The place was true to its pictorial. A quaint and comfortable house in the (what I regard as a true) Sicilian village of Valderice. Roberto is the type of person who you will immediately want to take in as a friend. My son and I spent a considerable amount of time there. We were treated amazingly well by not just the neighbours, but by the people at the local markets as well. I guarantee that if you open your eyes, you will find Valderice surprising and compelling.

Its a nice easy walk to the bus stop for access to Trapani, which is only a few minutes away by car. If you plan to explore other parts of the area, you can by pass the stressful driving of the city entirely and jump on the motorway. I truly consider this area to be the best hub to all areas in Western Sicily as most sites and destinations are easily accessed.

Thank you Roberto for being a gracious, inviting, and simply outstanding host. I truly enjoyed my time there and will miss so much of it. The only downside to it all... is that I will always want to come back... a constant tug at my heart and soul.

I will miss picking the fresh herbs and fruits from the garden for my attempts at italian cooking. I will miss the nourishing sun and unbelievably blue sky. I will miss buying the most amazing olive oil direct from the farmer (€4 for 2l if you can believe).

For anyone who does visit... I hope they will learn to take your advice on where to go and what to do... because it was always spot on.

So much to say... but I will leave the rest as unspoiled surprises for the next visitor to experience.

-Michael