“Lovely holiday”

We had a lovely holiday at Villa Gioiosa despite very variable weather conditions. The Valley of the Temples was a fascinating trip and an afternoon in the hillside town of Naro was relaxing, with amazing views and a small castle that the children enjoyed.
We went to Ereclea Minoa beach twice which took a while to get to, but was beautiful, sandy, deserted and great for swimming.

A couple of days were spent at the villa reading by the pool whilst the children had fun with the inflatables provided and in the play area. We made some pizzas and Sicillian lemonade for a 16th birthday celebration lunch in the sun which topped off the week beautifully. Thank you for a great holiday.
The Ireland family. London.

“Excellent”
Date of stay: June 2011

We had a wonderful stay here at Villa Gioiosa in May 2011. It is especially good for children with the secure pool and lots of toys and games. Villa is spacious with two kitchens and large rooms. We enjoyed the Pizza evening by Carmelina. She and her husband were very helpful if we had any problems especially when our car broke down and we needed assistance. We would definately recommend this property especially for families with small children. We all had a great time.Thank you ever so much for everything!!!!Barbara Jeffery and family from UK.

“Best sicilian villa”
Date of stay: June 2011

We all returned enthusiastic from our holiday in Villa Gioiosa (June 2011) . The villa was very comfortable, spotless, well equipped & appointed completed to a very high standard, it felt like home.
The 2 kitchens had everything in them you could want in a rental (one had a dishwasher, saved me the hassle of washing up) all bedrooms were spacious and well decorated, we had a tv and sat in both living rooms. It was so peaceful having dinner on the veranda overlooking the illuminated & fantastic swimming pool.
We went through basic information so we could get the best from the villa and the owners drove us around the area the next day to show us the best supermarkets, fish shops, bakerys etc which was really helpful and meant that we could navigate ourselves around quicker. They were full of local knowledge and helped us get the most from our stay. The villa was spacious, excellent for large families with small children, the kids loved the toys, games and especially the very large sandpit with slides, swings, sea saw and trampoline situated at the side of the villa.
The swimming pool was great, it also had a shallow end for small children and most of all it was fenced with a gate plus had a lock for extra security!!They even supplied barbie & Ben10 armbands and rings!!!
We have rented many places for our vacations over the years, and appreciate when descriptions are accurate, such as with this villa and also appreciate excellent hosts like Carmelina and Salvatore!
Thank you Carmelina and Salvatore for helping make our trip to sicily a wonderful memory. Pino & Jo from UK

“Perfect family holiday!”
Date of stay: September 2011

We visited Villa Gioiosa between 3rd – 10th september 2011 as a party of 9 (8 adults and 1 baby 18months). We were met by carmelina very promptly at the eni garage as pre- arranged and led to the villa.
The reception on arrival from carmelina and her husband was warm and friendly, we were given a full tour of the villa and clear details of the villa amenities, she then took 2 members of the group on a brief car tour of the town to highlight all the other amenities. This was very helpful for supermarket trips etc… The villa itself is well located and a beautiful place to stay, there was plenty of space for 9 to stay comfortably and relax.
The toys were great for the child and the play area well maintained. The fruit orchard around the villa was plentiful and we enjoyed foraging for the fresh fruit(and limes for G + T’s).
The pool was cleaned twice a week around our convenience and a great place to lounge everyday.
All in all our stay was excellent, and thoroughly enjoyed – carmelina could not have been more helpful particularly when there was issues with our car hire (herz) on the final day. She went out of her way to help whenever possible and never made us feel bad for asking.
We would all return to Villa Gioiosa and highly recommend to anyone looking for the” Perfect Sicilian Holiday”

“Fabulous villa for perfect holiday”
Date of stay: August 2011

The Self Family (Mum, Dad and 3 kids – 16, 14 and 9) – Derbyshire, UK. We stayed at Villa Gioiosa from 20th August to 3rd September 2011.

From the moment we arrived we knew we had made the right choice as the quality of the villa itself, the cleanliness, the warm welcome from the owners all made a real difference and were superior to other villas that we had stayed in over the last few years.

Carmelina and Salvatore (the owners) go out of their way to ensure that everything is just right. They live close by and a quick text brings help and advice whenever it is needed – but neve r intrusion – a perfect balance that makes the holiday very relaxing with the knowledge that help is at hand if necessary.

