Elizabeth's house was a huge pleasure to stay at. The house itself was just like the surroundings, full of simple and beautiful quality. The restored stone building and surrounding garden of pine, almond, and fig trees and various succulents and cacti that can survive in the arid conditions provided coolness in the summer heat and peace and tranquillity, as did the view towards the sea. The location is also excellent, with small shops and a lovely beach only 2-3 minutes drive at Sampieri where the bar at the local petrol station also has one of the best pistachio ice creams ever experienced. Further afield it is also convenient for visiting the baroque towns of this part of Sicily such as Scicli, Modica, and Noto from where it is also worthwhile spending some time at the natural reserve of Vendicari with its unspoilt beaches, lake with flamingos and Byzantine necropolis and ruins. Elizabeth has been a huge help over and above what one would normally expect and it has been a pleasure to interact with her. Also Betty was a big help locally. I would recommend staying at Elizabeth’s house unreservedly and would take the first opportunity to return again. One point to keep in mind is that one probably needs independent means of transport to both get around and reach this part of Sicily, particularly with kids.