Tucked amongst the vineyards of Western
Sicily and less than 10 minutes drive from the beach, Santa Rosalia is a
gloriously pink stuccoed country villa for families to drop and flop by a
lovely private pool or discover all the delicious and historic delights that
make Sicily so enthralling.
The enclosed garden is a Mediterranean
paradise for frazzled parents to unwind, dotted with shady palms and
jacarandas, as well as orange, pomegranate and fig trees for families to
plunder when the fruits are season. In the middle of it all is the safely
gated, 11x6 metre pool with Roman steps into the shallow end and surrounded by
smooth terracotta tiles set out with sun loungers and a parasol, while gnarly
olive trees provide more welcome shade for little ones. An inflatable paddling
pool, lilos and balls are provided by the owners and parents can keep an eye on
older children playing in the pool from the al fresco dining terrace and the
kitchen.
Santa Rosalia has been recently renovated, redecorated and furnished in a relaxed, cool and comfortable style, with eclectic pictures and ornaments picked up by owners on their travels. The large sunny living room is equipped with Sky TV, a DVD player and CD system, with a wide choice of movies and music, plus the villa has wi fi to keep digital natives happy. New appliances have been fitted in the farmhouse-style kitchen, ensuring that parents have all the essential mod cons for preparing family dinners including lots of inspiring cookery books and all-important air conditioning. The kitchen has a breakfast table for 8 and there is a separate dining room but the outdoor terrace is where most mealtimes are sure to take place, in the cool dappled shade of a grapevine pergola and with a portable barbecue for sizzling up freshly caught fish and Sicilian sausages from the local market.
Up the switchback stairs, with a safety gate across the top, all four bedrooms have pretty views over the garden, air conditioning and mosquito nets on the windows. All three bathrooms are very spacious and newly renovated, comprising one with a large tub and powerful overhead shower, and two with walk in shower units. If required, perhaps for grandparents or a nanny, the villa has a studio with a large, comfortable sofa bed and adjacent bathroom adjoining the villa on the ground floor.
Accommodation Overview
Santa Rosalia sleeps up to 8 people plus 2 babies in travel cots provided and 2 additional guests on a sofa bed in the adjoining studio. Two of the bedrooms have queen sized beds and two have twin single beds. The main bathroom has a large bath and powerful overhead shower and the villa has two other walk-in shower rooms.
Santa Rosalia has a peaceful, countryside
setting in Western Sicilian just 2 miles from the nearest beaches and
the fishing port of Mazara del Vallo.
Mazara boasts an elegant promenade and pretty piazzas, a
wide range of shops and excellent trattorias serving fantastic fresh caught
fish and seafood among the Sicilian specialities. In the past, local fisherman
also pulled out an incredible bronze statue from Ancient Greece of a dancing
satyr which is now the jewel in the town’s crown and proudly displayed in a
dedicated museum.
To the east of Mazara lies the long sandy beach of
Tonnarella with lidos, rows of sun loungers and beach umbrellas to provide much
needed shade from the midday rays. To the west, the shore is fringed with rocky
coves and smaller beaches where the water is a glittering turquoise and popular
for snorkelling and scuba diving.
Sicily is steeped in a turbulent history of foreign invaders and conquerors that have left a fascinating cultural and archaeological legacy to uncover all across the island. The largest Ancient Greek archaeological site in Italy, Selinunte, is just a 30 minute drive from Santa Rosalia and after exploring the temples, families will be ready for a cool dip in the beach below and welcome refreshments in the bars and restaurants in the nearby village of Marinella.
Perhaps the best legacy of all the foreign occupiers is the
delicious Sicilian cuisine that’s renowned as a mouth-watering melting pot of
influences from Italy, Greece, Spain, Arabia and beyond. Sicilian ice cream is
accepted to be among the best in the world and the refreshing flavoured granita
is a super lush slush puppy. Fantastic fresh pasta dishes come with every
taste-sensation sauce under the sun and Mazara specialises in aromatic fish
cous-cous. For those with a sweet tooth, Sicilian cakes and desserts are
dangerously irresistible such as sticky almond pastries and the elaborately
decorated cassata made with ricotta, marzipan, sponge cake and candied peel.