We spent several days just using the villa and pool without leaving. On other days we went sight seeing to the Greek Temples, Mosaics, Turk’s Staircase, Macalube of Aragona, San Leone Beach, La Vigne shopping centre! The combination of staying in and going out made for a really relaxing holiday and we very much enjoyed ourselves. The culmination of our enjoyment came in the 2nd week when Carmelina and Salvatore came around and showed us how to make and cook pizzas in the outside oven. This was an excellent night and showed just how much the hosts go the extra mile to make sure guests have a great time.

Many Thanks.

“Beautiful Villa, Beautiful Sicily”
Date of stay: June 2011

Villa Gioiosa certainly lives up to it’s name! After a very long journey from England we were warmly welcomed by Carmelina and family and the “Goody Basket” with some basic essentials was greatly appreciated.
The children loved the pool as did the grown-ups, it was somewhere to cool off, the weather was very hot, one of the adults developed an heat rash and Carmelina very kindly translated over the phone to the pharmacist.
She also came to the rescue when we got a puncture on the hire car, once again phoning the rental company and trying to sort it out for us, eventually it was easier for us to get a new tyre rather than wait for ‘Hertz rental’, so Carmelina came to pick one of us up and drove around until they found the right tyre to fit!
We can’t thank you enough for all your help. We managed to see a bit of the beautiful Sicilian countryside not as much as we had hoped to, but the villa and pool were too nice not to make the most of during our week here, would love to come back to see more and maybe try to speak a little of the language, then maybe Carmelina could be left in peace….!!!
Once again thank you very much for everything!
Gemma and family from UK

“Perfect for a villa based family holiday”
Date of stay: August 2012

We are grandparents with varying numbers of kids and grandchildren arriving. For part of the time we were 6 adults, 3 children and a baby.
The space was more than flexible for our varying accommodation requirements. The villa is wonderful for children – the downstairs lounge can double as a play-room, and the patio, kid’s sand play area and pool are so safe you don’t need to worry about them coming to any harm.
The villa location is very quiet, but near enough to town for supermarkets and restaurants – best is certainly the “King Bar” Restaurant & Pizzeria.
For those that want to stay in, the downstairs kitchen, pizza oven and barbaque are brilliant.
Carmelina (property owner) is a real wonder – there is nothing she can’t fix – from doctor’s visits to broken-down hire cars. To cap it all one of our grandchildren – who had her fourth birthday here, learnt to swim underwater without her arm bands, in the wonderful and safe pool.
Thanks so much – Bren and Rob – Wrinklies
                             – Samantha, Andy, Suzann & Mark – Kids
                             – Niamh, Jacob, Sienna & Kit – Grandchildren

“Great stay in a great villa”
Date of stay: September 2012

We have much enjoyed our week’s stay . This spacious well-equipped villa suited our needs admirably and the hot last week in September (30-35°) enabled us to benefit fully from the outdoor facilities: the pool and surroundings were admirable, the pizza oven a great success and the plums, picked from the orchard trees delightful, freshly picked and cooked.

The location of this villa was ideal for us. Having visited the east coast of Sicily last year, we were able to focus this year on the Agrigento area, venturing as far as Piazza Armerina for the impressive Villa del Casale, staying locally fot the Valley of the Temples, the beach at San Leone and the Turks’ Staircase at Port Empedocle.

The town proved to be a bustling and convenient shopping centre, with excellent bakers and greengrocers, and the local red wine, on tap at euro 1.50 per litre, amazingly good.

We were able to make the most of our time thanks to the generous advice and information provided by Carmelina and it was reassuring to know that she was always available to help and advise as the week progressed

“Lovely Villa in the countryside” “
Date of stay: September 2012

This lovely villa is located just outside of Favara, great little town with all the shops you need. The owners were very welcoming, even showing us around town where best to do our shopping! Now, that was a first. A basket with some grocery was awaiting us when we arrived at the house in the middle of the night! How kind of them. And we could call them any time if we needed something.

Now for the house, the house is roomy, beautiful and we especially the outside area where we spent nearly all our time. There’s lots of toys (indoors), a trampoline, swings and a lovely pool. Kids paradise! It’s got a great outdoor kitchen and a gas bbq, so we basically did all our cooking outdoors.

We liked the area, since it is not touristy at all. Especially restaurants were very cheap and of great quality! Would definitely visit again.

