Agriturismo Sole di Sicilia

Breakfast was really good, and the house has a real sense of history. You can feel how much joy and so many stories have been shared there. Belinda was lovely and welcoming, and the whole family made us feel so at ease we wanted to stay forever. The father was especially kind and genuinely interested in the guests. An amazing place and host.

The family who own the place, Antonio, Gabriella, and Velinda, made it feel like home. They did everything they could to help us feel comfortable and relaxed, and the clean, welcoming rooms added to that feeling. The garden has loungers for taking it easy, while inside there’s a cozy wine room and a breakfast area with delicious cakes, sweets, and pastries. The stone building has the look of a medieval castle. It’s also a great base for hiking trails, unusual views of Etna, Nelson Castle, vineyards, and wine production. Nearby restaurants serve traditional food, including Bronte pistachios, Moletto strawberries, and Randazzo specialties. I’d love to return.

We spent two nights here and had a great time. It’s peaceful and quiet, with a beautiful view of Etna, and breakfast is fantastic. António helped us sort out the logistics, while Velinda made sure we felt at home. They found us an easy, pleasant hike on Monti Sartorio, suggested some great restaurants, and even booked a wine tasting at Donna Fugatta at the last minute. You can reach everything by car in about 10 minutes, and some vineyards are just a 10-minute walk away.

The hosts were welcoming, but there were too many problems for us to enjoy the stay. The laundry service wasn’t available, with the explanation that “it is a service we cannot provide,” and that was the last straw. We left before breakfast on our second day. The breakfast was basic and cold. The shower was tiny and had weak water pressure. We had to put toilet paper in a nearby bin, there was no shampoo, and the bathing product was almost empty, though there was plenty of body lotion. Despite trying several times, we couldn’t open the door to our mini-balcony. Since it’s an old property, we could hear the hosts’ footsteps very clearly upstairs when they came home. I can’t understand the high ratings, and this experience has changed how I read reviews. I don’t want another planning disaster like this, or to let my wife down again.