Le Case del Biviere

Greek legend would have it that Hercules wished to honour Demeter by giving her a wonderful gift. While in Sicily, possibly hunting down one of Geryon’s bulls that had, rather incredibly, swum all the way across the Ionian Sea, Hercules knelt in the dust and, with his bare hands, dug an entire lake near the town of Laestrygon where Demeter lived.

Subsequently the town nearby changed name from Leontio to Leontini to its present name Lentini. The lake, originally called Lacus Erculeus, later became known as a “Biviere” from the Arabic vevere, a drinking place for animals.

In 1392 King Martin issued an Edict granting ownership of “il Biviere di Lentini” to the maternal ancestors of Scipione Borghese. It has remained in the family ever since and has undergone considerable change particularly during the last century.

In the 1930s the lake was dried in an attempt to eliminate malaria in the area and, without the presence of fishermen and hunters, the property fell into disrepair. However, thanks to the passion and dedication of the present owner, Maria Carla Borghese, the house was restored and the once again dusty lake transformed into a unique and much visited Mediterranean garden.

Arid soil and stones have given way to fertile, cultivable land and the ancient south-facing lake port is now a charming green area closed in by massive hand-cut boulders that invite guests to the main entrance of "Case del Biviere." The restored piers are now home to an extraordinary collection of plants imported from countries all over the world.

A kaleidoscopic array colors and fragrances greet those who come to spend a few hours or days here, immersed in an oasis of sensorial pleasure and tranquility. It is almost as if the goddess Demeter has returned to make "Case del Biviere" her divine province once more.