10 of the best holiday houses and B&Bs in Sicily and its islands | Sicily holidays

Inspired by A Bigger Splash, set on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria and starring Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes, Sawdays Nicole Franchini selects 10 gorgeous Sicilian retreats The Guardians product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer

This article is more than 8 years old

10 of the best holiday houses and B&Bs in Sicily and its islands

This article is more than 8 years old

Inspired by A Bigger Splash, set on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria and starring Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes, Sawday’s Nicole Franchini selects 10 gorgeous Sicilian retreats

The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.

Baglio Fontana, Buseto Palizzolo, Trapani, Sicily

Grapes and olives have been harvested at this traditional family farm since the 18th century. Some of the warehouses that stored their produce are now charming en suite rooms, but there’s a strong sense of continuity with the past here. Old photos of the family cover the walls of the atmospheric sitting room, a farm museum exhibits antique tools and you can still sample the Baglio’s oil, wine and honey in the rustic restaurant. Rooms are divided between the farmhouse and outbuildings: all combine modern comforts with original features including exposed-stone walls, ancient beams and wooden floors. Head out to explore or stay put and wander around the lush gardens, take a dip in the pool, or visit the spa.
Doubles from €90pn B&B, +39 0923 855000

Club Levante, Pantelleria

Reaching Pantelleria by plane (from Palermo and mainland Italy only – no direct flights from UK) is striking; by boat from Trapani it is thrilling. The scenery dazzles in blues and greens, the gardens are luxuriant and the dammusi are scattered around two terraced hectares linked by stepped paths and pine trees. Reception is a larger dammuso with a terrace that overlooks Elephant Arch, a rocky outcrop under which you can swim. It’s a fabulously stylish place for nature-lovers seeking privacy and peace, and is run by warm-hearted, extrovert Matteo and his father. There’s a small restaurant with a fat palm tree in its middle, a beach restaurant/bar close by, which has big breakfast buffets that last until noon. Bedrooms are elegant and rustic; a couple, including the suite, have a sea view from the bed.
Doubles from €130pn B&B, +39 0923 915246

Giardini di Pantelleria, Pantelleria

Come for an adventurous week of walking, boating, hot-springing and` flora-hunting in an ancient, dramatic landscape. Five thousand years ago Pantelleria was mined for obsidian (volcanic glass) to make spears and knives, and our neolithic ancestors left some fascinating tombs. Local Arabs built circular shelters for their citrus orchards and dammusi (traditional stone houses) with two-metre thick rock walls; four have been converted. The on-site cistern is Phoenician (7th century BC), but the houses are 17th century, the largest reachable only on foot up 60 steps. There’s comfort but not luxury, an eclectic mix of furniture, colourful pictures and fabrics on white or black walls. Kitchens are open to the outside air, terraces are ideal for enjoying the cooler evenings.
From €490 a week for an apartment sleeping two, +39 340 6156112

Villa Punta San Nicola, Favignana

Favignana, one of three tiny outcrops just off the west coast of Sicily and a 20-minute hydrofoil trip from Trapani, is a secret haunt for in-the-know Italians. This trio of single-storey sandstone houses are owned and were designed by a former fashion photographer. They are half built into the rocks and simply but stylishly furnished. The central pad, Uliveto, is the largest, with a pergola, a grill and an extra shower outside, but each has its own outdoor lounging space. There’s a beautiful rocky beach just a few steps away.
Apartments sleeping 2 from €500 a week, +39 335 337054

A Picciridda, Panarea

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Off the north-east coast of Sicily, between Lipari and Stromboli islands, is tiny, car-free Panarea, one of the Aeolian chain’s inactive volcanoes. Its mazy streets contain Daz-white houses dripping with bright bougainvillea and the views out to sea are dramatic. A Picciridda – “the little one” in Sicilian – is an enchanting small house with sea views from the bedroom, a small kitchen and a stunning terrace. It’s here above the rocky cove where you will spend most of your time captivated by Stromboli puffing away in the distance, stargazing or toasting your good fortune over dinner. Ferries to the island leave from several ports in Sicily and the Italian mainland, the closest being Milazzo.
From €500 per week (sleeps 2), +39 338 9509366

