In a recent Forbes feature, luxury travel writer Carrie Coolidge charts Verdura Resort’s remarkable journey: from an untouched stretch of Sicilian coastline to one of Europe’s leading golf and wellness destinations.
Coolidge opens by noting that for Sir Rocco Forte, Executive Chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, Verdura is not just another property in his celebrated portfolio. Each summer, he and his family return to the resort he personally envisioned and developed — a place where “both joy and rejuvenation” are found on Sicily’s southwest coast.
“I wanted to build a golf resort in the Mediterranean. There are plenty of world-class golf resorts in the United States, but very few at that level in Europe. So I found a piece of land in Sicily and built one myself.” — Sir Rocco Forte, speaking to Forbes
Building Golf Where There Was None
Transforming that ambition into reality was no simple feat. Forte had to acquire land from 72 different owners, overcome planning challenges, and import heavy equipment from the mainland. Golf was virtually unknown in this corner of Sicily, which meant that local workers needed to be trained not only to build the courses but also to understand and maintain them.
Forte, Sir Rocco
"I wanted to build a golf resort in the Mediterranean."
As Verdura’s Golf Manager, Alessandro Maria Cardini, recalls:
“Everybody had a learning curve because they didn’t know anything about golf beforehand. There was a double task of having to teach the people how to manage golf and how to understand the golf. It really was an incredible adventure.” — Alessandro Maria Cardini, speaking to Forbes.
To bring the courses to life, Forte turned to renowned American architect Kyle Phillips. His designs produced two 18-hole championship layouts and a nine-hole par-3 course, all shaped with one guiding principle: the land’s natural beauty must be respected.
Golf by the Sea
The result was a pair of contrasting courses that continue to attract acclaim. The West Course stretches wide toward the Mediterranean, its final five holes running dramatically along the shoreline. The East Course offers a more intimate, links-style journey through inland terrain. Both were seeded with resilient Bermuda grass, creating fast, true greens suited to Sicily’s warm climate.
Verdura has since hosted tournaments including the Sicilian Open and the Rocco Forte Open, and the resort’s reputation continues to grow internationally.
More Than Golf
But as Coolidge observes, Verdura is more than a golfing destination. From the award-winning Irene Forte Spa to its locally rooted cuisine, from family-friendly academies to the serenity of its 230 hectares of olive groves and citrus orchards, the resort embodies what Forte describes as “properties that are both luxurious and deeply connected to their surroundings.”
“At Verdura, that philosophy comes through in everything — from the food to the service to the smallest design touch.” — Sir Rocco Forte, speaking to Forbes.
To experience Verdura’s championship courses and learn more about its green-to-tee golf masterclasses, please contact reservations.verdura@roccofortehotels.com
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