LOCALIZED LUXURIATING

A Sicilian sojourn via villa is an ideal way to become intimately immersed in the Italian island’s many charms

Written by Bridget Williams

To varying degrees, the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Germans, Spanish, Italians, and even the Brits have lost their heads wrangling for control of Sicily, which for thousands of years served as an important strategic crossroad of the Western world. In spite of the rich archaeological and cultural remnants they left behind, it is a single Moorish Casanova of Sicilian legend that arguably left the most indelible mark.

There are alternate versions of the story, but around the year 1000 (around the time Viking raider Leif Eriksson discovered North America), a Moor knight or merchant spied a beautiful girl on a balcony in the Kalsa district of Palermo and the pair eventually engaged in a passionate love affair. From here you can choose the outcome of your lore: In the first scenario, unbeknownst to her, the knight is actually married with children, so the scorned woman cuts off his head to use as a flowerpot so that her lover can never leave her; in an alternate ending, the lovers’ indiscretion is discovered by the man’s brother who decapitates his sinning kin and discards the body in a nearby forest. The woman locates the head, places it on her balcony, and from her tears springs basil, a symbol of passion and love. Her neighbors, noticing how well the plants flourish in the macabre container, made clay copies that are now ubiquitous throughout the country (with the best examples hailing from Caltagirone). Enraptured by the stylized heads even before I knew their grim back-story, for me they sum up a central characteristic of the Sicilian experience: passion.

Terrace of the Sighilli villa.

Experiencing the myriad marvels of Sicily required far less effort than mustering up a conquering army or having my head turned into a flowerpot; I booked a stay in a villa through The Thinking Traveler. Not just any villa mind you, one that was built around the time of the French Revolution and is now lovingly cared for as the family heirloom it is. The property is representative of the uniqueness and quality of accommodations in The Thinking Traveler’s portfolio of properties in Sicily, Puglia, and the Ionian and Sporades Islands. Lending credence to my kudos are the readers of Condé Nast Traveller, who awarded the company “Favorite Villa Rental Company” for its 2016 Readers’ Awards. Headquartered in London, The Thinking Traveler maintains a large team “on the ground” that is at guests’ disposal for as much or as little interaction as desired.

Brave souls at Mazzaro beach take the plunge into the Ionian Sea. Photo by Bridget Williams.

Several weeks prior to my visit, I received a lovely care package from the company that included a thoughtfully compiled guide to Sicily prepared in-house by the affable Max Lane, a British expat who now resides in Sicily full-time. At nearly 200- pages, it was a light and entertaining read interspersed with photographs, that served as an ideal roadmap for planning where and what to visit based on my interests: archaeology, architecture, and eating (not necessarily in that order).

Situated south of Taormina on the east coast of Sicily, my chosen villa, Don Arcangelo all’Olmo, boasts enviable views across a lemon orchard to the Ionian Sea at the rear of the property and Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano at the front. Etna’s daily grumblings, accompanied by an occasional release of a luminous ash cloud, proved to be simultaneously unsettling and symphonic, and a source of constant wonderment as I gazed upon it from the comfort of a chaise in the villa’s lush garden.

The lushly landscaped pool and gardens of the Don Arcangelo all’Olmo villa. Photo by Bridget Williams.

A bit of a sleeper from the outside, once the ancient front door creaks open you are welcomed into the rarefied air of a space that truly feels like a home and displays the worldly point-of-view of a globetrotting aristocrat. Sturdy antiques nestle up to plush sofas dressed with breezy linen slipcovers; stone and wood floors peek out from beneath an assortment of vibrant kilim rugs; objects of interest and curiosity adorn tabletops and bookcases; breezy drapery billows in the oceanic and jasmine-infused breeze emitted from a plethora of French doors purposely left ajar; oversized arched doorways, groin vault ceilings, and soot-stained fireplace mantels add additional architectural interest. With 12 unique en suite bedrooms, the fully staffed property can comfortably accommodate up to 24 guests.

Living area in the Don Arcangelo all'Olmo villa.

Wandering and wondering as I explored each nook and cranny in the grand estate, what these walls, which have held sturdy for more than a millennium through earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, would utter about the varied lives of those who have crossed its threshold.

Outside, the achingly beautiful scene intoxicates the senses, with stone paths meandering through terraced gardens and squares of lush grass, all dotted with varied seating arrangements should you need to steady yourself after having your breath taken away one too many times. It’s the kind of place where sickeningly sweet love sonnets should be written and recited – ideally to someone gazing wistfully off at the sea from a Juliette balcony on the second floor. A large pool, heated just enough to take the edge off but still feel refreshing, abuts the lemon orchard and is lined with chic iron daybeds and several carefully placed umbrellas for seeking respite from the sun.

Dinner in the dining room of Don Arcangelo all'Olmo villa.

Each morning I pleasantly awoke to the smell of chocolate croissants baking in the kitchen in preparation for the daily hearty breakfast spread of fresh fruit, bread, meats, and cheeses waiting for us in a garden alcove whose structure was composed of tangles of wisteria vines wedded to an iron frame. We chose to have two dinners at the villa and each was a glorious multi-course affair celebrating the region’s local cuisine, expertly served by gloved wait staff and paired with wines from Planeta, a family-owned winery and one of Sicily’s foremost producers, who offer in-villa delivery of their 14 wines in a special partnership with The Thinking Traveller.

