Rosa's House Bed and Breakfast

The town is quiet and friendly, though sadly the 1963 earthquake destroyed much of its old beauty. The earthquake museum photos and the few surviving buildings give a sense of what it must have looked like, perhaps like Sambuca, just 10 minutes away and worth seeing. Palazzo Filangeri is a lovely reminder of that past. The noble family at the center of the book and film used to spend summers here to escape the plains' heat, and built the villa. "The Leopard," with Burt Lancaster and Claudia Cardinale, was filmed in the building that now houses the town council and local police, just before the earthquake. I’ve stayed at this BnB several times and always enjoy coming back. Loretta is friendly, helpful, and always available. The apartment is roomy and comfortable, with old-world charm and everything needed to prepare and eat meals. There’s a big terrace that’s lovely in the sun, and in summer you can eat outside. It even has a real pizza oven. I visited in winter and found it quite cold, but I plan to return in summer. The coast near Menfi and Selinunte, with lovely beaches, is about a 20-minute drive away, and it’s less hot here than on the coast. I’d definitely recommend staying here.