colors, flavors and Sicilian enticement
Where can one find Italian contemporary chic, and slowly relish a glamorous cocktail, served with a smile, in the heart of one of Italy’s most alluring vacation resorts? Discerning travelers looking for a refined atmosphere, authentic Sicilian grace, and a cozy haven to spend a few leisurely hours find their abode at Morgana, Taormina’s exquisite Lounge Bar.
The location itself is no doubt part of Morgana’s unrivalled charisma. Beautifully perched atop a slope above the Ionian Sea, on Sicily’s sun-drenched eastern coast, Taormina has been a fashionable, stylish and bewitching seafront resort and sightseeing destination for centuries. Indeed its dazzling ancient Greek theatre, picturesque town center, lovely cathedral and the gleaming blue Mediterranean sea waters it faces have been luring visitors ever since the legendary Grand Tour. Richard Wagner and Oscar Wilde indulged in its luxury, architecture and views. Guy de Maupassant called it a “corner of paradise where you can find everything that seems to exist on earth to seduce eyes, spirit and imagination”, and DH Lawrence loved it so much he lived here here for over 3 years…
Sought-after, dreamt about and yearly visited by hundreds of pleasure-loving and culture-focused travelers Taormina still manages to harbor an authentic atmosphere, a natural feel, which makes it truly unique.
Among Taormina’s many attractions is the Morgan Lounge Bar, a hip sparkling life- and beauty-filled hub with a vibrant Sicilian flair founded in 2001. Still considered one of the most engaging highlights of the European bar-scene, Morgana was created by the ingenious talent of two young cousins, Christian Sciglio and Guido Spinello, locals with a taste for novelty, design and contemporary culture.
Morgana rises in one of Taormina’s evocative alleys, one of those charming side streets which lead from Corso Umberto I to the sea. Offering al-fresco pleasure in a small dainty flower-filled garden in spring and summer, and exquisite indoor premises year round, this charming hideaway is a refined Sicilian parlor. A seductive, vividly colored treasure chest filled with unexpected jewels, unpredictable features, flavors and aromas.
First and foremost, Christian and Guido pondered, a really cool club needs a fabulously evocative name. Hence Morgana, the powerful sorceress who time and again saved and protected King Arthur throughout the mythical Arthurian legend.
When it first opened, Italian architectural and lifestyle magazines were filled with praise. Its elegance, the colors it wears, the attractive bar counter which looks like a necklace of pearls, and charming wallpaper in varying hues which reflects the light. And then again the plants, which magically climb along the walls, the secret hibiscus garden whose flowers bedeck gloriously fragrant cocktails, and the beaming colors of the couches, chairs and sofas.
Each single work of art, dècor item, fabric, and piece of furniture is customized, crafted exclusively for the Morgana club and designed to fit its style. And the fabulous thing is that the attire, colours and overall look change yearly, with the addition of new details and novel inspiration. It “sheds its skin” as Christian and Guido love to say “to mirror our walk through this life”, following the owners’ whim and inspired by Sicily’s ever-changing landscapes. The result is an enthralling ever-surprising symphony of carefully selected design elements and shimmering details, accompanied by an exciting selection of delectable cocktails, flagship drinks and tantalizing treats. No matter how many times you’ve been, Morgana leaves you breathless every time you go back. Especially if one attends one of the amazing parties thrown to introduce Morgana’s exclusive new look, such as the once-a-year launch of the club’s signature T-shirt, which is always especially tailored by renowned Italian artists and designers
Morgana’s sensational cocktail and drink selection, as well as the finger food which serves to complement it, are signature creations of Christian Sciglio’s genius. Lovingly devised and carefully prepared beverages and morsels. Tantalizing delights which aim to honor and enhance typical Sicilan products and local culinary tradition. Specialties presented with an innovative contemporary twist.
Passionate about flavor, color and taste, Christian is a virtuoso cocktail-inventor who mixes amazing and unusual local specialty produce, creating superb blends which perfectly embody Siciliy’s polychrome attractions, its nuances, style and intensity.
His incredible signature handcrafted Grand Tour Gin, for instance, which features some of Sicily’s premium products – Etna cola apple, Pachino cherry tomato, Salina capers and the nettles from the countryside around Catania – which Christian personally distills and macerates. Thus processed, the different fruits and vegetables gain flavor and melt one into the other, enriching the gin with a uniquely fragrant texture.
Aroma and elegance, mastery and glamour, colors, character and beauty. Morgana is a true Sicilian enchantress, an eloquent and bewitching beacon of contemporary Italian lifestyle.
