L'Approdo delle Sirene

Shipshape B&B on the waterfront of Ortigia, the seagirt historic centre of Siracusa, with charismatic owners and a charming roof terrace

Set on 2 sunny floors of a waterfront palazzo overlooking Siracusa’s little harbour, this family-run B&B has a great location, a jaunty décor, and abundant breakfasts of fresh fruit and delectable pastries on a roof terrace planted with cacti and bougainvillea. They hold cookery courses too, which might just end up being the highlight of your trip.

But what really sets L’Approdo delle Sirene apart are the owners, mother Fiora Piccone and son Friedrich Schmuck: relaxed, cheerful, fluent in English and genuinely devoted to making their guests as comfortable as possible without being intrusive. They’ll make informed restaurant recommendations, introduce you to other B&Bs in Sicily, make sure that you're looked after if you get stuck, and generally help you deal with any little problem that might arise. As for the rooms, they're fresh, spruce, simple and understated, thanks to the whitewashed walls, gleaming parquet and stripy upholstery. And, like the public spaces, they're flooded with light.

Highs

• Waterside location on the edge of Ortigia, right across the bridge from the new town, so handy for public transport
• Friendly, helpful service with advice at hand on all aspects of Siracusa and Sicily
• Lunches, dinners (delicious) and cookery courses on request by owner Fiora Piccione
• Breakfasts of homemade cakes, tarts, artisan pastries and carefully chosen fresh fruit, with fresh Sicilian cannoli on Sundays
• Bikes on the house

Lows

• Some rooms are a little small
• Availability can be a problem