As a family of 8 who got together for an autumn holiday it was the pool, jacuzzi and gardens that really made Villa Fenice memorable. There are many places to sit and enjoy the views of the hills and of course Mount Etna. The gardens are also cleverly designed to mask the immediate surroundings, which are not the prettiest.
The house itself is stylish and smart, with a relatively small kitchen and one bedroom and bathroom downstairs. The bedrooms upstairs are comfortable and share two more bathrooms.
The local beach is about a 20 minute walk and offers excellent swimming, as well a couple of restaurants. We also enjoyed visiting the local town Calatabiano which is very traditional and friendly and a 5 minute drive or 25 minute walk away with an excellent Sicilian restaurant (Il Borgo del Saraceno).
Cinzia is a lovely sociable host and can arrange a hire car and provide contacts for taxis (which are expensive in Sicily) and tours. She also offers an extensive menu for a meal at the villa and cooked us a truly wonderful meal which kept us going for about 48 hours!
All in all a great villa for a family holiday.