We had such a great stay at Maria Angela’s lovely holiday-house. It is a modern house on two levels, just as it appears in the listing, in a quiet and tranquil location. The definite highlight of the house is some of the best uninterrupted views ever - the house looks right out over Bovo Marina Beach below, as well as boasting panoramic views over the surrounding hills and the sea, looking out towards the white cliffs at Heraclea Minoa. Gorgeous! Great spot for watching the sunrise on one side and enjoying the sunset on the other side over evening drinks.
There are two covered balconies upstairs, as well as a courtyard and other shady spots in the garden to relax outdoors. I had initially been a little worried that the close proximity with the other two houses on the plot might be intrusive in some way, but I needn’t have worried at all. The houses are all very self-contained with outside living areas facing in different directions. Though we occasionally saw the guests who were staying in the adjacent properties, it was super private and peaceful.
The house was modern in style with a comfy, lived-in vibe and all kitchen basics and other things like shampoo etc were all available, if required. We were also greeted by some delicious Italian biscuits on our arrival. There was a gas stove, which was also useful as we did a bit of cooking at home here. As per the listing, there is a staircase joining the two levels of the house, internally (good to be aware of, for guests with mobility issues) and also a few steps to the communal area where the larger fridge and freezer were located. Water pressure was good and bed was comfortable. The downstairs area has insect screens on all the windows and although there weren’t many mosquitoes at this time of year, they were much appreciated, as my travel companion is a frequent favourite with mosquitoes. There were, of course, a few bees and other insects attracted by the fragrant late summer flowers in the garden.
The beach is about 10-15 minutes walk across a couple of fields and downhill on a quite rough road from the house and, as noted by other guest, is a good work-out on the way back up. Of course you can also drive down and from the house you are well positioned to see what the parking situation is down below. Bovo Marina is a very unpretentious, quiet beach and definitely one the cleanest I’ve ever seen in Italy. There are a few restaurants at the beach, including Locanda Perbellini which we can recommend. Be sure to book. Two medium-sized supermarkets can be found in Monteallegra, about 10-15 mins drive away. However, they don’t have a great range of fresh vegetables, so if you are planning to self-cater, it’s best to try the weekly market. More local information can be found at the house.
Communication with Maria-Angela was very quick and smooth. She put us in touch with her local English-speaking contact, who greeted us, guided us to the location (which might otherwise have been hard to find) and gave us a tour of the property. Be sure to double-check the meet-up location given by Maria-Angela though, as Google maps often has accuracy issues in these countryside locations in Sicily.
All told it was a great place, we had a wonderful stay and we are already planning a return trip. Highly recommended!