Casa del Vigneto Salina, Salina

Photograph: PR Company Handout

A tranquil island retreat where there’s little to do besides walking, wine tasting and gazing at sunsets. Surrounded by vineyards, with dramatic views stretching to the other Aeolian islands, this lovely farmhouse has a downstairs area – formerly used to store olive oil – that has been transformed into three bedrooms with traditional arches and printed bedspreads. Upstairs, there’s a little kitchen decorated with antique tiles, a cosy sitting room and a couple more bedrooms. Four terraces covered with climbers and bamboo canes mean you can eat al fresco around a huge wooden table or sit and admire the ocean views.
From £1,465 per week (sleeps 10)

Baglio di Pianetto, Santa Cristina Gela, Palermo, Sicily

This 18th-century manor at the heart of a vineyard reflects the status of its original Venetian owners. Racing driver Carlo Marzotto, seduced by Sicily, chose this estate to be his family’s island retreat and to pursue his passion for wine. Now you can stay in restored and modernised, formal-yet-friendly Baglio. Bedrooms with private terraces and spectacular views have extra king-size beds and big, bright bathrooms. It feels more remote here than it really is (it’s only 24km from Palermo, 15km from Monreale) as you linger over super breakfasts, or by the 33-metre pool. Take a cookery course, go walking, explore by bike (provided) and, of course, tour the winery.
Twins and doubles from €122pn B&B +39 091 8570148

Villa Punta Secca, Punta Secca, Ragusa, Sicily

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The beach is what it’s all about in Punta Secca; with its seductive sands and crystal clear waters, it’s busy in summer, bliss out of season, and 150 metres from the house. Built 10 years ago by the architect owner, the house stands within a residential area of holiday lets. There are no sea views but it’s steeped in character, all white walls, white beams, mellow terracotta and beautiful rustic touches. Light-filled living areas (two) and bedrooms (four) are upstairs and down, and the kitchen, despite its rustic simplicity, is aimed at real cooks. The modest garden is enclosed by a high pale stone wall, two sides protected by a cool, fanned veranda, and the rest given over to laurels and lawn. In south-east Sicily, Punta Secca is not far from the baroque glories of towns like Modica, Ragusa and Scicli.
From €980pw (sleeps 8)

Masseria Susafa, Polizzi Generosa, Palermo, Sicily

It’s a long and winding road to get here, and the final track is rough. But once they’ve arrived, guests tend not to stray. Stunning Susafa is a fortified farmhouse of honey-coloured tufo stone and burnt terracotta, built around a central courtyard. Turn right for the old wine press: a bar/sitting room with a fireplace; turn left for outside seating and a barbecue; cross a walkway for a roof terrace with breathtaking views. Below this are the bedrooms and a lawn with sun beds and chunky palms. A rustic simplicity spiced with glam touches runs throughout this 1,200-hectare estate, overseen with great charm by brothers Matteo and Manfredi. The nearest restaurant is seven miles away so dine in: the food is seasonal, abundant and delicious. As for the pool, heaven.
Doubles from €85pn B&B, +39 338 9608713

Castello Camemi, Vizzini Scalo, Catania, Sicily

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Recently rescued from ruin and once owned by the Ventimiglia family, Castello Camemi is a part-crenellated 16th-century massaria (farm) with a grand grassy quadrangle and a carob tree. It sits on a hill in splendid isolation with wonderful views of Etna, the huge active volcano. Inside are stone walls, white sofas, an altar from the 1700s, rustic stone fireplaces and white chandeliers. Outside is a lawn dotted with palms, a long elegant pool floodlit for night swims, and an archway to the quadrangle. Wrapped around this are 11 bedroom suites, and three more above. One has a circular window, another a gold-leaf sofa, all have rustic-chic bathrooms. Borrow bikes, hire horses, book massages, visit Caltagirone, Catania, Vizzini, baroque wonders all.
Doubles from €139pn B&B, +39 093 3010999

Sawday’s new Special Places to Stay Italy (edition nine) is available from 1 April, priced at £15.99. For more information on any of the places featured go to sawdays.co.uk

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