Essential Italy

We know car choice is important for the enjoyment of your holiday, our supplier – Maggiore Car Rental – will guarantee the following:

• highly competitive prices
• no major tour operator is working with them, therefore we are quite sure that queuing will be kept to a minimum, even in high season
• all cars have air conditioning
• a full and comprehensive back-up system

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We do not book flights, we leave it to you to choose the best departure point and flight times to suit your party. We have compiled a list of airlines flying to those regions in which we offer accommodation.

Flights are from the UK, if you are travelling from elsewhere, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we will recommend an airline flying from your departure point. If you are unsure which airport in Italy is closest to your accommodation, please call us on 01223 460100 or email

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Castello Villafranca Trapitello, Taormina

Castello Villafranca is a fantastic villa surrounded by typical Mediterranean vegetation. Part of a noble estate, the villa has kept its’ own traditional character through the years. The access to the property is by a private courtyard which perfectly resembles the aristocratic Sicilian country estates of the past. As soon as you enter the majestic building, you will be taken back into that typical Sicilian atmosphere of years gone by, beautifully described in a lot of books of that time.

The entrance takes you into a dining area on one side, still furnished with some antique pieces and a large living area with its welcoming, comfortable sofas in front of a beautiful fireplace on the other side. These rooms open on to a fabulous big terrace, comfortably furnished with chairs and sofas, which boasts the most incredible view of the imposing and, sometimes temperamental, Mount Etna.

Still on the same floor, you will find the kitchen, recently renovated, fully equipped with gas hob, oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge-freezer and all you need to prepare some tasty meals, maybe with the help of some Sicilian recipes!

A pretty Sicilian country style bedroom with double bed and en-suite bathroom, still decorated with the original ceramic tiles, can be found on the same floor along with an extra bathroom.

From the entrance of the villa some stairs, wisely blocked away by a gate for smaller guests, lead to the downstairs sleeping area. At the bottom of the stairs, on both sides, there are 2 bedrooms (1 double and 1 twin) and a bathroom. All bedrooms with their differently decorated wall paper and rustic furnishings have everything you need to make your stay very comfortable and they all overlook a lower pretty courtyard.

The luxurious pool, exclusive to the guests, is just few steps away, on the other side of the main courtyard. Surrounded by the beautiful vegetation it will be, undoubtedly, the place where you will spend some relaxing days in the glorious sunshine, interrupted only by the frequent dips in the refreshing clear water. Very close to the pool, there is a lovely area with shady trees, absolutely perfect for your al fresco dinner and barbecues.

Though Castello Villafranca is in a peaceful countryside location, the little town of Giardini-Naxos full of restaurants and cafes on the promenade is only few kilometres away, as well as numerous well-equipped lidos by the sea. The charming little town of Taormina with its lovely little streets is just a 20 minute drive. A day trip to Mount Etna or to the super town of Siracusa, an afternoon visit to the little village of Savoca, where some of the famous scenes of the Godfather took place, or to the tiny village of Castelmola to sample their local almond liqueur are just few examples of the innumerable places that you can explore on this side of the island.

If you are searching for a place where you may simply relax with your family, enjoy the nature and recharge your batteries, don’t go any further as Castello Villafranca is exactly what you’re looking for!

New in Puglia for 2012

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