History
Radicepura is a horticultural park inspired by the Faro family's dream to make available their own private collection of rare plants, as a result of 50 years of work and research dedicated to preserve the biodiversity, real treasure of this territory.
With this objective, the Radicepura Garden Festival, held since 2017, is the first international event dedicated to promoting the culture of the Mediterranean garden, involving major protagonists of landscaping, art and architecture, as well as designers and scholars. Going through a botanical path that hosts rare species and unique specimens such as the Enchephalartos, a genus of fossil cicadas belonging to the Zamiaceae family, visitors come across permanent installations and gardens projected and realized by François Abelanet, Paolo Pejrone, Michel Péna, Antonio Perazzi and Andy Sturgeon, in dialogue with works by contemporary artists such as Emilio Isgrò, Alfio Bonanno and Adrian Paci.
The park is located under the shadow of Etna where the fertile soil has allowed the proliferation of more than 3,000 species, making a total of 5,000 plant varieties. The park with a capacity of 5 hectares, is self-sufficient for its energy and water supplies. The park is embellished by the “Palace”, seat of the Radicepura foundation, and the “Palmento”, jewel of industrial archaeology, where the wine of Etna was produced and set for the film “The Godfather II”. The “Greenhouse” houses several tropical plants including a specimen of Ravenala madagascariensis and a Cyathea australis.
