicily, while the rest of the Sicilian population was very poor and lived hand to mouth. The last inhabitants of the Villa Sant'Isodoro de Cordova were the three de Cordova siblings: Marchese Filippo and his sisters, Marchese Angelica and Maria Teresa. The name "Sant'Isodor" likely refers to a former monastery in the neighborhood. Saint Isidore is a Spanish patron saint of farmers, agriculture, rain, and harvests.

The ceilings, panels and door frames of the villa are richly decorated with gilded wood, marble and paintings; family portraits and a family tree, among other things, hang on the walls.

The three sisters led glamorous lives, and the women were very interested in fashion—the museum displays some of their textile possessions, including one of the first dresses from the House of Gucci. Unfortunately, all three remained unmarried and childless, so the villa could not pass to family members after the death of Marchesa Maria Teresa de Cordova in 2011. The last resident, Marchesa Maria Teresa, bequeathed the villa to a friend with the request that it be made accessible to the public.

Since 2014, the villa has been open to the public as a museum with guided tours. The family has preserved archives, photos, photographs, furniture, clothing, collections (weapons, cameras, tobacco paraphernalia), and toys over generations and centuries, making the museum truly unique: the objects transport visitors back to aristocratic Palermo life from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The bedrooms are also still furnished in their original style – one bedroom with a single bed belonging to Filippo, and right next to it, the bedroom of his sisters, who shared a double bed. The siblings didn't have much privacy from each other, but they did have a villa where all the windows and doors leading to the wraparound terrace with its sea view could be opened (unfortunately, for conservation reasons, they are all permanently closed to block out daylight).

The villa is a testament to former wealth, but unfortunately, like so many villas in Sicily, it suffers from insufficient investment in its upkeep. Several windows of the Villa Sant'Isodoro de Cordova are open, allowing rain to leak in. A few days before our visit, it had rained heavily, and in the dark room of the Marchese Filippo, there were water stains on the ceiling and mold on the wallpaper. This morbid decay lends the villa a certain charm, but one wonders what will become of the historic villa in 50 years if an investor doesn't come forward to renovate it.

Originally, this villa belonged to a large estate – a long avenue led down to the sea, where a carriage stop was located. Citrus fruits, olives, grapes, and peaches were cultivated on the surrounding land and exported to Germany and England. Even today, the villa remains secluded, nestled among citrus trees.

Villa Sant' Isodoro can be visited as part of a guided tour. In our case, with Italian- and German-speaking participants, the Italian text was translated into spoken AI-generated German by a mobile app, which worked well.

Guided tours can be arranged individually through a very friendly contact, for example via WhatsApp. They are offered for groups of five or more, but it's also possible to join a group. The tour costs €10 per person. The villa has an Instagram page and the phone number is +39 3311581081.