Agriturismo Don Cesarino

We booked after seeing all those glowing reviews and scores of 9.2 and 9.4 on social media. They left out some things we really needed to know. Getting there at night can be a problem: if the GPS sends you along mountain roads and your car doesn’t have a powerful engine, you could end up stuck. Our little house was down in a valley, reached by an unpaved road, and the sea was about 35-40 minutes away by car. We weren’t told about any of this when we booked. With three children, aged 2, 8 months, and 10, I also didn’t find it suitable for kids because of the steep, dangerous stairs. The owner had already charged the full price before our 9-day stay, or we would have left right away. Sicily itself is beautiful and has so much to offer, but this trip would have been a nightmare without that. Minus 10!

We spent four days at Agriturismo Don Cesarino and came away wanting to see much more of the Nebrodi. As Sicilians, we hadn’t known the Nebrodi Natural Park, and the lush green mountains were a striking change from the dry, yellow landscape elsewhere in Sicily at this time of year. Our stay was in “Il Nido,” a lovely, clean and well-kept country house with fresh air and beautiful views. The property has many old farmhouses and rural homes, carefully restored among hazelnut, chestnut and beech woods, as well as olive groves and vineyards. Some are quite spread out. There are trails through the woods for different ability levels, and nearby villages still have a strong sense of the past. People were friendly and greeted us as we passed. We also enjoyed the local food. The area has plenty of choices, including the places known as “shacks,” where we tried excellent, organic local products at very reasonable prices. Between the nature, food, welcoming people, dramatic scenery, historic towns and comfortable lodging, it was exactly the kind of break that helps you relax physically and mentally. We’ll happily return, since there’s still plenty to see and enjoy.

A lovely place to get away from the world and spend time surrounded by nature. It’s only a few kilometers from the sea and Nebrodi National Park.

The owners are so friendly and always ready to help, which really makes you feel at home. The setting is quiet and green in the Nebrodi Park, yet Capo d'Orlando and the sea are about twenty minutes away. There are plenty of day trips to choose from too, including the Marinello Reserve, the Tindari Sanctuary, Mount Etna, Cefalù on the Tyrrhenian Sea, and Taormina on the Ionian Sea.