Santa Maria:
You enter Santa Maria through a beautiful driveway lined with date palms and bougainvillea. A massive door leads into a pretty courtyard with porticoes and statuary and a marble well in the centre. The whole villa is an oasis of peace and quiet, shaded by lofty palms, cypress trees and pines. The spacious ground floor, recently restored to a high level, is completely private. It has its own walled garden with 100 citrus trees, a splashing fountain that attracts a wide variety of birds and a paved terrace where guests can dine under the orange and lemon trees. There is also an olive grove next to the pool garden.
The co-owners, (English speaking) who live on the top floor of the villa, are available for help and advice.
If you would like to find out more about Santa Maria, you may read 'Casa Nostra, A Home in Sicily' by Caroline Seller Manzo. Published in the US by Harper Collins, it can be ordered at discount online. Please email Caroline for further details.
Mazara del Vallo:
Mazara,Italy’s major fishing port, has a charming promenade lined with palm trees and three piazzas in the historic centre graced with beautiful baroque churches and civic buildings - even the remains of a Norman castle. Don't miss the beautiful bronze statue of a dancing satyr, a masterpiece of Greek art housed in a dedicated museum.
Mazara offers a wide range of shops and excellent restaurants, where you can savour the freshest seafood and fish, not to mention the delights of Sicilian traditional fare from fish couscous to the mouth-watering delicacies of cassata and cannoli.
There is a long and beautiful coastline with both sandy beaches and rocky coves where the sea is exceptionally limpid. In July and August the beach of Tonnarella offers the facilities of bars with deckchairs and beach umbrellas to rent.
The famous nature reserve of the Zingaro is an added attraction. For more information and photos of the surroundings to the villa, do email us for our website address.
Sightseeing:
The ancient Greek city of Selinunte overlooking the sea is a 30 minute drive away. After exploring the ruins go down to the nearby beach of Marinella, cool off in the sea and feast on delicious local fish at one of the seaside 'trattorie'. Half an hour in the other direction is the mysterious temple of Segesta high up on a hill overlooking the valley. Nearby is the ancient Greek theatre. In 20 minutes you can reach Marsala famous for wine, and don't miss the Punic Ship on display at the museum. Just beyond Marsala is the lagoon with its saltpans and windmills. Visit the fascinating island of Mozia, once a Phoenician colony, and see the Punic remains, the museum and the beautiful Greek statue of a young boy. The medieval hilltop town of Erice with its Norman castle, site of an ancient temple of Venus, is an hour's drive from Mazara. From Trapani or Marsala you can reach the lovely Egades islands. The exotic capital, Palermo, and the Vale of Temples, Agrigento are easy day trips.
Other Activities:
kite surf
