===== Exterior ===== GENERAL DESCRIPTION Villa degli Ulivi is an independent holiday home of about 90 square meters equipped with air conditioning with a fully fenced private garden of over 3000 square meters entirely surrounded by greenery and Sicilian nature but only 4 km from the sea. Villa degli Ulivi is immersed in the countryside among olive trees and other plants that surround it and make it even more pleasant, the particularity of the structure and which falls in a quiet area and in the green of nature and at the same time and close to the sea about 5 Km from Seccagrande beach, and about 21 km from the city of Ribera. The villa offers a living area with kitchen and living room in a single room, 2 bathrooms, a bedroom, a double bedroom and a bedroom with two single beds, and a double sofa bed is provided for a total of 4/6 beds. Villa degli Ulivi is very comfortable and functional, the living area overlooks the outside, where it has many points of relaxation, and where it is very pleasant to have nice breakfasts surrounded by nature and tranquility that surrounds it, the structure is also recommended for children because all the external part of the building is completely fenced and with gate and the children can play freely, the external part is comfortable also because there are parking spaces, a nice barbecue, solarium areas and shaded areas etc. In addition, for lovers of walking and cycling the place is highly recommended because along the country lanes you can make nice rides or walks in these naturalistic scenarios. The city of Ribera, which is only 2 km away, is served by supermarkets, bus stops, pharmacies, restaurants, shops, as well as the seaside area, which is also equipped with all services. - Outdoor: Villa degli Ulivi enjoys a large garden of over 3000 square meters entirely fenced where there are many points of relaxation, and where it is very pleasant to have nice breakfasts surrounded by nature and tranquility that surrounds it, the structure is also recommended for children because all the external part of the building is completely fenced and with gate and children can play freely. The external part is also convenient because there are parking spaces, a nice barbecue, solarium areas and shaded areas etc. In addition, for lovers of walking and cycling the place is highly recommended because along the country lanes you can make nice rides or walks in these naturalistic scenarios. - Services: Services included: • Kitchen linen • Bed linen and towels • Parking area • Water, electricity, gas, heating • Washing machine • Wifi internet Services not included • Extra cleaning • Extra towels • Linen and towels • Pets (supplements may apply) - Attractions: The City of Ribera AG known as the City of oranges as a producer of DOP oranges, has beautiful Sorici sites to visit, such as the Castello Di Poggio Diana which dates back to the XII built by the Normans, the Necropolis dating back to the XIII BC. early Bronze Age, the ancient churches, and the beautiful beaches, 30 km you reach the city of Agrigento where the temples of the ancient Greeks are present, 15 minutes you reach the city of Sciacca where you can admire the ancient castles , churches and many other historical sites, in the vicinity of the place there are nature reserves, and the mouth of the Platani river of the village of Borgo Bon Signore, a village dating back to the Fascist period, and many other sites dating back to the Medieval period. Sicily is Sicily Sicily, Italian Sicilia, island, southern Italy, the largest and one of the most densely populated islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Together with the Egadi, Lipari, Pelagie, and Panteleria islands, Sicily forms an autonomous region of Italy. It lies about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Tunisia (northern Africa). The island is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina (2 miles [3 km] wide in the north and 10 miles [16 km] wide in the South). The capital is Palermo. CLASSICAL CROSSROADS Seductively beautiful and perfectly placed in the heart of the Mediterranean, Sicily has been luring passersby since the time of legends. The land of the Cyclops has been praised by poets from Homer to Virgil and prized by the many ancient cultures – Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Elymians, Romans and Greeks – whose bones lie buried here. Whether in the classical perfection of Agrigentos Concordia temple, the monumental rubble of Selinuntes columns or the rare grace of a dancing satyr statue rescued from Mazara del Vallos watery depths, reminders of bygone civilisations are everywhere. MEDITERRANEAN FLAVOURS A delectable layer-cake of culinary influences, Sicilys ancient cuisine continues to rely on a few key island-grown ingredients: shellfish and citrus, tuna and swordfish, pistachios, almonds and ricotta. Talk to the septuagenarian chef at a Catania restaurant and shell confide that she still uses her grandmothers recipe for pasta alla Norma, joyfully sharing the poetic