Grand Hotel San Pietro hosts Taormina Cocktail Week

Suspended between the deep blue of the Ionian Sea and the majestic grandeur of Mount Etna, the Grand Hotel San Pietro confirms its position as a benchmark for luxury hospitality in Sicily and the flagship of the Lindbergh Hotels group . Nestled in a lush Mediterranean garden and converted from an elegant early 20th-century noble villa, the hotel has been selected as one of the symbolic locations for the first edition of Taormina Cocktail Week , a widespread event celebrating the art of mixology and the culture of "drinking well" through a multi-sensory journey inspired by the guiding theme: "The Gardens of Taormina."

The highlight of the event is the first edition of the Taormina Cocktail Competition , which will be held on October 3rd on the panoramic terrace of the Belvedere Café , the refined French-style café overlooking the sea that has quickly become the hotel's focal point, thanks also to its elegant furnishings and exclusive lounge offerings.

The competition, which will see some of the most renowned national bartenders compete before an international jury composed of Anthony Poncier , founder of the international Top500 Bars ranking, Lorenzo Mancusi , General Manager of Drink Kong and Nite Kong and Advanced Sommelier CMS, Alfonso Califano , founder of Cinquanta – Spirito Italiano and creator of Amaro Nazionale and Limoncello Nazionale , also includes among the competitors Marco Patanè , bar manager of the Grand Hotel San Pietro, who will present his original creation for the occasion, “Le Follie Trevelyan” , a conceptual cocktail that is at once a sensorial experience, a tribute to local history and a contemporary ritual. Inspired by the Trevelyan Gardens and the figure of the Scottish Florence Trevelyan, the undisputed protagonist of 19th-century Taormina, Le Follie Trevelyan is born from a mix of personal, botanical and historical influences. As Marco Patanè explains: "It's a place I feel is mine, a place that has always inspired me. The cocktail expresses the fusion of Florence's British and Sicilian souls: the English tea ritual, Mediterranean essences, the power of Etna, the colors of the flowers."

The experience begins with a spectacular pre-drink: a lemon foam immersed in liquid nitrogen, sprinkled with sodium citrate and dehydrated lemon peel, designed to prepare the palate.

The cocktail itself follows, served in a teacup to recall the elegance of the Anglo-Saxon afternoon ritual. The recipe calls for Tanqueray Ten, Oleum Saccharum, red fruit soda, roses, and hibiscus, with a cherry velvet reduction.

Next to the cup, a gastronomic garnish consisting of a salty cookie with caper powder dehydrated served on a Taormina lava stone and accompanied by a 15 yo whisky spherification, sweet Moscato, Peychaud's Bitters and cherry reduction.

"I wanted to create a complete experience that takes guests on a journey of flavors, memories, and contrasts: sweet and salty, hot and cold, liquid and solid," Patanè explains.

The Belvedere Café thus confirms itself not only as an ideal setting for signature mixology, but also as an iconic bar within the establishment. As Luigi Bonomo , Food & Beverage Manager, explains: “The Belvedere was created to evoke French cafés, with a relaxed and refined feel. Today, it has become our main bar, recognized by guests as a reference point. Participation in Taormina Cocktail Week celebrates this journey and previews important innovations for the upcoming season.”