“Extremely satisfactory and would have no trouble recommending this property”
Date of stay: August 2012

On arrival we were met by Carmelina and although it was one a.m. she had no problem meeting us. We found this an extremely good gesture. Next morning in the light of day we were quite surprised and very happy with our surroundings. The villa was extremely well presented and spacious, all you could need was at hand including a hamper (very welcome). Carmelina met us in the morning and took us on a trip around Favara and ;pointed out the supermarkets, bakers etc. She could not do enough for us as when 2 of our children were ill she took them to a doctor and when there was a mechanical problem with the hire car she liaised with the hire company and got a local garage to sort the problem. When a problem arose at the villa such as the shower not working properly it was immediately attended to. We cannot say enough how well we were looked after and would recommend it to anyone without worry. There are a couple of beaches in the vicinity which are within 30 minutes or so from the villa where the sea is shallow and very ware and good for children. In summing up the weather was great, the villa was great and if you want some Sicilian cuisine ask Carmelina and she will point you in the right direction. Lastly if we go to Sicily again we will certainly stay at the Villa

“Great Villa for Children”
Date of stay: July 2012

This Villa is a great for those who want to spend some time exploring the south of Sicilly. The villa is based just outside of a town called Favara which is not a tourist town and therefore the number of restaurants is limited. However, there is an easily acessible supermarket and the kitchen at the villa is well equiped. We only went out twice and the traffic was so ‘Italian’ that we decided to stay at the villa and cooked solely in the outside kitchen with its wood oven, which was really pleasant.

There are some nearby attractions we visted the Valley of the Temples, the Turkish Stairs (very nice) and the Macalube of Aragona (LOL) in the late afternoon when the main heat of the day had subsided.

The owner is very, very helpful

“Comfortable Villa with easy access to whole island”
Date of stay: May 2012

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in Sicily and would recommend it to anyone.

We wanted a single base, giving access to the whole island, so looked for houses near Agrigento and ended up picking This Villa
The villa itself is very comfortable and spacious. It’s a couple of miles out of town on a country road, with easy access by car, set in a large secure plot complete with large covered areas for shade and pool. There is sleeping for up to 10 but this makes use of a single bedded downstairs bedroom and a bed-settee in the main lounge, so check that the configuration meets your needs. The property is pretty new, well maintained and is kept tidy and clean. Carmelina & Salvatore (the owners) live 5 minutes away by car, so are on   hand if you need anything, but they were very careful to make sure they didn’t encroach on our privacy.

The house was ideal for what we wanted. Although the nearest town Favara, and the larger of Agrigento, are not places of great beauty or interest, they allow you to see Sicily without tourism. If you have any interest in ancient sites then don’t miss Valley of the Temples

“Beautiful property, well stocked for kids”
Date of Stay May 2012

For all parents with children, the villa is a real find. Impeccably clean, stocked with everything child/baby related you could need and furnished with a
fabulous pool. It is also on the road to all of western sicily’s sights!
Carmelina is an attentive owner, taking special care of us when i and my 2 year old were sick and needed a doctor. You can’t pay for such a
level of care!
Some tips: – explore Favara town – the main square is worth it! It’s safe to wander around, even at night
                 – have some local ice-cream! Especially pistachio!
                 – the restaurant recommendations are bang on!
                 – bring a sat nav! You will need it!

“Excellent pool area with outdoor kitchen, close to wineyard!”
Date of stay: June 2012

We were a family of 7 people, Myself & Pan, my Mother, Martin & Camilla with their children Alfred (5 years old) and Stella (8 months old).

The villa is very spacious with a nice pool area with an inflatable shark, tennis kit, toys and lots of other inflatables, our kids were amused the entire week!

We used the outside kitchen for every meal! Perfect garden with fruit trees and shadow provided by the relaxed outside area. It felt really exotic to go into the garden with lemon, apricots, peaches, and tasting them!

We came quite late but carmelina and salvatore met us at 23:00 with no problems. They were extremely nice and helpful, we got help with everything from the pizza dough to medical treatment for our son. Without carmelina, our son would never have got proper care!!

They showed us the way to a vineyard where we could buy fresh wine from the barrel and “Le Vigne” a large department store with a large supermarket open all day on Sundays. They also showed us all the “spots” of the town like the pescheria where carmelina helped us to find fresh fish and shrimps at an extremely low price, we felt like Sicilians, which was fantastic!!!

