Place to visit
Beach
Mamaita's Club &Restaurant
The nearest beach is 1000 meters from the house at Mamaita's Club & Restaurant. The sunbeds above belong to the restaurant, which are free of charge, but if you choose the sunbeds by the water, you will have to pay €15 (2 beds + parasol) because they belong to a hotel. You can enjoy dinner at a beautiful beachfront restaurant at an affordable price after a full day at the beach. If you like shrimp, I recommend trying the Busiate pistacchio e gamberi, it's delicious!
In the morning, the water is calmer and you can swim in it, but in the afternoon, the wind picks up from the sea and there are big waves, which older children especially love.
Lido Surfer Paradise
This is another great little spot on the beach, located on the same stretch of coast as Mamaitas, just to the left. It's a bit more party-oriented, frequented by large groups of local young people and families with small children, because the water is shallower here and you have to walk a long way into the sea before you can swim. In the afternoon, the waves are bigger here, but less so than at the other restaurant, which the children really enjoy.
Partinico
The house belongs to the town of Partinico, which is a very cute town, developing nicely with pedestrian streets and local cafés. There are some really great little boutiques, and you can do your big shopping there too, as there is a Lidl.
Lidl
Downtown
Brugnano Cafe
Don't be surprised, but this is a gas station. However, you can get the finest coffee and pastries here. Everyone in the area starts their day here, even the last worker. They also sell tobacco products. We even had the opportunity to see a wedding here, because the café has a huge hall.
White Pub
This is also a gas station that serves breakfast. One of its great advantages is that you will find a recycling bin on the right side of the café.
Partinico Borgo-Parrini
The history of the village began around 1500, when the Jesuit novitiate fathers purchased the fields around Partinico, giving rise to the name Parrini, which means priests. The town remained under Jesuit control until 1767, when it became the property of the French prince Henri d'Orleans, who established an agricultural company that employed 300 workers. It remained inhabited until World War II, when many residents decided to move away to reach the big cities. Borgo Parrini thus remained almost completely uninhabited and in decline. But the situation changed about ten years ago when entrepreneur Giuseppe Gaglio and a few remaining residents decided to revive the village and completely renovate it! The renovation of the entire village was inspired by Gaudì's style, with the buildings being painted, the floors and walls covered with brightly colored tiles, and the walls decorated with murals and works of art. The transformation was so successful that today the village is very popular with tourists, who consider it a little Barcelona.
Grotte delle colombe
It is located about 3 km from the villa, walking along the beach towards Terassini, after climbing a small rock. It is a beautiful place, worth walking to, or even accessible by bike. Standing on the beach, you will see a flight of steps on the side of the large rock. You can climb up there, and if you climb up to the steps on the right, you will find a cove with a small cave. Feel free to take a dip, diving goggles are also recommended.
Terrasini
Terassini is 16 minutes away from the villa if you want to visit a truly lively place. There are plenty of restaurants on the main square where you can enjoy delicious food and ice cream, and almost every restaurant has live music. You can also listen to special concerts on the small stage set up between the restaurants. There is a place called Stilnovo where the drink menu includes small spritzers, large spritzers, and long drinks. The owner has old Hungarian friends, which is why the menu is in Hungarian.
Trapetto
There is a divine breakfast spot at the Lukoil gas station, yes, at a gas station. Here, almost every gas station has a café or breakfast spot. The locals go there too, where you can get a coffee and a crema croissant for €2-3. Trapetto has a charming harbor with real fishing boats and, last but not least, restaurants.
Balestrate
It is located directly on the coast on top of a cliff, but in a couple of places you can descend a flight of steps to smaller beaches.
Our neighbor recommended Da Giovanni restaurant, which is her favorite place and now ours too. Their oysters and pasta with shrimp and pesto are really good... mmmm...
You can take the Pöfi train for a tour of the city and enjoy fabulous views of the sea. Watching the sunset from here is a must.
Castellammare Del Golfo
View of the city.
This wonderful view opens up before us as we head towards Scopello. In the parking lot, the same old man has been selling delicious arangina from his caravan for more than 20 years, but you will also find a restaurant with a magnificent view.
Port
You will find many charming restaurants in the port of Castellammare Del Golfo. If you feel like it, you can also rent a motorboat there, which will allow you to admire the surrounding small bays or even the famous cliffs of Scopello from the water.
Motorboat rental
There are several places in the harbor where you can rent a motorboat. If you have a boating license, it is worth renting one for a few hours to visit the famous cliffs of Scopello, go diving, or swim.
Horseback riding on the beach
If you want a truly unique experience, roaming the mountains on horseback, then riding along the sandy beach and into the sea, sign up for this program. €60/person.
WhatsApp +39 331 712 7449
Scopello
View of the world's famous cliffs
One of the most beautiful places in northern Sicily, this is where the final scene of Ocean's Twelve was filmed. Now you need a ticket to go down to the beach, but there is also a diving center, and it is a truly magical place. If you don't want to walk down, there is a parking lot at the top, or you can just stop at the side of the road and enjoy the view for a while. It's worth it.
The village of scopello
From there, you will reach the tiny village of Scopello, where you will find restaurants, pottery shops, and a divine pastry shop located next to the fountain in the small main square. The map will guide you there. Don't miss it!
Erice
Local handmade ceramic products that bring authentic Italian style into our homes. The tiny town lies on a 750-meter plateau, offering stunning views of Monte Cofano and Trapani on the Tyrrhenian coast.
It is located 78 km from the villa.
Tempio di Segesta
A place of historical significance, it was the political center of the ancient Elymians in northwestern Sicily. In spring, the meadow blooms beautifully and the weather is pleasant for excursions. You have to buy a ticket at the parking lot, and it is worth buying a ticket for the bus that takes you up to the circular stage, from where it is not difficult to walk down to the parking lot, and in return you are rewarded with a beautiful view.
A half-day excursion destination.
It is located 37 km from the villa.
Palermo
Downtown
It is located 52 km from the villa. It is worth spending a day here, as there is plenty to see. The most convenient way to see as much as possible is to take a Hop-on Hop-off bus. It is worth getting off at the theater (Teatro Massimo) and taking a short walk through the pedestrian streets. Here you will find Palermo Cathedral, which is beautiful inside, and the park in front of it, where you can spend hours.
The famous market in Palermo
Our local neighbor recommended a trip there. There are real street vendors selling everything from refrigerators to tablecloths, various local foods, fruits, fresh fish, antiques... you can get almost anything there, and the atmosphere speaks for itself. It's worth going out early in the morning.
Etna
It's not too close, but it's worth it! It's 277 km from the villa, so it's worth taking a sweater or a thin jacket, because even in summer it's cold at the top of the volcano. If you take the car up the cable car, you can go even higher to the crater, which is still active. Bring some lava stones... 😉😉