Francisco and Velia are wonderful hosts and genuinely lovely people. Their home is beautiful and feels like a real home way from home from the minute you arrive.

We were greeted by Francisco who gave us a tour around the house and a run through of how everything worked. He also gave us tonnes of information and tips on where to eat real Sicilian food (and avoid being ripped off) and where to visit during our stay. He had also bought us bottles of water, some delicious home grown peaches and a bottle of incredible local wine. We were also invited to help ourselves to his wonderful home grown basil and olive oil made from their own olives - all so delicious.
We exchanged phone numbers from the first day and Francisco was always available with advice and to answer any questions and sent us through so much additional info and advice as and when he thought of it - invaluably helpful.

The house is wonderful and they have renovated it with great care. It has a near perfect and very well stocked kitchen from which we were invited to use anything at all that we needed - just to replace anything that we used up. The bedrooms have air conditioning which was a real godsend during an August heatwave, as was the beautiful roof terrace where we spent many evenings eating, drinking wine and enjoying the views over the city.

At the end of our first week Francisco and Velia even invited us to join them and some friends for dinner and we had a wonderful evening enjoying some great seafood and getting to know them.

There is a cafe below the apartment serving great espresso, granite and brioche, all you need for a classic Sicilian breakfast. There is also a local grocers complete with deli just downstairs on the local square and butcher that sold us the most delicious salsiccia i have ever had.

A big tip from us is to pop to the Pastry Chef bakery that is on the Via Teatro Massimo - just a few mintues walk away. They do the most delicious filled pastries and can't recommend a brioche filled with white Nuttella enough!

This is the perfect place to stay to really soak up and experience the Sicillian way of life with the help of these kind and friendly hosts. We cannot recommend it highly enough.

Thank you again so much Fracisco and Velia.