Carmelina & Salvatore made us really feel at home and welcome!!! Thank you

“Nice villa in rural settings”
Date of stay: May 2012

We greatly enjoyed our stay in Villa Gioiosa (2nd to 6th May2012), a spacious almost new place in a rural setting. Nice location to explore the Agrigento surroundings. Extremely helpful landlord who even borrowed us her GPS to get around.
We used the outdoor kitchen with wood fire pizza oven with the ready for use dough from the landlord. Great fun!
A place to come back to!!!! Erik Sprengers and family from Netherlands

“Great, well equipped villa in a lovely location”
Date of stay: April 2012

We’ve really enjoyed our stay at this villa (april). It is brilliantly equipped, especially for the children. They have been kept greatly entertained by all the toys and by building sandcastles in the huge sandpit. It has felt very safe here as you can see the children wherever they are playing.
The outdoor kitchen is a really nice touch and adds to the extensive space that is avialable indoors.
We’ve had some great day trips but we particularly liked pretty Taormina.
We would certainly consider coming again but perhaps in the summer so that we can make more use of the fabulous pool! Many thanks

Relaxing, idyllic place in southern Sicily”
Date of stay: April 2012

Our family just returned from a week in Southern Sicily, where we rented Carmelina and Salvatore’s villa outside of Favara. Favara is a small town of ~35,000 residents not far from Agrigento and the amazing ruins in the Valley of the Temples. Early April is gorgeous in Sicily, with the greenest of green rolling hillsides, flowering fruit and nut trees, wild flowers in abundance and dazzling sunlight. We drove to Favara from Catania with a GPS that became confused by the diversions created by road work (see below for more on driving conditions we encountered in April, 2012). Carmelina’s villa is fully furnished and equipped for family life. There are two kitchens, one outside near the gorgeous swimming pool (with a real pizza oven!), and the other in the upstairs living space. We usually ate out on the veranda overlooking the countryside. There was a toy room downstairs for children filled with games and toys. It was apparent that this villa is a perfect place for families with children. Television reception was perfect with many channels available in multiple languages. The beds were comfortable and the bedrooms had plenty of closet space and shelving. There is no central heat, and the house was a bit cold at the beginning of our week. However, it warmed up as the weather warmed. We felt completely safe in the villa (sensitive alarm system and locked gate) but also felt very safe in town. The local restaurants were excellent. Grocery stores were accessible in nearby Favara. Fruit trees on the property were flowering and we helped ourselves to a fresh lemon off the lemon tree. It is easy to imagine the lushness of the villa in summer when the fruit is ripe, the heat eased by jumping into the pool, and the cooling breezes carried through the house by open windows. Carmelina and her husband were amazingly available and gracious about responding to our questions and the rare logistical problem with the villa. This was an exceptional experience for our family and we hope to return one summer for a longer visit.

 

“Beautiful country, amazing villa and a lovely family”
Submitted: 8th November 2013 (tripadvisor)

We stayed at the villa for a week, 27th oct’ to 3rd nov 2013 and loved it. The villa itself was a gorgeous home from home, fitted and equipped with everything we could possibly want or need and the gated swimming pool was a definate big hit with not only the children but the adults alike.

The owners themselves were really lovely and friendly, nothing was too much trouble. They gave us the space to enjoy our holiday but were always close by should we need them.

They also left a pack of things to do and see in Sicily, which we used and found very helpful.

We visited a few of the recommended places, like the Scala dei Turchi, which was stunning, even more so at sunset, with its brilliant white staircase and amazing views.
The mud volcanoes, which were great for kids and adults, fascinating to see, watch and experience, although I would recommend wearing trainers or shoes with a good grip as it can be very muddy and slippery.

Another of our visits was to Mount Etna, herself! Standing tall and proud,she towers over the Sicilian landscape but offers many opportunities for photographs of the breath-taking views, unique souveniers and an education you don’t realise you are getting. Although we did not climb to the summit, it was very chilly and so I would recommend wrapping up very warm as the higher you go the lower the temperature will get!

We had a fantastic time in Sicily and would highly recommend this villa to anyone, we look forward to returning soon!

“Best villa ever with lots of facilities!!”
Submitted:  23 August 2013 (owners direct)

We had a lovely two week vacation in sunny Sicily and want to record how well it went and how we enjoyed our time there. We experienced the very genuinely friendly, helpful & approachable spirit of the people there.

