I was so thrilled yesterday when I drove past Stand Florio on the SS 113 between Palermo and Bagheria. I had heard rumors of refurbishment somewhere, but when I laid eyes on it, I was so excited. The last time I posted about it was in March 2014. And it looked absolutely terrible. To see it being restored to such glory is so heartwarming! It is a true testament to the Renaissance that Palermo is experiencing.

Some background: Built in 1905, Stand Florio was constructed for the industrious Florio family as a daytime sea-side resort for their friends and associates–members of Palermo’s nouveau riche elite. On its grounds they played soccer/football and water sports and socialized.

Stand Florio was designed by Palermo architect Ernesto Basile who at the turn of the 20th century lead a Neo-Arab-Norman architectural movement celebrating Sicily’s unique stylistic elements; i.e., Stand Florio is a classic example. Read my post from 2014 here.