BEAUTIFUL VILLA WITH SWIMMING POOL IN FONTANE BIANCHE (SYRACUSE)

Fontane Bianche and Noto: Summer holidays in Fontane Bianche focus firmly on sand and sea. So if you love loafing on a sun lounger this seaside resort is your kind of place. Shops, bars, trattorias, lidos and gelateria (ice cream shops) strung along a mile-long seashore. But it's the beach that really deserves attention. Boasting creamy sands and translucent seas, it's got everything sunbathers and swimmers could want, including water sports and clear-watered coves for snorkeling. Noto, a magnificent little city famous for its stunning Baroque architecture, lies 20 kilometres away. You can’t miss the traditional afternoon stroll down its main street. Noto is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto'. Generally listed as one of the 'must-see' tourist attractions of this part of Sicily, Noto is a pleasant and attractive little town, with a historic centre that is composed almost entirely of crumbling Baroque palaces, churches and houses.

Marzamemi and coastal reserve Vendicari: Heading south towards the south-eastern tip of Sicily, you find the fishing village Marzamemi where the tradition of all things marine is still very much alive. Marzamemi offers a combination of the area’s natural beaches and the vibrancy of an authentic coastal village with good fish restaurants, pizzerias and shops selling delicious local produce such as locally caught and processed tuna and swordfish or the famous cherry tomatoes from nearby Pachino. San Lorenzo, which lies 2 km to the north of Marzamemi, marks the beginning of one of the most beautiful stretches of the Sicilian coast. Here the shore is characterised by golden sand beaches, turquoise seas and white limestone rocks. San Lorenzo borders on the natural reserve of ‘Vendicari’ with breathtaking sea views, flora and fauna, exotic beaches and Byzantine ruins. It is a veritable oasis of rest and tranquility for an array of bird species. Also nearby are the Roman floor mosaics of Villa Tellaro, depicting hunting scenes.

Feedback former guests: 'Both I and my wife truly loved staying at Villa Amedeo. Fontane Bianche is a lovely little destination for anyone looking for a complete ‘get away from it all’ holiday. Cassible has a variety of shops with the locals being very helpful and friendly. We would certainly recommend the villa, resort and Sicily as great place to go on holiday.'

Luke.

'We had a wonderful time at Villa Amedeo. As we had a wonderful pool at the villa, we only used the beach at Fontaine Bianche once. It was lovely with clear water and white sands. If we could have stayed for a second week we would have gone more often. The town of the nearby town (Cassibile) was lovely – particularly the wide choice of shops for meat, fish, bread, pastries – as well as several small supermarkets. The villa owners were very caring. We were taken around the area and shown good places to eat, where the different shops were and where to find the beach.'

R. McAinsh