Villas Worldwide reports an upsurge in demand for the Italian island of Sicily

Villa holiday specialist Villas Worldwide reports increased demand and interest for villa holidays in Sicily this year as well as Italy as a whole. With 2011 bookings for Italy up by over 100% compared to the same time last year Italy is proving one of the major success stories.

Sicily can be easily reached by its many airports access using some of the budget airlines.  It has a diverse appeal from gorgeous sandy beaches, stunning scenery, beautiful coastal drives, important archeological sites, crystal clear warm sea as well as historic Italian villages and towns with their cobbled streets and elegant shops.  This collectively with the delicious Sicilian food and wine makes for the perfect holiday throughout the year.  As Sicily is one of the most southern mediterranean destinations, it has a mild year round climate although the Summer can be extremely hot.

Villas Worldwide has a selection of over 100 villas in Italy, mainly in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio and Sicily. Around one third are located in Sicily, many with private pools, some that share and many close to the beautiful beaches. Pices begin from £600 per week per villa in low season.

Follow the highlighted links to view our fabulous range of villas in Italy and our selection of Sicily villas.

Villas Worldwide celebrated five years of trading this year, is independently owned and all holidays are fully bonded.


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Sicilian wine, an age-old tradition from ThinkSicily

According to legend, Dionysus (aka Bacchus) was the God who brought pleasure to mankind, and wine to Sicily.

Legend aside, it is certain that wine has been made in Sicily for millennia. There is evidence that Mycenaean traders cultivated grapes in the Aeolian Islands as early at 1,500 BC and when the Greeks began to settle in Sicily in the 8th century BC, they too were unable forgo their favourite libation, "oinos", and introduced several varieties of vines.

The next important date in Sicilian wine history is 1773, the year John Woodhouse started producing what was to become one of the island's most famous products: Marsala.

Woodhouse understood immediately that the decent local wine could be transformed, using in perpetuum techniques (similar to the solera system used to make sherry), which, through the addition of alcohol, would not only fortify the wine but also help it survive the sea journey back to England in tact. It was an instant success with the British, and other entrepreneurs, such as Ingham and Whitaker, soon hurried out to exploit the wine's popularity.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the English dominion in Marsala-making was brought to an end by the arrival of Vincenzo Florio, one of Italy's first tycoons, who bought up much of the land around Marsala. Cantine Florio, though in different hands today, remains one of the best producers of Marsala and a visit of their enormous barrel-filled winery is recommended.

For most of the 20th century, Sicily continued to produce enormous quantities of grapes, most of which, however, were exported to be added to wine made elsewhere in Italy.

The last 20 years have seen enormous changes to the island's wine culture and, as the many international prizes won by Sicilian producers confirm, some of Italy’s finest wines are now being made in Sicily. A new generation of Sicilian producers are realising the full potential of the island’s enviable climate, its autochthonous grape varieties and its fertile soil.

Sicily is a wine-lover's paradise, such is the variety, complexity and abundance of Bacchus' unique gift!

Find out more at the ThinkSicily blog http://goo.gl/J1NRE

Award Winning Organic Farm Holiday - SICILY

CONGRATULATIONS: Il Glicine has been awarded the “Case & Country” magazine's “Best Agritourism of Charm” award  2010 !

Near Piazza Armerina, Il Glicine is a 4 hectare organic fruit and vegetable farm with two cottages and a pool, in an

enchanting setting, in the very heart of Sicily. Ideal and only for couples, this is a perfect haven for getting away from it all. As one client said, this is "a real place", difficult to find in the hurly-burly of modern life. Choose it for its individuality, stylish comfort, wonderful location and fantastic vegetarian food.

From £578 per person , including flights from Gatwick to Catania, a cottage for 2, self-catering and car hire (based on two people sharing for one week 19th September-26th September)

Better hurry - this place is going to be booked up.

http://www.long-travel.co.uk/holidaysearch.aspx?words=il%20glicine

Long Travel 01694 722193


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Great news on flights to ITALY

Still thinking about booking a holiday to Italy?  Here's some flight info that will help you get a handle.

Sicily:

From 25 June, it will be easier to get to Catania, Sicily.  Easyjet has introduced an extra service, making that 3 flights per week out of London Gatwick.

