LA DOLCE VITA

Italian architect Andrea Perras exquisite palazzo near Mount Etna has burst back into vibrant life thanks to his expert care and restoration

- ANA FERNANDEZ DE CORDOBA CENDRA

'WE THROW THE KIND OF PARTIES NOBLES DID IN THE OLD DAYS'

When Andrea Perra first set eyes on his magnificent palazzo near Mount Etna, it was - like the volcano itself - "sleeping, waiting to be awakened." That was two decades ago, and thanks to his passion for interiors, the baroque beauty in Catania has burst back to life.

Restoring it was no small project, as the architect admits. "Maybe it's because I was born near Etna that I'm enthusiastic and overflowing with energy," he says, laughing, as he guides us through exquisite salons filled with frescoes and shimmering candelabras.

Although Andrea lives between Sicily and Paris, his heart never leaves this Mediterranean island, where he can trace his family back to 1400. It was his parents, both art collectors, who nurtured his esthetic sense, while his maternal grandparents sparked a love of la dolce vita. "Life should be lived as a party," he says.

Here, accompanied by his fiancée, Carla Travierso, and niece Beatrice Floridia, Andrea gives us a tour of his spectacular home and shares precious family memories.

Andrea, how did you find this house?