The reality is so much better than the photos or description would indicate….it is ‘paradise’, a place of peace and tranquillity, very relaxing, surrounded by views of the Sicilian countryside.

The house is very well equipped, and entirely as described in the site. The swimming pool and patio area is very safe and secure, surrounded by a large orchard of fruit trees, and is perfect for both children and adults, very enticing in the evening when the lights are on! The patio area has it’s own cooking facilities for barbecues, etc..

This villa is a marvellous place to bring children. The sand pit and toys were all there for them to enjoy in safety and security. The problem was persuading them that it was time to go to bed.

Carmelina and her husband, Salvatore were there with such a warm welcome when we arrived and made it abundantly clear that they were there to make sure that we had all that we needed and that we would have a very enjoyable vacation. They so respected our privacy, at time to time even asking if it would be ok to come into the area, but were at the same time at always available if we needed them. They went far beyond anything they would be obliged to do if we requested it.

Carmelina, who speaks perfect English, has compiled a file of useful information about the Villa and places of interest to visit. It is such a fund of information that it has to be read. Some of us had not read it and resulted in our theme song for the vacation viz. “It’s in the book”.

We have the experience of quite a number of holiday villas both in Italy and France and all agreed that this must be one of the best. We would not hesitate to recommend Villa Gioiosa to anyone who asked our opinion. will be back!! Thanks for everything. Ellen & family from uk

“Lovely Villa with a great pool and playground for kids.”
Submitted: 16th September 2013 (tripadvisor)

Lovely, welcoming villa with a great outdoor kitchen and pizza oven, which we used all the time. The pool was fantastic, especially loved by the kids.

Carmelina and Salvatore were amazing hosts, with the guided tour of Favara and lots of help and suggestions throughout the holiday. They were particularly brilliant when we lost our phones and wallet!

We had a wonderful holiday at the Villa and at the beaches of San Leone – thanks!

“Truly amazing.”
Submitted: 9th July 2013 (tripadvisor)

Thank you for a truly amazing holiday. The villa is beautiful and Carmelina and Salvatore could not do enough for us. We especially liked the pizza evening and all facilities were great!

Thanks again and we will definately be coming back in the future!

Kella, Rob, Millie and Charlie

“This villa is everything you require for a family holiday & much more :)”
Submitted: 27th June 2013 (tripadvisor)

Lovely villa, absolutely perfect for children. Lovely and clean. It exceeds your expectations by far. We would however recommend hiring a car to get out & about (even to the supermarket). We would also recommend taking a simple Italian phrase book because not many people can speak english. You really are hanging out with the locals, it’s fantastic. Not a touristy place in the slightest, which we thought was a brilliant experience. An educational one too because I now have some Italian in my vocabulary & so do the children!!!!

Carmelina and her family are fantastic hosts, nothing was ever to much trouble. We only had to pick up the phone and carmelina was available to help at all times. The outside pizza oven was a big hit with the children, the homemade pizza’s tasted amazing & it was great fun for all the family!!

As a family with young children we couldn’t recommend this villa enough – we didn’t hear the children because they had so much to keep them occupied!!!

We would visit again.Thank you!!
Elly, Chris, Gracie & Ollie (South Wales)
You must try the ice-cream & local cake desserts. 🙂

“”Fantastico””
Submitted: 2nd June 2013 (tripadvisor)

We stayed at the villa for one week. We came to Sicily to visit cousins that i had not met before. I came with my hubby, daughter, step-son, son in law to be, sister and brother in law.

I have to say there is nothing negative about this villa only that it needs a pathway to the winery which is down the road lol. It is spacious, comfortable, and the pool area and outside kitchen were used the most.

Its location was excellent and Carmelina and her husband Salvatore were very helpful in everyway. The villa is decorated to a high standard and every room was well kitted out. The numerous bathrooms were a welcome for 7 people who were sharing and we never felt like we were under anybodies feet with the spacious rooms.

The restaurants were recommended by Carmelina and they were fantastic, Buca di San Francesco was a typicla rustic Sicilian restaurant that served the most gorgeous food although the language barrier was a bit of a problem!!! The King Bar also served lovely food and i can recommend the rissotto which was very tasty.

We also had a couple of nights in the villa where we got to use the pizza oven and barbecue, we also asked Carmelina if she would ring for some pizza’s for us, we ordered 4 and they were massive. We ate what was left the next day.

