Are you going to rent a villa in Italy to spend a relaxing holiday in one of the most beautiful countries of the world? Renting a villa is the right choice, because you can have all the services of a traditional hotel, such as Wi-Fi, large spaces and high quality services, and all the convenience of a house, such as a private garden, a swimming pool just for you and your family and the familiar atmosphere of your home. Among all the Italian regions to consider to spend a relaxing holiday we suggest Sicily, where you can find clear waters, wonderful seaside, an untouched nature and the best examples of Baroque style.
Siracusa city
A walk through the streets of Siracusa is a great opportunity to learn the history of the place and become familiar with local art and culture. Siracusa district is a mix of different styles that has always something magic. Among all the aspects and the styles characterizing the Siracusa district cities, grotesque dominates everything with its carved human and animal figures that suddenly appear on the sides of baroque buildings (especially in Palazzolo and Noto). Sicuracusa is the main city of the district and it gets its name from the local Sykara swamp that set up by the Corinthians in the 8th century B.C. The city was originally founded on the island of Ortigia and Phoenecians and the Siculi lived there from the 14th century b.c onwards. It gradually expanded, taking in some of the drier lands. An ideal travel itinerary to appreciate all the main aspects of Siracusa's baroque cannot ignore the exterior of the cathedral, the most striking building in the main piazza. Among local specialties, we suggest the great wines of the area, such as: Nero d'Avola, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Duca di Salaparuta, Miceli bianco, Moscato and Corvo. Apart from the wines, Siracusa area offers a large selection of cereals, olives, almonds (used in local patisserie), vegetables and fruits.
Rosolini, Pachino e Marzamemi
You get to Rosolini through a spectacular hillside, which has given rise to thriving wine production of excellent quality. In one of the celebrated cantinas you can try the bianco moscato di Noto, a local moscato. Another great stop on the wine trail is Pachino, which produces a lot of wine and is known also for its delicious mini-tomatoes. Borgo di Marzamemi is one of the most important angling centres on the island, so all the restaurants serve up very tasty fresh fish. It is quite an enchanting town, and the inhabitants have been living off fishing and tourism for years. In this area, where the Mediterranean is a deep shade of blue, Campisi, a family business is situated. They have made a living from fishing tuna using large nets called 'tonnare' for five generations, also packaging the spoils of the Mediterranean and 'Basso Ionio'. The tuna, swordfish, anchovies and sardines are the most common varieties of fish in these waters and form the basis for a range of dishes, ensuring that man and the sea remain inextricably linked. The fish are cooked without preservatives to make sure that it's genuine and fresh and they are salted in oak casks as they have done for thousands of years. The Campisi business have also combined some of the inland local produce from Pachino with the fish they catch every day, not least the famous Ciliegino di Pachino tomato.
Martin Wynn