Western Sicily is also a major wine region. There are several wineries nearby while Florio and Pellegrino in neighbouring Marsala are
open for tours and tastings. Marsala, of
course, is world famous for its sweet dessert wines.
Getting there: British Airways, Ryanair, Airone and
Easyjet provide direct flights from the UK to Sicily. Both Trapani and Palermo
are international airports and are1 hrs drive to Santa Rosalia. British airways
provides flights to Catania airport, which is 3 ½ hrs drive.
Nearest Medical Services (GP & A&E): Mazara del Vallo 4 kms away.
Click to enlarge
Check-in time: 15:00
Check-out time: 10:00
Reservation Deposit: 30%
Balance: 56 days prior to arrival
Check-in time: 15:00
Check-out time: 10:00
Reservation Deposit: 30%
Balance: 56 days prior to arrival
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Sleeps 8 + 2 in optional separate studio |
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![]() | Trapani and Palermo are international airports which are within an hours drive from the villa. |
![]() | Just two miles from the beach and fishing port of Mazara del Vallo. |
![]() | A private 11 x 6 meter pool with steps leading into the shallow end and is surrounded by a sunbathing area equipped with sun loungers and a beach umbrella. Pool is open from May - November. |
![]() | A cook may be hired either to deliver prepared meals or to shop and work in the kitchen on an hourly basis. |
![]() | Babysitting can be pre-arranged. |
![]() | This baby friendly villa has 1 x baby bath, 1 x baby bouncer, 2 x potties, stairgate at top of stairs, baby monitor, socket covers, plastic crockery, plastic cutlery, sippy cups, and bibs. There are also night lights in the corridor and available for the bedrooms if required. |
![]() | This baby friendly villa has bath toys, a lot of kids books, a few general toys and some U-rated kids DVDs. |
![]() | Pre arrival shopping and pre arranged meals can be provided. |
![]() | This baby friendly villa has a sand pit with buckets and spades, 1, trike, 1 bike suitable for 4 to 5 year-old, paddling pool, lilos and balls for the swimming pool. |
![]() | Stairgate at the top of the stairs. |
![]() | Large grounds with plenty of space and a fully fenced/gated pool and BBQ. |
![]() | WI-FI is available. |
![]() | Energy to the villa comes from photovoltaic panels installed on the roof. |
![]() | The accommodation is wheelchair accessible if guests rent the optional studio adjacent to the ground floor. |
![]() | Pets may be accepted on application to the owners. |
![]() | 1 large wooden cot, 2 travel cots and 3 highchairs can be provided. |
![]() | Cleaning is once a week but extra cleaning may be provided. |
Please click the text to scroll through reviews.
A spacious well appointed and comfortable villa . The furnishings and eclectic collections displayed throughout the villa put us in the holiday mood from the start . Good quality baby equipment and safety features were found throughout the property . The private grounds were abundant in colourful shrubs and the highlight was the large pool with its terracotta tiles surrounded by rosemary honeysuckle and olive trees We were well looked after by Nanette who was on hand for advice and any extra need during our stay . We certainly were in no rush to leave .
Santa Rosalia is an idyllic villa set in beautiful surroundings, perfect for a peaceful family holiday. We recently returned from 10 days at Santa Rosalia. Our party included myself and my husband, both early 30s, plus our 7 month old and our friends, of a similar age, with their 10 year old son, 9 year old daughter and 10 month old son. When we arrived, we were completely overwhelmed at the size of the villa and gardens and amazed to learn that we had the whole space all to ourselves. There was more than enough space for all of us and no danger of feeling cramped or living on top of each other. The villa and pool were well maintained, with the pool cleaned every day, bedsheets changed and a light clean of the villa during our stay. Nanette, who lives next door, kindly waited up very late to greet us on the night we arrived and was extremely helpful and kind throughout our stay. Caroline, the villa owner, was so helpful before our visit ...
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*Ratings by verified BFB guests who stayed here with young children.
Rated by 3 guests.