Juliet's Balcony?

Another new flight from London Gatwick to Verona will begin on 3 June.  The flight will operate daily. http://www.easyjet.com/

Direct into Florence? Now there's more choice!

At last, CityJet Airlines has introduced a direct flight from London City airport to Florence.  The flight operates six times a week (no Saturdays).  http://www.cityjet.com/

Venice Alert

Its good news – Treviso Airport will be closed for improvements during June, July and August which means the Ryanair flights will be flying into Marco Polo Airport in Venice – much nearer and far more convenient.

For hotels, advice and tour operators, check the ABTOI members http://www.loveitaly.co.uk/

At Easter, dance with Sicilian Devils in Prizzi

Sicily Easter celebrations and processions are among the most famous and suggestive all over the world. Besides popular “I Misteri” processions in Trapani, attracting numerous visitors and tourists every year, even more symbolic are Easter events and celebrations held in Prizzi, a lovely hill town South of Palermo. Here, the traditional “Abballu de li Diavuli” (Dance of the Devils) is a singular dance performed on Easter Sunday by villagers wearing large and terrifying iron masks, red tunics and goatskins, who rampage through the village in a traditional struggle between good and evil. Led by Death himself dressed in yellow and bearing a crossbow, the Devils drag you from the crowd, force you to dance in the street, and finally bring you to a bar where they pour wine down your throat. They surrender only when Jesus and Mary statues finally meet and everybody celebrates drinking and eating at local bars. Don't you think this is way more enthralling then going on Easter egg hunts?   

soloSicily Easter Savings Offer: save up to 300€ on price listed with every NEW booking, where villa & car rental are booked before 28 February 2011. Offer is applicable for departures between 9th April & 6th May 2011, subject to a minimum of 2 passengers and 7 nights stay from Saturday to Saturday. To find out more about our offer, click here

soloSicily - Villas in Sicily to rent
www.solosicily.com
Tel UK: 0044 (0)20 7193 0158
Tel IT: 0039 091 687 0639

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Carnival Capers at Half-Term

If you've ‘done' Venice and Rio and are looking for a colourful new   carnival experience, head for Acireale where Sicily's oldest and most spectacular carnival takes place on the island's east coast.

Dating back to the 16th century, the Acireale Carnival (19 February-8 March)  is best known for its spectacular floral displays and floats.  Today, celebrations include street parades and entertainers and fortunately, the former egg and orange-throwing has been replaced by marching bands, dancers and masked performers.

Acireale is a seaside city at the foot of Mount Etna, just a few miles from   Taormina and with some fantastic Baroque architecture.  Stay at one of our properties (http://www.solosicily.com/), either in the heart of Acireale at the Melaverde apartment or in an independent cottage at The Queen's Jewels, a farm estate in the stunning Taormina countryside.

Celebrity Chef Locatelli relaxing at soloSicily Villa Olga in Menfi, Sicily

Villa rental specialist soloSicily chose the magic of Sicily Southern coast to charm celebrity Chef Locatelli during his holiday in Sicily at Villa Olga in Menfi. Villa Olga's ultra modern style, stunning pool area and amazing endless front sandy beach deeply impressed Giorgio Locatelli, who declared: "...Having stayed all over Sicily for the past twelve years, this is the most relaxing and beautiful place that I have stayed in so far. The sea view is breath taking, the peace and quiet totally rejuvenating (...) I would recommend a stay at Villa Olga to all..."

To visit all soloSicily Villas: www.soloSicily.com
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Discovering Southern Sicily with The Guardian

I came across an interesting article on The Guardian website about Southern Sicily by Lisa Allardice. Here is the opening paragraph...

"Excuse me," says Gioacchino Sortino – who looks every sharp-suited inch the Sicilian businessman – reaching for his mobile. "It's my mama, she worries about me." And Gioacchino is worried about us. Wild, beautiful, unpredictable – and a little bit scary, Sicily has lived up to its tempestuous reputation by staging the most spectacular electrical storm

Great intro! Lisa travelled with ABTOI member SoloSicily, if you would like to read some more here is the link to the article Southern Sicily