Florio
Florio is the surname of a prominent
Sicilian family who started many lucrative activities involving above all the exportation of Sicilian products (such as
Marsala wine) in the nineteenth century.
Founded in
Marsala 1832 by
Vincenzo Florio, the Florio winery has been in continous Marsala wine production since then
[Sicilian wines]. The winery carries the emblem of a lion.
In
1906, they created the
Targa Florio, one of the oldest car races in the world. The first Targa Florio covered 277 miles through multiple hairpin curves on treacherous mountain roads where severe changes in climate frequently occurred and racers even faced bandits. Passing through many small villages, fans lined up along the roads with no protection from the race cars. The race was suspended in
1978 because of safety concerns. The race continues today with a different circuit as a minor racing event.
