Living space: the studio is spacious, tastefully decorated, and all the appliances/furniture is brand new. It is airy, bright, with 2 entrances and a large patio with a view of the sea and the East coast of Sicily. On a good day, you can see all the way down to the lighthouse in Capo Passero, the deepest land of Sicily and Europe. The view, especially during sunsets, is incredible, and instant mood boost in the morning.
Villa: a lot of parking space, gated, big garden with vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Lovely cats roaming about. The house is three stories and quite charming overlooking most other villas in the area. We stayed on the bottom floor and could still see the roofs and gardens of many other places nearby. Immediate area: the beach is a 3-minute walk directly down from the villa. It is semi-organized, meaning, it is limestone slabs with occasional poured concrete platforms. Water access is off of those rocks. Probably not a good place for small children (for me this was a huge plus). The street has a row of villas, ranging from large L.A.-style millionaire glass-walled boxes to traditional cottages, and is narrow, which makes the crowds that come here for the beaches swarm the parking spots. I confess that being able to walk down to these beaches with the scramble going on is satisfying. There is also an organized beach very close (lawn, chairs with umbrellas, food, and drinks) mainly attended by locals nearby, too. Get there early to reserve a good spot. This area has terrific snorkeling, since it is a natural preserve park. If you time it right, you can swim alongside hundreds of fish in crystal clear water. Diverse fauna, healthy and big.
Surrounding area: dry, rural, sometimes decrepit housing, with badly maintained roads and garbage here and there. Two small shops with the necessities within a minute's drive. A number of excellent markets (including fresh fish), restaurants, sights, hikes, etc., within 5 minutes. Everything you may need beyond that, including butcher and bakery, in Cassibile 15 minutes away by car. Excellent access to Syracuse and the East coast of Sicily, so a good base for day trips to Ragusa, Modica, Noto, Marzamemi, etc., [30-90 min drive], but really ideal for focusing on Syracuse. You will need at least 4 days to fully "see" it.
The host: I cannot fully report on Renata, because that would be the whole review and probably sound over-the-top and fake. She is a local and this is a house her father built; she is generous with everything, if you are open and considerate and happily she has a lot to give.
Some highlights: cooking together, then sharing the meal during sunsets, sometimes with other locals, with lively and intelligent conversations; learned how to make a number of local dishes [pasta con la sarde, pasta alla Norma, caponata, involtini di melenzane], including how to clean and eat fresh mussels [the man that taught me had hands that could cup a basketball and spoke only Italian]; 6am bike trek through the coast to the white cliffs with stunning views of Syracuse; snorkeling advice from someone that goes every day; visits to local artisans; multiple music concerts. Renata knows everyone, it seems, so a situation in which we were going to shop/restaurant under siege with a line outside and her saying "Ciao, so-and-so!" and us going in happened multiple times. The sandwich shop at the market everyone wants to go to? Yeah, you get special "experiences" all right. Talk to Renata, arrange things with her, and you will end up with memories for life. I am sure we will come back here since we made a friend, but as I write this I realize that this is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered and will soon be under siege just like everything else here. Enjoy Renata's generosity, company, and her house while you can.
243/275 Mbps