I can honetly say that we had a fantastic week all made by this beautiful villa. The town of Favara is lovely and the people are very friendly. I would certainly recommend the villa and i would definitely go back there!!!!!!!!!!!

“Luxury and Fun!”
Submitted: 27th May 2013 (tripadvisor)

We had some communication problems due to our mobile phone provider but once we had established contact everything went well.

Carmelina could not have been more welcoming and helpful and her tour of the town and local facilities was extremely useful, letting us know, amongst other things, about supermarkets, fruit and veg stalls, good restaurants, fish shops, bakeries, coffee and cake shops and including a visit to the local winery, Morreale, whose merlot can be recommended! You can buy it in bottles but it is cheaper to take along an empty two-litre water bottle and have it filled from the barrel and the price will astound you if you are used to British prices!

She was also full of advice re things to do in the area and we made several trips, to the Turkish Steps, to the fumaroles at Maccalube, to the Valley of Temples and to Sciacca. We ate in quite a bit but can thoroughly recommend one of Carmelina’s suggestions, the Boca di San Francesco, where we had an astounding meal and the house red was much appreciated!

With regard to the villa, it was very spacious and comfortable and we slept like logs as it was so quiet. There is a road in front of the villa, at some distance, but it did not disturb us. We would have preferred a slightly bigger pool but understand that to make it “child friendly” it needed a safe area at one end. Children would love this villa as there is the shallow part of the pool for them to play in, a trampoline, a sand pit and loads of toys.

There are two separate TV areas, upstairs and downstairs and loads of different areas to eat, as well as a smaller kitchen indoors and a larger one outdoors near the pool. There is Sky TV so we watched a few films, but we also loved playing table football in the downstairs lounge.

We knew that Carmelina and Salvatore were not far away if we needed them or had a question, which was great, but they never intruded on our privacy.

All in all, thoroughly recommended!

“Exceptional value!”
5 of 5 Stars – Reviewed October 26, 2014 NEW

This is an exceptional villa. Carmelina and Salvatore are excellent hosts and provide all you need for a relaxing holiday in Sicily. Nothing is too much trouble. Their website gives a very clear, detailed and accurate description of what you can expect (https://www.villaradiosa.com/). The numerous very positive reviews are testament to what a good find this was for us.

The villa is about 5 minutes north of the town of Favara which provides good bakers, greengrocers and supermarkets so you don’t have need to go far. It is very easy to while away the hours sitting by the pool. It is certainly not an area overrun with tourists but the locals are very friendly indeed; a chance to discover the real Sicily.

For the more adventurous be aware that Sicily is a big island and there are lots of sites to visit. The nearest beach at San Leone (a beautiful expanse of sand!) is only 20mins away as are the temples of Agrigento. It’s just a little further to the Turkish Steps or Eraclea Minoa. A drive eastwards along the coast takes you to Castello di Falconara. Taking the main road to Catania gets you towards Etna.

Carmelina’s excellent English is very reassuring and we would highly recommend her tour around town as she points out some useful shops as well as providing a little background about the town itself. She has provided plenty of information in a well stocked file at the villa too.

Search out “La Buca di San Francesco” for an evening meal, super food at reasonable cost. For pastries and ice cream don’t miss “Caprices”! The local Morreale vineyard is just down the road and sells good wines at very reasonable prices.

You won’t be disappointed by Villa Gioiosa and if, like us, you enjoy good weather, it provides really first class accommodation. With temperatures in the high twenties, we had a wonderful October break enjoyed by grandparents, parents and young children. The tough decisions were which table to eat at, which shower to use, to swim or play in the sand pit or which toy to play with.
There are so many different areas in the spacious villa you’re spoilt for choice. Two kitchens and since it was well used the pizza oven is a brilliant facility and is one which we don’t have at home!!

A wonderful time was had by all. It was hard leaving and we certainly wouldn’t hesitate to make a return trip in the future. The fantastic range of equipment for the children (aged 2 and 3 months) was a real bonus as it meant we could travel “light” without buggies, push chairs etc.

Fabulous Family villa in real Sicily”
Reviewed October 4, 2014

We had a fantastic 10 days at the villa . It is wonderfully equipped for children and families. My 3 year old daughter was so excited when she saw all the toys.

