A press conference was held today at Villa Butera to present Bagheria’s sixth edition of the “Le Vie dei Tesori” Festival, which will enliven the City of Villas for three weekends, from September 20 to October 5, 2025.
The city, home to artists such as Renato Guttuso and director Giuseppe Tornatore, is preparing to reveal its two souls: the noble one of Baroque splendor and the popular one, characterized by industriousness and tradition. The heart of the festival is a journey through its historic villas, symbols of an era of splendor. Speaking at the press conference were Bagheria’s Mayor Filippo Maria Tripoli, Councilor for Culture Daniele Vella, and Agostino D’Amato, Bagheria representative for the Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation. Mayor Tripoli emphasized the importance of this sixth edition, made possible thanks to the valuable collaboration between the Foundation and the municipal administration, and above all the many private individuals who love the city and are committed to showcasing its best side. Councilor Vella outlined the rich cultural program, which includes visits to historic homes such as Villa Palagonia, the famous “Villa dei Mostri” (Villa of Monsters); Villa Cattolica, which houses the Guttuso Museum with works donated by the artist to his city; Villa Butera, the austere “buen retiro” of Prince Giuseppe Branciforti, now owned by the Municipality; Villa Sant’Isidoro de Cordova, one of Bagheria’s most fascinating homes; the Cirrincione-Mineo Historic Residence, a dive into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies with original furnishings and frescoes; and the Castello San Marco LA VIA DEI TESORI (The Way of Treasures) in Santa Flavia, a residence that combines elements of military architecture with those typical of a country villa. And then there’s the Toy Museum, with a collection of around 1600 pieces that tell the story of children’s toys since the 2nd century BC, and the colorful ‘Oasi Blu’, a fairytale house-museum created by Nino Rizzo that displays memories of his travels around the world.
The festival also offers a journey into the area’s economic and folk history: a visit to a historic lemon warehouse, where you can witness the process of preparing the fruit for shipping; the Antica Tonnara di Aspra, where the Minghetti family, arriving from Bologna, has been processing fish for four generations; and the 30-meter-tall Antica Torre dell’Acqua, which has retained its original mechanisms and housed one of the first industrial factories. Director Giuseppe Tornatore filmed some scenes from his film Baaria here.
The program also includes unique experiences: a workshop in the Bottega Ducato, where you can learn to paint an object in the style of the traditional “masciddari”; sailing excursions and guided dives with a “Baptism of the Sea” to explore the seabed of Porticello; and a visit to the Arco Azzurro, a symbol of love and an environmental asset, a rocky monument listed by ISPRA as a geological site of interest. Agostino D’Amato provided practical details on participating in the festival and shared some of the numbers that Le vie dei tesori reaches every year. Bagheria saw over 8,000 visitors in the last edition.
To access the sites and experiences, coupons can be purchased on the official website www.leviedeitesori.com or at the info point located in Villa Cattolica. Coupons are not personal and can be used by multiple people. Please note that the full recording of the press conference is available on the Bagheria Municipality website.
Program:
https://www.bagheriaexperience.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/LA-VIA-DEI-TESORI.pdf