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Entrance Santa Maria

View from the orange grove

Entrance is through a stone courtyard with a well in the centre. The ground floor is rented to guests while the co-owners and caretakers occupy the upper floor with a separate entrance. The ground floor has its own private walled orange grove with splashing fountain and a terrace for dining under the orange and lemon trees. The villa is enhanced by olive groves, a mature formal garden, a tennis court and a Mediterranean pool garden with gazebo. While Santa Maria is set deep in the country, the sea and the nearest town, Mazara del Vallo are only 3 kilometres away. Mazara, on the very western tip of Sicily, is the major fishing port of Italy and is full of excellent restaurants specialising in fish, not to mention beautiful baroque architecture and a not-to-miss museum displaying the Greek bronze statue of "The dancing satyr". The stunning Greek site of Selinunte is 30 minutes away by car, while Palermo, medieval Erice, and the temples of Segesta and Agrigento are easy day trips.

Pool garden and gazebo

Courtyard with well

 

Prices Currency Conversion

 

Notes on prices
The prices above apply for groups of up to 6 people 2 more people may be accommodated on extra beds.
There is a charge of £100 per extra person per week.
The swimming pool is open from end of May to 26th September. If guests would like to use it outside this period - May or early October - there will be an additional charge.

Changeover day
Renting is usually Saturday to Saturday, but we can be flexible on this outside high and peak season.
Arrival time is after 4 pm and departure time by 10 am.
Again we can be flexible depending on the circumstances.

Accommodation

 

Notes on accommodation
As the property is on the ground floor it is suitable for elderly people or small children. Since access to the pool is only through the courtyard and locked gate, there is no danger of small children escaping to the pool unattended.
Central heating is really only required from December to March. If used it will be charged as an extra cost at €50
per day.

Amenities/Facilities provided

 

Accessibility
The property is easily accessible to wheelchair users.

Outside
Santa Maria is an oasis of peace set in 3 acres of grounds. You enter the property from a driveway lined with lofty date palms and purple bougainvillea. On each side are formal gardens, with a pine grove to the right and the tennis court to the left. Beyond the pine grove is a walk to a 16th century tower built when the villa was threatened by brigands.
The swimming pool, which is for the exclusive use of our guests, is in its own Mediterranean garden of hibiscus, oleander, bougainvillea, lavender and much more. The pool, lined in white mosaic, measures 12 by 6 metres and has steps into the shallow end. There are deck chairs for 8 and shade is provided by the nearby Saracenic olive tree and the vine-covered gazebo. Beyond the pool garden is our olive grove.
The tennis court is shared with the co-owners but is available for guests most of the time. We provide racquets.
The orange grove adjoining the dining room is completely private. There is a portable barbecue for guests' use.

Coast/Beach
The nearest beach is 3 kilometres away, 10 minutes by car. The best beach, Tonnarella, 20 minutes away by car, is over one kilometre long with clean white sand. There are bars, deck chairs, beach brollies and paddle boats for hire in summer.
The coastline to the south is dotted with rocky inlets, ideal for swimming and diving. Further afield there is a wide range of sandy beaches of which the most famous is San Vito Lo Capo. There are windsurfing and kitesurfing facilities half an hour away.

Travel
As Santa Maria is in the depths of the country, a car is essential. Palermo airport is the nearest, about 110 kms, one hour by car, an easy drive by motorway.
Most of the international car rental firms have desks at Palermo airport.
Alitalia runs several flights per day from Heathrow to Palermo, changing planes in Rome or Milan.
Ryanair runs two flights per day from Stansted all year, one at a barbarically early hour, the other at 4.30 pm.
EasyJet flies from Gatwick to Palermo in summer.

Distances
Mazara del Vallo is 3 kilometres away, 10 minutes by car.
Access to the motorway to Palermo is even closer.
The temples of Selinunte, near Castelvetrano are a 30 minute drive away, while it will take you 45 minutes to get to the temple and theatre of Segesta, off the motorway to Palermo.
You can get to the Phoenician island of Mozia in an hour and the medieval hilltop town of Erice in an hour and a half. To reach the magnificent Vale of Temples of Agrigento takes just under 2 hours.

Further details
There is abundant choice of places to eat in Mazara from sophisticated fish restaurants to child-friendly pizzerias. Local specialties are fresh tuna and swordfish, and couscous made with fish broth. The "dolci" available from local pastry shops are to die for. Don't leave Sicily without tasting cassata and cannoli both made with fresh ricotta. Sicilian ice cream has to be the best - after all the Sicilians invented it, didn't they? Try it the Sicilian way - sandwiched in a bun for breakfast. A lemon granita - sherbert ice - is a perfect way to combat the effects of the Sicilian sun in the height of summer- Fish straight out of the sea can be bought from the fish market but supermarkets sell it too. The local butchers are excellent and will make Sicilian sausage - fragrant with fennel seeds - before your eyes or prepare you involtini - beef slices stuffed with savoury breadcrumbs - ready for the barbecue.

Greengrocers and supermarkets sell fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers available according to the season - huge round aubergines in summer, artichokes in winter and broad beans and asparagus in spring for example. But if you don't feel like shopping and cooking, we can arrange a catering service for you. As for wine, the local region produces more than any other in Italy. While we offer our guests 2 courtesy bottles from the Baglio dei Monaci, owned by members of the Manzo family, there is an excellent selection of local wines available at local wineshops at reasonable prices. Marsala is not just a sticky sweet drink. The wineries of Pellegrino and Florio produce high quality dry Marsala and offer wine tastings and guided tours of the factories. Apart from the cultural attractions in Mazara and neighbouring towns, there are good shops in the town centre offering hand made ceramics, local food produce and jewellery. Children will love the street fair held on the promenade in July and early August.

Booking notes
On booking, you will be asked to pay a deposit of 30% into our UK bank account.
The remainder is due 8 weeks before your arrival. We will acknowledge receipt and send you directions.
We do not ask guests for a deposit against damages. One set of linen and one beach towel is provided per person per week. For guests staying over a week we provide a weekly clean without charge. We also offer you a welcome pack for your first breakfast.
We charge €50 per day for use of central heating if used.

Guest comments
A wonderful beginning to the year. Such a fabulous villa in a beautiful setting, the garden ablaze with oranges and clementines. Fantastic visits to temples, not to mention wine tastings. Dinah and John Bentley

We enjoyed a hugely relaxing week here, delighting in the spaciousness and comforts of this lovely house and the tranquillity of the gardens. We also had a great time in the pool. The Middleton family

The house itself is ravishing. First and foremost everything works. It is decorated in a way that lends an air of comfort, of coming home. The bathrooms are a joy and the kitchen is out of this world. Tom Aslanian

The villa is stunning and we have alternated restful days by the beautiful pool with outings to fascinating places: Selinunte and Trapani, Erice etc. and evenings spent wandering around Mazara, where the girls restocked their jewellery boxes at the market. The Pindell family

For booking and further information

 

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This advertiser joined Owners Direct in June 2008,
and has advertised this property with us since June 2008.

Property Ref IT2323
When contacting the owner please mention that you saw this property on Owners Direct Website.

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