We loved the outdoor kitchen and used this for all our meals. The outdoor living was fantastic. We really enjoyed the outdoor pizza oven and had a pizza bake off one night. Dough can be bought from the local bread shops in town. The very drinkable and incredibly cheap wine from the vineyard down the road was a wonderful experience. Around 1.5 euro a litre and poured straight from the barrel into reusable water bottles.

San Leone beach which is only 15-20mins away in lovely and the nice cream parlours are fantastic! The one on the front is so friendly and my children were given free ice creams daily by the owner! They were very spoilt!

Carmelina was wonderful. We had a meal waiting for us when we arrived and she was always around to help when we needed her. She gave us a tour around town and helped when my daughter was sick.

This part of Sicily is very traditional and give you a tasty of real Sicily. We did a day trip to Syracuse which was fantastic. A stunning city. Also enjoyed out day in Agrigento which is just 15 mins away.

“Great family Villa.”
Reviewed September 26, 2014

Our hosts Carmelina and Salvatore were wonderful, welcoming hosts. Thoughtfully preparing an evening meal for us on our arrival which included several delicious local specialities, including some lovely local wine.

The villa was spacious, clean, and ideal for our family. The pool area was fantastic, the trampoline a definite hit, and when we ventured away from it the local area provided amazing beaches, food, wine and ice-cream.

Carmelinas recommendations for where to go and which restaurants to try never dissappointed!

We spent an amazing week, thank you Carmelina and Salvatore for a wonderful holiday!

“Fabulous family villa”
Reviewed  for a stay in August 2014 on tripadvisor

We chose this villa as the best family villa we could find to suit our twins and baby girl. Although bigger than we needed, the play area, toys, and seperate small pool were ideal for us, So much to entertain the family.

The villa is very well equipped with everything you need although I am sure if it didn’t the owner Carmelina would find it for you! More than enough crockery and cutlery to take a break from cleaning up and so much space to enjoy.

The bathrooms are great, with plenty of showers!! This town is perfect, everything you need is 5mins down the road. Carmelina kindly offers a tour of the town panting out useful shops, cafe’s, bars and restaurants, followed by a trip to the local vineyard where we bought 7 litres of good wine for less than 8 euro’s!!!!!

Our favourite places to eat and drink were the King Bar for cheap and tasty meals, Caprice for coffee and delicious pastries but you need to be there by 9:30am or everything goes! A great “a la Carte” meal in the Travaggole in the old square – very highly recommended, pizza’s coming out of your ears but we also liked Mamma Mia che pizza who also deliver to the villa!!!

We went to the Valley of the Temples in the evening as it cooled down, taking a taxi to Temple Juno and a stroll down. Its great for the whole family and the lighting at night makes it very misterious. Another good night out is San Leone Beach – There are some great fish restaurants at great value, followed by little market stalls and a fun fair.

If you like dessert you will not be dissapointed, take it in the restaurant or head to a nearby gelateria!

The best part of the villa is the owners, Carmelina and Salvatore, who go out of their way to help and welcome you. Always on hand if needed but the distance for you to relax and enjoy the privacy of the villa. We were so lucky to have samples deliveries from Carmelina of traditional Sicilian pizza’s, risotto and local breads and wine.

On arrival we were suprised with a hamper of supplies and supper laid out on a table on the balcony!!!

We will definately be back, it seems a shame now we know where all the best shops and cafe’s are not to sample them again next year! Don’t worry about language barriers, the people of Sicily are kind and patient, making it easy not to speak italian – but by the end of your holiday (we stayed for 2 weeks) you most definatley will be!!

Thanks for everything

Ben, Michelle, Chloe 14, Anna 14 and poppy 1 year old
from Chalfont in Buckinghamshire

“Perfect Family Getaway”
Reviewed 29 July 2014 for a stay in June 2014 on tripadvisor

Thank you Carmelina and Salvatore, for a wonderful holiday. This is the first time we have traveled as a family (5 adults and 3 children ages 2.5 and 10).

The villa is beautiful, the views are breathtaking! The pool and the playground are so kid- friendly. We loved eating outside on the patio, and the villa has everything you need or want.

Carmelina’s tour of the town was very helpful. We found out where to go to buy sandwiches, pizza and cookies! The villa is conveniently located near the valley of the temples, turkish staircase and the outstanding beach!

We are already telling all our friends! We hope to return soon as our grandson wants to go home and take Italian lessons so he can come back and talk to your children!!

