This is our second stay at Maria and Litterio's home away from home in the Madonie. We came two years ago for two short days before a bike trip; at that time, the hospitality, beautiful overlook onto the valley of Castelbuono, the splendid provisions in the house, and the sheer warmth and attentiveness of Maria and Litterio made us regret that we had planned such a short stay. We booked WELL in advance for our next visit--this time for TWO WEEKS, and we were even more charmed this time than last. There are four of us--a couple and two friends, and there is ample space for all. We notice a crib in one of the bedrooms--and Maria tells us she has had many a baby or toddler here.
First: it is hard to put into words how warm and caring Maria is. We felt she had become our friend, and by the looks of the posts on instagram and other reviews, it is clear she makes all of her guests feel the same way. We speak very rudimentary Italian, and the first time we were here, we used online translation tools to make ourselves understood, as did Maria. But this time, we realized that Maria is such a careful and clear speaker of Italian, always going slowly and making sure you understand, that we hardly used a translator at all. She also speaks some French, which helped one of the members of our party, who also speaks French.
The house is outfitted with everything you would need in the kitchen--we cooked a LOT while we were there--more than one stovetop espresso pot; dishes and cutlery galore; pots, pans, plates, bowls, strainer, knives, corkscrew; microwave--all of the necessities. There is also an outdoor bar-b-cue pit, and a fireplace indoors for cooler weather (we used neither on this visit). Bathroom also generously stocked with EVERYTHING you need. Beds made up with crisp, white cotton sheets, ample blankets for a chilly night, and in fact lighter blankets for sitting on the veranda in the evening when (in late May) it can get chilly. THAT VERANDA! Every morning we went out to watch the sheep gambol on the hillsides (the shepherd is a friend of the hosts, and we ate his cheese); the mist drift over the neighboring mountains and the town of Castelbuono; the sun dappling everything through light cloud cover. Every evening--ate our dinner on the veranda table; and naps on the padded swing sofa (also on veranda) during a warm drowsy afternoon.
If you are worried that this is "remote" we can attest that there is so much to do in the area (provided you have a car) that you will feel like no matter how long you stayed, you couldn't exhaust the possibilities. We went to Cefalu, took a walk with a botanical specialist in the nearby hills; visited neighboring villages in the mountains; hung out in Castelbuono itself; and went for a longer hike around a neighboring mountain to a former abbey. Always returning to "Casa per turisti Nonno Baffo" for the comforts of home, a warm welcome from friendly gentle doggie Stellina (who keeps to the fenced yard on the lower level), and of course, Maria and Litterio's discreet inquiries about whether we would like this or that (meaning cake, more eggs from their chickens, some fruit...). This place is more than a bnb; it is the Sicilian "comfort zone" you didn't know you had!