Page 101 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

€70-95; aW) This five-room B&B wins plaudits 4 Villa dei Papiri Agriturismo €
for its panoramic roof terrace overlooking the (%0931 72 13 21; www.villadeipapiri.it; Traversa
Valley of the Temples, and its convenient location Cozzo Pantano Testa Pisima 2/c; d €48-108,
at the entrance to the old town, five minutes’ walk 2-person ste €68-128, 4-person ste €98-158;
from the train and bus stations. Best of all is the paW) Immersed in an Eden of orange groves
generous advice about Agrigento offered by hosts and papyrus reeds 8km outside Syracuse, this
Sandra and Filippo (witness Filippo’s amazing lovely agriturismo sits next to the Fonte Ciana
Google Earth tour of nearby beaches!). spring immortalised in Ovid’s Metamorphosis.
Eight suites are housed in a beautifully converted
Modica a 19th-century farmhouse, with 16 double rooms
dotted around the lush grounds. Breakfast is an
4 Villa Quartarella Agriturismo € extra €7.50 and served in a baronial stone-walled
(%360 654829; www.quartarella.com; Contrada hall.
Quartarella Passo Cane 1; s €40, d €75-80, tr €85-
100, q €90-120; paWs) Spacious rooms, Catania d
welcoming hosts and ample breakfasts make this
converted villa in the countryside south of Modica 5 Trattoria di De Fiore Trattoria € ITALY 6 WONDERS OF ANCIENT SICILY
an appealing choice for anyone travelling by car. (%095 31 62 83; Via Coppola 24/26; meals €15-
Owners Francesco and Francesca are generous 25; h7pm-12.30am Mon, 1pm-12.30am Tue-Sun)
in sharing their love and encyclopedic knowledge For over 50 years, septuagenarian chef Rosanna
of local history, flora and fauna and can suggest a has been recreating her great-grandmother’s
multitude of driving itineraries.
recipes, including the best pasta alla Norma
you’ll taste anywhere in Sicily. Service can be
Noto b excruciatingly slow, but for patient souls this
is a rare chance to experience classic Catanian
5 Ristorante Il cooking from a bygone era. Don’t miss Rosanna’s
Cantuccio Modern Sicilian €€ trademark zeppoline (sugar-sprinkled ricotta-
(%0931 83 74 64; www.ristoranteilcantuccio. lemon fritters) at dessert time.
it; Via Cavour 12; meals €32-36; h12.30-2pm &
7.45-10.30pm Tue-Sun) Tucked into the courtyard Taormina e
of a former noble’s palace, this inviting restaurant
combines familiar Sicilian ingredients in inspired 5 Osteria Nero D’Avola Sicilian €€
ways. Perennial favourites such as the exquisite (%0942 62 88 74; www.osterianerodavola.
gnocchi al pesto del Cantuccio (ricotta-potato it; Piazza San Domenico 2b; meals €32-47;
dumplings with basil, parsley, mint, capers, h12.30-3pm & 7-11pm Tue-Sun Sep-Jun, 7pm-
toasted almonds and cherry tomatoes) are midnight Jul & Aug) Not only does affable owner
complemented by seasonally changing specials Turi Siligato fish, hunt and forage for his smart
CaptionCaptionCaptionCaption
such as lemon-stuffed bass with orange-fennel osteria, he’ll probably share anecdotes about the
salad or white-wine-stewed rabbit with caponata. day’s bounty and play a few tunes on the piano.
Here, seasonality, local producers and passion
Syracuse c underscore dishes like the signature cannolo
di limone Interdonato (thinly sliced Interdonato
5 Bistrot Bella Vita Italian €€ lemon with roe, tuna, tomato and chives).
(%0931 46 49 38; Via Gargallo 60; sweets €1.50, 4 Hotel Villa Belvedere Hotel €€€
meals €25; hcafe 7.30am-midnight, restaurant
noon-2.30pm & 7-10.45pm Tue-Sun) This casually (%0942 2 37 91; www.villabelvedere.it; Via Bagnoli
elegant cafe-restaurant is one of Ortygia’s rising Croce 79; s €70-280, d €80-380, ste €120-450;
stars. Stop by for good coffee (soy milk available) hMar–late-Nov; aiWs) Built in 1902,
and made-from-scratch cornetti, biscotti and Villa Belvedere was one of Taormina’s original
pastries (try the sour orange-and-almond tart). grand hotels. Well-positioned with fabulous views
Or book a table in the intimate back dining room, and luxuriant gardens, its highlights include a
where local, organic produce drives beautifully swimming pool complete with century-old palm.
textured, technically impressive dishes. Rooms offer neutral hues and understated style.
Parking is an extra €16 per day.
99