Breakfast service in the garden of the Don Arcangelo all’Olmo villa.

While a good hotelier will recognize the importance of conveying a sense of place, there are often constraints dictated by the property’s size, budget, and location. Villas in The Thinking Traveler Portfolio – from ancient farmhouses to modernist masterpieces – encompass myriad viewpoints of the ideal Sicilian experience. A recently refurbished lava stone farmhouse in Pozzillo, La Limoncella, boasts sea and Mt. Etna views and plenty of manicured outdoor spaces, including a divine lap pool and ample covered terraces to soak in the scene.

The pool and gardens of the Ortensia villa offer views of the Ionian Sea and the slopes of Mount Etna.

Set amidst a working nursery with sweeping sea views (the owners are the world’s largest exporter of Mediterranean plants), the Don Venerando villa was purpose-built as a rental property, but no expense was spared in its construction or elegant interior design, which features top-drawer Biedermeier and Chinese antiques and original artwork. Built around the remnants of an old winery, the original wine press is ingeniously integrated into a half wall in the foyer. Portions of the tile floor were intentionally broken as they were hammered into place to emulate years of use.

Don Venerando is a lovingly restored and beautifully appointed seafront villa.

A garden party at villa Don Venerando (left). The I Sapori dei Gusti Smarriti delicatessen in Syracuse (right).

The owner/architect of the mountainside Ortensia villa in Giarre has filled his eclectic and modern home with a range of contemporary artwork that reflects his Sicilian and aristocratic roots as well as spoils from his far-flung travels. Sighilli is a seven-bedroom villa located within the Vendicari Nature Reserve, with a heated pool the overlooks sandy beaches, vineyards, and salt lakes that regularly attract flamingos. Casa Vera, a perfectly proportioned estate crafted out of concrete, caught the attention of Elle Décor Italia, which produced a feature story on the property.

Architect-designed Ortensia villa in Giarre.

Sicilian-inpsired original art in the Ortensia villa.

Perched on a rocky outcrop on the ocean in Santa Maria La Scala, the five-bedroom Crossing the Rock is supremely elegant in its austerity, with white walls, upholstery, and drapery interspersed with antiqued mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and fine wood antiques, many with gilt accents. Although it is steps from the center of town and its restaurants, bars, and shops, one look at the oceanfront pool engineered to sit atop the boulders that reinforce the shoreline, as well as the optional services of chef-for-hire Rosa Maria (whose gnocchi and meatballs are to die for), I imagine one could find it hard to leave.

A dearth of activities will certainly never be an issue during a Sicilian holiday. Our first day was spent exploring Taormina. Following lunch on the terrace of Trattoria Il Barcaiolo, which sits in an alcove of the Ionian Sea where brave souls plunge into the azure waters from towering sea stacks, we took a cable car from Mazzaro beach to the historic town center, perched on a rocky promontory. Popular since its inclusion as a stop on the Grand Tour, its demure size belies its importance as a conquest at one time to the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, French, and Spanish, each leaving its mark on the “Pearl of the Mediterranean.” The town’s pièce de résistance is its Greek-Roman theatre, which was started in the third century BC and whose views would certainly force performers to be at their best.

Wares at the market in Piazza Battisi Cesare. The Greek-Roman theatre in Taormina.

Since I’d been admiring Mt. Etna from afar since my arrival, her subtle rumbling a reminder of the tremendous latent power within, I devoted a half-day to explore all around the active volcano, both on and off the beaten path with a driver/guide arranged by The Thinking Traveller. Hiking the moonscape-like lava fields, I was struck by the visual contrast of iridescent silver birch trees that have sprung up intermittently from the crumbly and rocky black-as-night soil created by older deposits of cooled magma. Even from a safe distance, it’s still quite fascinating to watch the clouds that swiftly swirl around the nearly 11,000-foot apex comingle with plumes of steam released from within the crater.

The granita at Caffe Sicilia in Noto is regarded as some of the best in Sicily.

An important Greek stronghold, Syracuse, and its island heart, Ortigia, retain a fair share of Greek and Roman architectural remains, along with Medieval Norman and Baroque structures. After admiring the Piazzo del Duomo with its cathedral built on atop a Temple of Athena, epicures must make a point to visit “I Sapori dei Gusti Smarriti,” located at one end of the market in Piazza Battisti Cesare. I carted out my fair share of Sicilian delicacies, some available exclusively at this exemplary deli. As much as I delighted in devouring each upon my return, a trinket of more permanence–a Maiolica pottery head–as you likely guessed, is my most prized souvenir. Staring back at me from its spot on my kitchen counter, it serves as a colorful reminder of my visit and fittingly, a line from "The Princess Bride": "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!”

Piazza del Duomo, Syracuse.

For more information about villa rentals and trip planning services in Sicily, Puglia, and the Ionian and Sporades Islands through The Thinking Traveller, visit TheThinkingTraveller.com.