MEMORIES OF SICILY

Contested since 1906, the Targa Florio was held in 2020 despite the difficult times we find ourselves in, and some 100 teams showed up.  There were 50 Ferrari involved in what is one of the most beloved events for drivers, offering them the chance to retrace the same mythical Sicilian roads where champions such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Arturo Merzario and Nino Vaccarella triumphed.

As always, the Tribute not only offered participants a unique driving experience, but was also an opportunity to visit various sites of great historical and artistic value, not to mention a chance to taste the island’s famed cuisine.

On Friday 16 October the first stage departed from Palermo, taking the teams along an enchanting road through the salt pans toward Trapani, then stopped in Marsala, where the Cantine Florio winery hosted a special lunch in the tunnels of tuff stone, above cool, silent vaults where the wine is left to age. In the afternoon the route followed the coast to Mazara del Vallo, then returned to Palermo down the winding roads of the island’s hinterland.

To revitalise them after the day’s exertions the Ferrari fans were welcomed with a dinner in the sumptuous, frescoed salons of the Palazzo Artale Tumminelli. The following day the drivers were all challenged by the historic Targa Florio route, with its tricky ups and downs through the Madonie mountains. There was an unforgettable night waiting for them in Piazza di Monreale, with a dinner in one of the most enchanting places in Sicily in the shadow of the Byzantine cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova.

On Sunday 18th, the traditional award ceremony took place in the gardens of the sixteenth-century Villa Tasca, in the shade of lemon groves and centuries-old trees, interspersed with lush tropical plants – a unique setting and a worthy celebration of yet another memorable Tribute to Targa Florio.