Relais Parco Cavalonga

Chic self-catering apartments sleeping 2-7 and a delightful small hotel tucked away in a pretty valley, perfectly situated for southern Sicily’s best sights

South-eastern Sicily is a seductive mixture of rugged landscapes, pretty beaches and immaculately preserved Baroque towns (3 granted UNESCO World Heritage status) with honeyed stone carved into crisp volutes and Corinthian columns, and churches with magnificent interiors. Wandering their labyrinthine streets is delightful, but it comes as a relief to escape the chaotic traffic and droves of tourists and return to the tranquility, clean lines and polished limestone of Relais Parco Cavalonga. Tucked away in wild and fragrant gardens, it’s small enough to offer truly personalised service, but substantial enough to have a good restaurant and 2 pools; the perfect base for absorbing sunshine and Sicilian culture.

The 7 spacious and modern apartments and 15 hotel rooms are sufficiently spread out among olive and carob trees to give both privacy and lovely views of a typical southern Sicilian landscape; some even give a glimpse of distant sea. Furnishings are elegant and simple in strong plain colours, fine art on the walls is bold but always harmonious, and the beds are superb. There are many restaurants in Ragusa, and exquisite seafood a short drive away in coastal towns. But you’ll find it hard to leave the calm of Cavalonga, and the scented night air.

Highs

• A blissful little haven, hidden away from the tourists flocking to the major sights in the area
• Spacious interiors with elegant, but never ostentatious, design
• Two smart swimming pools, set in rustic gardens
• Within easy reach of Ragusa (15 minutes away), Vittoria (30 minutes away) and Scicli - and far more restful than staying in a town
• Really exceptional service from warm and helpful staff, keen to make you feel at home
• The apartments are great for families and kids will love the pools

Lows

• You’ll need a car to explore the area, but there are shaded parking spaces
• If you want to dine off site, good restaurants in Ragusa or Vittoria require more driving than you might feel like in the evening (the 3 options in nearby Donnafugata aren’t very sophisticated)
• Self-catering guests might find the kitchens in some apartments too small for conjuring up elaborate meals
• This is a quiet, gentle place to stay: don’t expect entertainment in the evenings (though all rooms have cable TV)