Mediterranean Coast - Sicily - page 508

and eucalyptus trees, perfect for a picnic. Some 500m from the walls, next to the hospital,
are the ruins of Sicily's only surviving Greek baths (Via Europa;

daily) , which date to the 4th

century BC.

FAVARA: FARM CULTURAL PARK

It's one of the great joys of travel, and indeed life, to come across something so unexpected and mind-bendingly
wonderful in the midst of what appears to be the bleakest of places, that one's ideas of what's possible change en-
tirely.
This is the case with Favara, a town that sits a mere 14km from Agrigento's Valley of the Temples but falls off
any tourist's map. Favara is known mainly for two things: having one of Italy's highest rates of unemployment
and many ugly buildings.
But things changed when, back in 2010, married couple Andrea Bartoli and Favara-born Florinda Saieva
bought several abandoned buildings in the town's dilapidated centre and set up a neighbourhood for art, the fant-
astic Farm Cultural Park ( www.farm-culturalpark.com ; Cortile Bentivegna; 10am-1pm & 4-8pm Tue-Fri,

11am-1pm & 4-10pm Sat & Sun) . The project brought in international artists, media and visitors, and a
whole new breath of life to Favara and its inhabitants - several elderly local women, who had clung to their
homes in the semi-abandoned town centre, now live amongst the exhibition spaces. They are happy to have com-
pany and to once again reside in a neighbourhood that is safe and alive. 'We wanted to do something that would
make Favara a good place for its inhabitants, for our kids. A place where people wanted to live and contribute to',
says Bartoli. 'And art is the best way to bring people together and make something worthwhile.' And indeed,
once you've spent a few hours wandering around the spaces, and talking to Bartoli, Favara is transformed into
one of the most exciting places in Sicily.
The structures that make the farm are areas for exhibitions by international and local artists, and there is a shop,
a little garden bar, and a kitchen that is rented out to groups to host dinner parties. There are cultural events, talks,
screenings, workshops, shows and, of course, exhibitions, going on at all times. Building walls serve as giant
canvases for paintings and sculptures, while courtyards are full of practical installations such as plant-pot chairs
and brick fountains; Farm also holds the world's biggest collection of Terry Richardson's provocative fashion
photography. Everything is beautifully designed, and the energy of innovation and originality simply oozes out of
the space.
Bartoli and Saieva have even managed to incorporate the local castle, the Castello dei Chiaramonte, a largely
unused 13th-century building, into his project, hosting various workshops. The number of young local people
who come to volunteer at the farm rises each year, and many now see a point in remaining in Favara, rather than
looking for work elsewhere. Don't miss this fascinating, inspiring place.
To stay in Favara, try the renovated Belmonte Hotel ( www.belmontehotel.com ; Via Sottotenente Saieva 4-10,
off Piazza Cavour; s €60-70, d €90-110) and its good on-site restaurant, Le Traveggole. Farm Cultural Park has
an entire masseria, FARM ( 093 434 66 00; www.farm-ospitalitadicampagna.it ; 1 week from €600;
) , near the village of Butera, but this is rented out only in its entirety. Still, if you're looking for a gorgeous
place to host a big party, look no further.

Getting There & Around

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