This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.
10/10 Excellent
Steve F.
18 Sept 2013
A great place to relax & soak up some Sicilian sun
We (4 adults) spent 11 days at this villa and thoroughly enjoyed our time there. It is excellent value for money and in a lovely secluded position. Don't expect 5* luxury, but do expect a nice mix of rustic charm with some modern conveniences (air-con, Wi-Fi, Sat TV). Everything you could ever need is at hand e.g. dressing gowns, spare towels, linen, numerous glassware, candles, sewing kit, even a fishing rod! When we weren't sightseeing we would spend the days lounging on the veranda looking out to the Med. If it got too hot the shady hammock was a welcome retreat. The gardens were packed with fruit trees and we loved picking fresh lemons to use in dinner or drinks. At night the BBQ area was perfect for rustling up some Sicilian cuisine under the stars. Just make sure you have good mosquito repellent...and watch out for the sprinklers coming on at night or you might get an unexpected cold shower!
Our experience of the owners was fantastic from the point of booking right through to our return home. Leo was extremely accommodating and always contactable. Very late one night (Saturday) the power went out, leaving us in complete darkness. I managed to contact Leo and he arranged for an electrician to replace the mains supply cable the following day (Sunday). Fortunately as the outage was so late we were about to go to bed, so despite some minor inconvenience the problem didn't have too much of an impact. It was fixed quickly and didn't reoccur.
The location of the villa is really good for seeing the northwest tip of Sicily. It is about an hour from Palermo airport and less from Trapani airport. The journey is very easy to/from both. You definitely need a car here and be prepared for the rental companies to put a few extra charges on top of what you thought you were paying! Driving in this area can be hair-raising but you soon become used to the narrow winding roads and reckless drivers. Places that are definitely worth a visit include Erice, San Vito Lo Capo, Scopello, Custonaci, Segesta, Castellammare. Also make sure to visit the cave houses in nearby Scurati (Grotta Mangiapane). You can easily visit 2 or more of these places on the same day to save time. Palermo is a busy city and worth seeing, but you'll need a full day.
Overall our holiday was just what we wanted and much of that was due to the villa and location. I would highly recommend staying here if you want to get away from it all and experience the slow pace of life in rural Sicily.