Just outside Balestrate, near Palermo, you take an exit off the highway and head inland. You barely drive a kilometer before getting lost—not because it’s Sicily, but because the only turn into this village looks more like an entrance to a field. If you don’t get discouraged and keep going another kilometer or two, you’ll arrive in Borgo Parrini, the smallest and most colorful village in all of Sicily.
Borgo Parrini: A Hidden Gem
At the beginning of the 2000s, the village was mostly abandoned. But local entrepreneur Giuseppe Gaglio began renovating it, drawing inspiration from the Spanish artist Antoni Gaudí and other Mediterranean styles.
Today, Borgo Parrini is a hidden gem that attracts photographers, artists, and travelers looking for something off the beaten path. The walls are adorned with intricate mosaics, colorful tiles, and abstract shapes, giving the village a unique, dreamlike atmosphere.
Antonio Gaudí’s Influence
Gaudí, the Catalan architect from Spain, is known for his unique and imaginative style that blended nature, religion, and modernism. He never lived to see his greatest masterpiece completed—La Sagrada Família in Barcelona is still under construction today.
If you’ve visited Barcelona, you’ll recognize his signature style in Park Güell, Casa Batlló, or Casa Milà. It’s immediately clear where Borgo Parrini found its inspiration.
A Village That Feels Like an Art Gallery
Borgo Parrini is a vibrant, almost surreal Sicilian village, home to only a handful of residents. Yet, every day, it buzzes with life and architecture inspired by Gaudí.
With just two or three streets, the entire village feels like a living art gallery, a movie set with bright murals, whimsical buildings, and artistic energy.
Coffee in a Mini Park
As we stroll through the village, we pass a tiny café with a “mini-park” that might be smaller than a bedroom. Every inch of space is meticulously used.
A friendly woman invites us to sit down. For a small fee, you can enter most of the buildings—yes, people actually live in them. A few meters away, a man calls out, advertising a puppet show. He promises that if we stay for half an hour, he’ll let us sample some Sicilian wine. That’s an offer we can’t refuse.
A Must-See Hidden Treasure
How to describe Borgo Parrini? Unexpected, artistic, and packed with personality. It’s a must-see attraction, just minutes off the highway and a short drive from Palermo, yet most tourists have never heard of it.
This isn’t Agrigento, Enna, Corleone, or even Taormina. It’s a concentrated piece of Barcelona and Gaudí’s spirit, hidden in a forgotten Sicilian village.
A few years ago, the government was selling houses here for just one euro. And yet, it will captivate you.
