Patrizia’s place and hospitality are amazing. What everyone before us said in their reviews is true.
We, a family with two girls of 10 and 12, have stayed for 6 nights and loved it. The kids explored the beautifully kept garden with many gnomes/dwarfs to find in different locations.
The place itself is like a chalet you might find in the Alps or Dolomites when you go skiing or hiking. It’s compact and had everything we could think of. On the premises there is only one other apartment, so you have the garden and swimming pool nearly to yourself.
The living space inside the chalet is more than tripled if you add the ‘winter garden’, roofed balcony (which offers protection from the sun and rain), open terraces, garden and swimming pool. The winter garden is a very big inside space with lots of windows and an indoor/semi-outdoor (depending on wether you open the sliding garden doors or not) BBQ. You could easily have a dinner party there for at least 40 people (not sure if Patrizia would allow that, but it’s certainly possible).
As we were there in summer, we mostly cooked in the winter garden and ‘lived’ outside, but we also used the oven in the inside kitchen a few times.
We had breakfast, lunches and dinners on the roofed balcony directly in front of the chalet with its beautiful views of the sea. We also played games or read books there in the evening. And of course we used the pool and the outside shower every day (the shower can be hot and cold to your preference).
We went on several excursions. Patrizia recommended us to go to the craters on the Etna with the cable cart and bus, which was stunning. She also recommended to go to Parco Aventura Milo, a climbing part. We went with two kids of 10 and 12 and it was brilliant. Also for the adults the harder levels are quite challenging which was a nice surprise. Last but not least we went body rafting in the Alcantara gorge with an organization called Truvatura. Also a must do if you like active excursions (go early as it gets crowded).
All of these excursions you can reach by car in about 45 minutes (Milo is much closer by the way).
We had already been to some of the cities and beaches along the coast before coming here, but if you want you can reach some lovely places along the coast as well, like Taormina or Aci Trezza & Aci Castello.
Thank you Patrizia. One day we’ll come back.