The Insula Beach Club reopens. A green drawing room on the sea at Menfi.

Under the auspices of Planeta Estate – the Planeta group’s dedicated hospitality branch – the Club was inaugurated just a year ago and is already a feature on this coast for everyone seeking a retreat on the edge of the sea, with a secluded feel and quiet position among the golden dunes of Lido Fiori, between Porto Palo and Capparrina. With its confirmed Blue Flag and the unspoiled Menfi beach, Insula is an oasis of beauty and tranquillity, a journey to Sicily and within the unique atmosphere which reflects the taste and culture of the Planeta family.

This drawing room facing the sea and embraced by green maritime pine trees, by the poplars and sand dunes, is ready to welcome its guests who can reach relaxing corners and sunny stretches of sand by following a footpath through reeds and delicate sea lilies.

Perfectly integrated within the maritime vegetation typical of the area are Insula’s Restarant and Lounge Bar. Here Chef Salvatore Termine – supervised by Executive Chef Angelo Pumilia, offers a menu of sea and land produce from the Menfi district which shares the cultures deriving from the Mediterranean Sea. To welcome guests are Enrico Migliarelli and Serena Scirè, who have just arrived from London after much experience in Italo-English hospitality, respectively at ‘Sartoria’ and ‘Il Borro Tuscan Bistro’, both in the heart of Mayfair.

There are three different menus, between lunch, aperitif and dinner. At midday the now iconic katsu sando (a re-enactment of the Japanese panino), soft foccaccie made from Sicilian grain to enjoy alone or accompanied, and a varied selection of salads with organic products. A new venture for the dinner menu is couscous; the Insula version includes hard grain Sicilian semolina mixed by hand with almonds and spices, raw and cooked fish, shellfish, fish soup and vegetables. Fish of the day also appears on the menu, served both raw and grilled.

The aperitif menu offers guests at the Club fresh and unique drinks, combining prestigious Planeta and other Mediterranean islands’ wines, cocktails and this year a varied choice of mocktails (well known alcohol-free drinks), refreshing and invigorating.

The boutique sits in the shade of the pine trees where carefully selected Mediterranean products await discovery, such as sustainable bathing costumes by the Venetian brand Lido and accessories by the French brand Les Belles Vagabondes who produce their own fabrics in socially responsible workshops in India. Nearby the massage centre welcomes visitors in an intimate and relaxing atmosphere, where one will find moments of pure relaxation thanks also to the collaboration with Comfort Zone, the Made in Italy B Corp firm sharing Planeta’s sustainable philosophy.

From Friday 5th July the 2024 season takes off and Insula becomes the soul of the holiday spirit for those wishing experience the magic of a Menfi summer. In collaboration with the owners of Ferramenta, the celebrated wine bar and bistro in the historic centre of Palermo, the Beach Club offers its own guests a lively mixture of entertainment and gastronomy. The partnership consists of Chef Salvatore Termine of Insula and Chef Ivan Spitaleri of Ferramenta who will both, with expertise, will offer a selection of dishes, while the art of mixology will be entrusted to bartender Alessio Gioia. To complete the atmosphere, the music of DJ Marcello Leone with his exclusive sets will guarantee a continuous rhythm throughout the evening. The dates to note on your calendar are: Friday 5th July, Friday 2nd August, Friday 30th August and Wednesday 21st September.

From Saturday 1st June until September Insula will be open from 10am until 11pm. A day’s booking will include free access to parking and wi-fi, showers and changing rooms, sunbed and umbrella, towel and flip-flops. Restaurant bookings are for both beach club guests and for visitors.