Inside the Botanical Garden of the University of Palermo is the Vigna del Gallo “Diego Planeta” , a small but precious space of urban biodiversity that speaks to the richness, tenacity and vision of contemporary Sicilian winemaking.
In 2025, seven years after its inauguration, Vigna del Gallo is increasingly establishing itself as an international tourist destination , attracting travelers, wine tourists, and scholars from around the world. Nestled among the rarest botanical collections and the historic paths of the Garden, this small vineyard, spanning 200 square meters, represents a bridge between nature, culture, and science, between past and future.
“ La Vigna del Gallo embodies the essence of contemporary Sicilian viticulture: a place where roots meet innovation, where the land dialogues with knowledge. It is much more than an urban vineyard: it is a shared project that unites institutions, communities, and research, to narrate the Sicilian identity in an authentic, contemporary way that is open to all ,” declares Camillo Pugliesi , Director of the Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian DOC Wines. “ We cannot imagine the future of Sicilian wine without preserving its memory. Each biotype present in the Vigna is a story we risked losing: an authentic voice of our history and our territory. La Vigna del Gallo, in this sense, is a living, breathing bastion of our identity, a natural archive that makes visible what profoundly ties us to the land .”
The vineyard extends over approximately 200 square meters and is home to 95 biotypes of native and relic grape varieties , including Grillo, Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Perricone, Catarratto, Inzolia, Prunella, Muscaredda, Corinto Bianco, Cutrera, Zuccaratu, and Visparola. This is a priceless genetic and cultural heritage , gathered thanks to the synergy between the Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian DOC Wines, which has always been committed to protecting the island's grape varieties and promoting sustainable and conscious viticulture, the Museum System of the University of Palermo , and the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Sciences (SAAF) .
In addition to its scientific and conservation functions, Vigna del Gallo has over the years assumed an increasingly central role in culture and tourism, becoming part of the Palermo Botanical Garden, one of Italy's most important academic institutions, founded in 1789 and now home to over five thousand plant species from every continent. Vigna del Gallo is therefore not just a scientific experiment or a botanical preserve: it is an experience to be lived . With guided tours, tastings, workshops for schools and tourists, and storytelling opportunities immersed in the greenery, this place has transformed into a model of slow and thoughtful hospitality, perfectly in line with contemporary cultural tourism.
The Urban Vineyard Association (UVA) , the international network that connects urban viticulture experiences in various cities, including Paris, Milan, Vienna, Turin and Adelaide, also recognizes its international value by promoting projects aimed at enhancing the urban agricultural landscape, protecting biodiversity and raising environmental awareness .
From the heart of Palermo, Vigna del Gallo sends a powerful message: Sicily is a true wine continent, extraordinarily rich in biodiversity, knowledge, and visions to share with the world. This message takes shape through a project that unites nature, research, and community in a collaborative and contemporary narrative.