The Pistilli family from USA & NEW YORK

“Fantastic villa for kids”
Reviewed 11 July 2014 for a stay in June 2014 on tripadvisor

We started our holiday off with a warm welcome form Carmelina. The traditional Sicilian food laid on for us was amazing and very welcome after the day’s traveling.

The villa gave us everything we needed for two small families to have a wonderful and enjoyable holiday. Carmelina’s tour is a must and doesn’t take long, without it we would not have found the fresh seafood shops and got our whereabouts around town.

It also allowed us to discover the nearby vineyard that produces the ‘wine that gives you no headache!’. It is also one euro twenty cents a litre and delicious!

The outdoor kitchen at the villa is amazing and along with the fresh local produce, allowed us to have some memorable evenings, once Salvatore had again kept us in supply of wood.

Carmelina and Salvatore are so friendly and can’t do enough for you, Carmelina has a real pride about the villa and Sicily and is always there to help.

This villa lets you experience the real Italy. It is not touristy so google translate or a freshen up on Italian phrases is a must. The local people are very friendly and can’t do enough to help you. The nearby supermarkets are well stocked. However there are so many local shops for meat and excellent fresh shellfish. The fruit and veg is also some of the freshest you can get.

The villa is well suited for holidaying with young children. The villa is well secure and the gated pool means not having to worry about the little ones and allowed us to suit back and relax. We holidayed with a 4,3, and 1 year old and never had a problem.

I will definitely return one day!

“Perfect relaxing family break in the sun”
Reviewed 30th June for a stay in june 2014 on owners direct

A fantastic villa for an enjoyable Holiday for a large family. Lovely location, absolute freedom and we were blessed with great weather! The villa is very well equipped. The boys had a ‘ball’ in the swimming pool and we were sad that our Holiday in Sicily came to an end. Carmelina had been most helpful throughout our stay Arrivederci The Harris Family from England and Australia

“Family friendly villa for a perfect week of relaxation”
Reviewed 8 June 2014 for a stay in June 2014 on tripadvisor

Such a lovely week’s holiday – my daughter (4) cried when we went home!

The villa is airy, spacious and easily accommodated grandparents, parents, aunt and uncle, and two kids without us feeling like we were on top of each other.

Best bits: pizza oven, fruit trees, fabulous produce from local markets, cheap local wine direct from the vineyards, rolling fields of wheat and wild flowers, ancient ruins, and the soft sandy beaches at San Leone.

Carmelina is so helpful, and even arranged a gorgeous birthday cake for one of us. She knows the best places to shop (the supermarkets are only really good for groceries rather than fresh stuff) but it was also easy to wander around town and find things for ourselves.
We had a thoroughly relaxing week and would recommend the villa.

“Lovely villa, with lots of entertainment for kids”
Reviewed 7 May 2014 for a stay in April 2014 on tripadvisor

As a big group of people we had a lovely and comfortable stay in this big and beautiful villa. This villa has everything, it felt like a home from home.

Children had a wonderful time and had plenty stuff to do without even searching for the Tv!! They mostly enjoyed swimming pool, the play area & toys that were on offer at the villa.

Carmelina and Salvatore were very kind and helpful. Always at hand if needed.

We visited most places suggested by the owners which we found very interesting. We tried a restaurant ” La collina” in Palma di montechiaro, very attractive with a lovely atmosphere with most delicious food and a nice view of the sea. There is a castle just near by, worth visiting!!!

Thank you for a lovely stay we had in Sicily!!

“Authentic Sicilian Villa and friendly locals in Favara.”
Reviewed 27 April 2014 for a stay in April 2014

We arrived at the beautiful villa to be met and shown around by Carmelina and Salvatore. As it was late they had set out authentic Sicilian food and wine for us which was beautiful and very thoughful. A selection of breakfast food was also available.

The next morning our children went straight out to the pool and didn’t want to leave!

Carmelina took me on a very useful tour of the local town and pointed out the best shops and cafe’s. Salvatore kept us stocked up with wood for the pizza oven and the lemons from the orchard made beautiful Sicilian lemonade!

The villa was fully equipped with 2 outside dining areas. The children loved the pool and toys. Wine from the Morreale vineyard was beautiful and less than a mile away.

We had a great time – 1 week doesn’t seem long enough, we didn’t want to go home and will definately be back.

Thank you Carmelina and Salvatore for a very memorable holiday.