Our family - young, old and middling - all adored La Chiana.
Set high in the hills with spectacular views to the sea, it was a haven of tranquility, interrupted only by the sounds of sheep & cow bells, crickets & the conversation of local farm dogs. But, just a few minutes by car down the hillside there's a great pizzeria (with swimming pool, which the owner kindly let us use one morning before lunch) & the pretty village of Pettineo, offering a great cafe for lovely granite, gelati and pastries, away from the tourist trail.
We swam often in the clear, warm sea at nearby Castel Di Tusa which still had space in the beach for us in August - a luxury! The lovely towns of Cefulu and Santa Stefano Di Camastra are a scenic and not too distant drive away, and a more adventurous mountain drive to the incredibly pretty hilltop town of Gangi provided a greater glimpse of Sicily's rural beauty. Greek ruins and another hilltop town Tusa are a fascinating & and closer excursion. Ultimately, there's lots to do - or just relax in the garden hammock and take in the views.
La Chiana itself is beautifully decorated in a traditional style but offers every comfort. Air conditioning cooled the bedrooms in the August heat and although we were too often tempted by the local restaurant menus there is a great barbecue area and pizza oven for preparing your own food.
Salvatore and his father Mario were wonderful hosts, making us feel very welcome and always on hand with information and help. We were even adopted by a lovely local farm cat, to make a great holiday even more perfect!
It was very hard to leave and hope very much to return one day.