Gates open to Beach Club Insula, a nature-surrounded leisure complex on the sea at Menfi: the latest Planeta Estate-designed venture

An homage to the countryside of Menfi, where the Planeta adventure first took root, Club Insula lies near the Lido Fiori beach, which once again won Italy’s coveted Bandiera Blu flag for its clean, sustainable conditions. The reddish sands of this band of pristine dunes host wild vines, while the native marine vegetation forms a verdant carpet right to the edge of the crystal-clear waters that stretch to the horizon in infinite tones of blue. Walking this tongue of sand, one suddenly comes across nature’s fascinating shows, from the flowering of the sea daffodils to a hatching of loggerhead turtles.

The Insula project has a strong focus on sustainability, expressed in terms of care for the environment, for the local community and its individuals, and for the surrounding terroir, and of an advanced and sensitive business model that the Planeta family has been practicing for almost five centuries.

THE FACILITY

Insula is a living space facing the sea amidst sand dunes and the green embrace of stately poplars and Mediterranean pines, ready to offer guests peaceful leisure in its shaded corners and sun-speckled patches of sand.

Open from morning to sunset to guests of the Wine Resort La Foresteria and to the public upon reservation, this is a place of serene calm where guests can access and enjoy all the exclusive offerings of Planeta-styled hospitality.

A path lined with dense rushes, pines, and sea daffodils leads to the Insula gates, painted in welcoming shades of heavenly blue, that open to reveal an oasis of well-being. Under a shade-giving pine is the Boutique, with a rich selection of Mediterranean craft products and, of course, all of Planeta’s products, as well as an intimate Massage area, where guests can reward themselves moments of utter relaxing.

Farther along the path, one reaches the Restaurant and the Lounge Bar, both totally integrated as components of the area’s seaside vegetation. A large counter, constructed from chestnut staves traditionally utilised on Mount Etna as vine supports and from fallen trees on the estate, provides a view of the open kitchen, domain of Angelo Pumilia, Chef as well of La Foresteria Planeta.

Angelo creates a cuisine showcasing the riches of the local sea as well as products raised in Menfi, along with offerings of the entire Mediterranean basin. It hosts 60 seated guests, with a large group table and other smaller tables set among the shading pines.

The menu, rich in cross-cultural encounters, focuses on locally-raised products and is designed to be shared. The spotlight is on just-caught fish, fresh fruit, citrus, wild herbs, both wild greens and those grown in the estate-owned Gurra gardens, all composing an intriguing gastronomic mosaic.

Angelo’s cuisine is one that is ready-to-serve, sea-rich, and greens-generous, serving up the fresh-caught catch of the day—fish, oysters, sea urchins–, carpaccio, tartares, salads, sandwiches, fruit, and gelato.

Tartares and carpaccios open the menu, including, of course, Plateau Royal, with sauces and greens alongside. Then soft focacce with fresh cheeses, grilled vegetables, salumi and fish alternate on the menu, either as individual dishes or as sides to share. All of Sicily’s brimming cornucopia of vegetables and fruit plays its deserved leading role here, not only in salads, but with supporting roles in rice and vegetarian dishes as well, in gazpachos, marinated vegetables, and crunchy jardinières. And as a finale, guests can select among gelati and granite con brioche, composed not only of fruit but of flowers and aromatic herbs as well: sage, Verdello lemon, elderflower, thyme, or curry plant crème.

Next along the path, a picturesque leisure area among the dunes, just a few steps from the sea, offers guests their own personal spots, with chaise lounges, beach umbrellas, and café tables, as well as beach towels and sandals bearing the Insula logo, inspired by the famous mantle of Roger II de Hauteville, King of Sicily, re-themed with marine elements.

Perfectly fitting in with the surrounding vegetation and landscape are bamboo-walled shower cabins with dressing rooms.  

THE DECOR

Insula is, in effect, a journey into Sicily and the world. Its Mediterranean style, inspired by the culture and tastes of the Planeta family itself, is enriched by exceptional pieces of craftsmanship and artistic design that Francesca Planeta, director of Planeta Estate, has collected on her wide-ranging journeys: chairs, for example, made in Marrakech by a cooperative of Moroccan crafts-women, and furnishings from Italian firms still treasuring local artisanal traditions.

In the words of Francesca Planeta, “Planeta’s appreciation and promotion of Sicily’s natural resources had its beginnings in the vineyards, then progressed to olive cultivation, and on to gastronomic products highlighted in our La Foresteria cuisine. With Insula, that embrace now includes the sea, on one of the most beautiful coastal stretches of the island and of Italy in general, not to mention a place rich in our own family memory. In 2009, in Menfi, we created La Foresteria, a hospitality project constructed with passion and commitment. Now, with the Beach Club, we are opening the doors of our world still further, sharing our many family stores and traditions, through a desire to convey our positive values and share them with our guests, in a spirit of mutual enrichment.”

Starting on Friday, 2 June, through September, Insula is open from 10.00am to 10.30pm. A day reservation includes free parking, wi-fi, showers and dressing room, chaise lounge, beach umbrella, blanket, and beach sandals.

Reservations for lunch or dinner at the Restaurant may be placed by Beach Club guests or by the public.
For information or reservations:
www.planetaestate.it
Reservation@planeta.it
+39 0925 1955460
Menfi in via dei Pioppi – Lido Fiori.