Where to spend an unusual night in Sicily
Sicily is the second largest island in the Mediterranean for the presence of alternative accommodation facilities to hotels. Here, 82 percent of them are non-hotel, a figure that qualifies as the second highest in the group of Greek Aegean islands.
There are approximately 6,000 diverse establishments, such as B&Bs, campgrounds, vacation homes, cottages, boats, and many others, which have weathered better than hotels during the pandemic. These percentages come from the Otie report, an acronym for the Island Economy Tourism Observatory, in which the study analyzing the development of hospitality in European islands is discussed in depth.
In the absolute terms of the ranking, Sicily went from having 400 thousand to more than 1 million accommodations, ranking second in terms of the presence of non-hotel accommodations.
But in all these numbers, we would like to turn our attention to some of the more unusual facilities in which to stay, in our beloved Sicily.
Casa Araba, the old fishermen’s house
The Arab house in Marzamemi is named after the place where it is located, namely the old Marzameni tuna fishery from the 1700s, and was originally an old fishermen’s dwelling. The name has Arabic origin, namely ‘Marzameni’ means small port. The house was renovated, and its furnishings and decorations evoke the feeling of being on the other side of the Mediterranean, in Marrakech, from where most of the decorations prevail. The renovation resulted in a large living room, a small kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom with laundry, and a loft that becomes the second sleeping area.
The kitchen leads to an outdoor area that overlooks the former loading and unloading clearing for goods from the old harbor, which has now become a stunning seaside plaza.
Baglio Occhipinti: the fortified estate
Another very special complex is the masseria il Baglio Occhipinti, which stands on the remains of an ancient 17th-century millstone. Located in the Val di Noto, where limestone pits for the collection of musts are still preserved in one of the common areas, it offers 12 rooms completely surrounded by greenery with views of rows of vines and the Iblei Mountains. The term Baglio indicates a fortified farm and has an etymology found in Arab, Latin, and Greek culture.
The restoration that took place with the utmost respect for the land and the original architecture of this structure is the work of Fausta Occhipinti, a landscape architect who wanted to recreate a place capable of welcoming and charming world travelers, enchanting them with the warmth of Sicilian homes.
Natural stone walls have a continuous dialogue with objects of rural tradition, as in the case of handcrafted period furniture, which best enhance the history and tradition of the area.
The Abode of the Crags, the estate of a thousand colors
Eleven colors for eleven rooms. This is the Dimora delle Balze in Noto, where every design and decoration is a tribute to the Sicilian artists who made the island’s name famous. In addition to the colors and design elements, the rooms are also characterized by the presence of Renaissance frescoes. Inside the facility there are three lounges, each with the capacity to accommodate about thirty people.
Also dominating the estate is a large quadrangular courtyard, on the left side of which the rooms face, while on the right side an ancient gate leads to the manor house.
The manor garden, formerly embellished with stone benches, now houses the remains of pre-existing classical columns and terraces set up with armchairs and designer objects.
Borgo Alveria, the Country Resort on the remains of an ancient convent
Borgo Alveria is located in Noto Antica, on the site of an old convent of Friars Minor founded in 1451 and destroyed by an earthquake in 1693. Still present are the remains of the ancient walls. The etymology of the name alvarium comes from Latin, which stands for beehive, given its importance for honey production during antiquity.
Passing through an archway from 1642 that withstood the earthquake is the entrance to the facility that houses 13 rooms, with a total of 32 beds. The rooms are located in 18th-century buildings that have been restored in a modern style that combines design with the antiquarian Sicilian tradition. The Borgo consists of small inner courtyards and 19 hectares of land, a spectacle to the eye.
But despite the fact that Sicily ranked second in terms of the presence of non-hotel facilities in Europe, there are those who still prefer to sleep in hotels, rather than booking in other types of accommodations. Therefore, we decided to report a hotel that stands out in the hotellerie scene for its unique features.
Atelier by the sea: a hotel museum where you can sleep inside the works
This hotel is located in the pretty Sicilian village of Castel di Tusa, in the province of Messina. The property overlooks a beautiful stretch of sea, set in breathtaking nature, framed by the Nebrodi Mountains.
Try to imagine sleeping inside a work of art, where it is not enough to look at a beautiful painting from the outside, but you can directly see the idea of the artist, of the choice of nuances to his deepest thoughts.
Here, there are 40 rooms of which 20 have been decorated by internationally renowned artists, and each hand has left a journey within art. The other half of the “standard” rooms, if you can call them that, however, have a unique touch in the decor and design that characterize all the rooms at Atelier sul Mare.
The creator of this marvel is Antonio Presti, who already has behind him the work on Fiumara d’arte, Europe’s largest sculpture park, also located in Sicily along the Tusa River.
Have you felt like leaving? Here, one is spoiled for choice!
Giulia Nari