imagery that links it to Mt Etna: the tomatoes are lava; the eggplant, cinders; the basil, leafy greenery; the ricotta, snow. Modern chefs may play with the details, but Sicilys timeless recipes – from the simplest cannolo to the most exquisite fish couscous – live on. Siciliys Superlatives The Valley of Temples in Agrigento The large complex of temples and tombs in Agrigento dates as far back as 500 BC and includes Sicilys best preserved Doric temple-Tempio di Concordia-one of the most perfect to survive anywhere. Along with it in the eastern group is the Tempio di Juno Lacinia, almost as large, and in the western group is Temple of the Olympian Zeus, the largest of them at 40 meters but toppled by an earthquake. The circular Doric Tempio di Heracles, also in the western group, was destroyed by the Carthaginians and rebuilt by the Romans, only to be partially destroyed in an earthquake. The entire group is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Cathedral of Monreale The cathedral of Monreale reflects at once the politics, religion, and artistic heights of Sicily under the Normans. And in doing so, it also achieved a place in the art history of Europe, all the more remarkable because it remains today almost exactly as it was built in the 1100s. The cathedrals architecture represents the move away from Eastern Byzantine forms, but its decoration with dazzling mosaics-considered the churchs magnificent highlight-keep it firmly in the Byzantine traditions. They cover every available surface, in intricate illustrations of Biblical text and themes rendered in vibrant colors and with exceptional artistic virtuosity. Church Mosaics in Palermo Two of Palermos three major churches, the Cappella Palatina and Santa Maria dellAmmiraglio, better known as La Martorana, are famed for their mosaics. Those in the chancel of the Normans court church, Cappella Palatina, are thought to be from 1143 and the mosaic of Christ between Peter and Paul from about 1350. Other highlights of the church are the Arabic stalactite ceiling, the pulpit on carved and inlaid pillars, and the tall candelabra. La Martoranas beautiful mosaics are also from the 12th century on a gold ground and are the oldest of their kind in Sicily. The image of Christ is the centerpiece, and elsewhere in the vaulting, dome, apses, and narthex are scenes from the New Testament. Eastern Temples at Selinunte One of the largest and most significant of Sicilys ancient sites, Selinunte has eight Greek temples dating as far back as the fifth century BC, plus the nearby Temple of Demeter. The most important are those known as the Eastern Group, labeled by letter: Temple G for its impressive size and Temple E for its architectural grandeur, considered the highpoint of the Classical period. Temple G, now in ruin, was among the largest of all Greek temples. In a separate section is the large Acropolis surrounded by defensive walls, some dating from the seventh century BC. Temple C is the largest and oldest, from about 550 BC, and sits on the highest ground. Mount Etna Etna is an enigma; even its height is never certain as it changes with each new eruption. But at more than 3,000 meters, it rules the skyline with its often-smoking cone. Volcanic vents, fumaroles, hot springs, and lava flows add to its changing landscape, much of which you can explore (although not too close to the central crater) on foot or in all-terrain vehicles designed for traction in the volcanic surface. Roads lead to the base of cable cars, which will take you to the 2,500-meter point, an easy day trip from Catania or Taormina. In the winter, you can ski near the summit. Villa Romana del Casale in Enna A 12th-century landslide buried this sprawling Roman villa outside Enna, thus preserving it almost intact to be discovered and excavated eight centuries later. One of the best-preserved villas anywhere in the Roman Empire, it still has most of the original decoration. In the 50 rooms so far excavated are more than 3,500 square meters of mosaic floors with detailed scenes from mythology and contemporary life, including hunting wild animals for use in gladiatorial combat. The thermal baths with their colonnaded courtyard and fountain are especially beautiful. The villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, Syracuse One of the largest theaters in the ancient Greek Empire is a good reason, but not the only one, to visit the archaeological park in Syracuse. The view of the excavations as you approach along Viale Rizzo will give you an idea of their extent, which includes both the Greek Theater and a large Roman Amphitheater. The massive Altar of Hiero II dates from the third century BC, a century later than the 15,000-spectator Greek Theater. The Roman Amphitheater is from the third century AD and is partly hewn from the bedrock. Discover Sicily and start building your trip! THEME ITINERARIES SICILY IN BLUE - THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/sea/ SICILY OF SMALL ANCIENT VILLAGES https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/borghi/ SICILY - ART, TRADITION AND ANCIENT TRADES https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/arte/ GREEN SICILY - PARKS, RESERVES AND OUTDOOR SPORTS https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/active-holidays-eng/ SICILY FOR KIDS - THE PLACES FOR FAMILIES https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/family/ THE SICILY OF THE SOUL - THE WAYS OF FAITH https://www.visitsicily.info/en/sacred-journeys/ SICILY - AN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM - ITINERARY OF ARCHEOLOGY https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/archaeological-sicily/ SICILY - ALONG THE PATH OF WRITERS https://www.visitsicily.info/en/the-street-of-writers/ SICILY - THE MAGNA VIA FRANCICEGNA https://www.visitsicily.info/en/the-magna-via-francigena/ SICILY - THE VIA DEI CASTELLI DELLETNA https://www.visitsicily.info/en/the-route-of-etna-castles/ - Parking: free private parking - Local Transport: Travel to Sicily AIRPORTS Fly to Sicily by arriving either at Catania Airport (CTA) or Palermo Airport (PMO). Which airport to use depends both on the convenience of the flight and of the destination airport, because Palermo is in eastern Sicily and Catania is in the western part of the island. TRAIN Book passage on an Intercity (IC) or Eurostar (ES) train. Although Sicily is not connected to the Italian mainland by bridge, trains are ferried from Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, the toe of Italys boot, to Sicily. Passengers do not even need to disembark from the train for the roughly one-hour passage. BUS Ride a bus or drive a rental car to Sicily. Bus companies like Interbus run routes from major Italian cities to Sicily, and drivers can depart from virtually anywhere in Italy. Car ferries depart from Villa San Giovanni, which makes it a transit point in common for cars and buses, as well as trains. SEA FERRY Book passage on a passenger sea ferry from elsewhere in Italy. In Italy, these ferries depart from Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno and Naples. International ferries travel to Sicily from Malta and Tunisia. Most ferries arrive in Palermo, but some go to Syracuse, as well as smaller port towns on the island. ===== Interior ===== Interior Description: Villa degli Ulivi is an independent holiday home of about 90 square meters equipped with air conditioning with a fully enclosed private garden of 3000 square meters. ENVIRONMENTS Living area: entrance into the living room furnished with armchairs, sofa (which can become a double bed), dining table and chairs Fully equipped kitchen with fridge and freezer, electric oven, 4 burner stove, coffee machine and all the main utensils Sleeping area 1 double bedroom 1 bedroom with two bunk beds Sheets and towels are provided for free and you can find an extra set of pillows, if you prefer softer or harder ones. In the rooms there are also: full-length mirror, wardrobe, hangers, bedside tables and lights. Bathrooms 2 complete bathrooms with window with shower box we supply courtesy toilet paper, free carpets and towels, hairdryer Toiletries: shampoo-shower, hand soap. CLEANING Cleaning is done at the beginning and end of the stay; you can request an extra cleaning service on request for a fee INTERNET Wi-Fi available throughout the house AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING The house is air conditioned but you can enjoy the coolness given by the sea breeze typical of our area In the summer I also supply fans in case of need As a result, you will feel comfortable whatever your expectations are. CHILDREN Children are welcome and we can provide cots on request SENIORS the villa is on the ground floor and there are no steps to climb VIEW The view is on the countryside of surrounding olive groves NOISE Traffic is zero since we are not on a busy road. Doors and windows are of good quality. You will certainly sleep well! PARKING AREA Free private parking on site - Sitting Room: entrance into the living room furnished with armchairs, sofa (which can become a double bed), dining table and chairs - Kitchen: Fully equipped kitchen with fridge and freezer, electric oven, 4 burner stove, coffee machine and all the main utensils - Bedrooms: 1 double bedroom 1 bedroom with two bunk beds 1 double sofa bed in the living room Sheets and towels are provided for free and you can find an extra set of pillows, if you prefer softer or harder ones. In the rooms there are also: full-length mirror, wardrobe, hangers, bedside tables and lights. - Bathrooms: 2 complete bathrooms with window with shower box, toilet, sink and bidet we supply courtesy toilet paper, free carpets and towels, hairdryer Toiletries: shampoo-shower, hand soap. ===== Apartment Policies ===== Arrival between 15:00 and 20:00 Departure within 10:00 Not included in the rental price and to be paid on the spot: Final Cleaning (mandatory): 85.00€ Included in the rental price: Bed Linen and Towels (initial set) Utilities Internet Wifi Air conditioning Key collection service