Linguaglossa: Charming ancient house in Etna - Linguaglossa

This charming antique mansion is located in the historical heart of Linguaglossa, right between the fascinating slopes of Mount Etna and the sea. Despite the hot summer days, we were able to keep the house nicely cool. The adjoining terrace was a great added value in the evening, as well as the quiet garden with its own source of potable water. We were warmly welcomed by the friendly owners who immediately gave us knowledgeable advice on possible excursions in the area. The volcano and the region have few secrets for them and we gratefully took advantage of the tip to go to the beach of Marina di Cottone, where a stream of fresh water flows from the bottom into the sea. Good for the kids to play in and to wash off the salty seawater. Despite the age of the house, it is equipped with basic comforts. The kitchen could have offered a little more comfort such as a dishwasher or a bigger cooking stove. Anyway highly recommended!

We visited Linguaglossa to see the town where my grandmother's family came from (early 1900s), so being able to stay near the main square in a historic house was our primary reason for choosing this rental. Sergio and Giuseppina have created a very comfortable place to stay while still preserving a lot of the old charm. The house is very close to the busy main street (convenient to shops and restaurants), but the neighborhood was very quiet and we were always able to park just steps from the front door. Our group included my parents (in their mid-70s) and they were also quite pleased with the accommodations. The owners met us there at check-in, gave a lot of useful advice for the house and the town and were easily contacted via the VRBO app both before and during our stay.

This is a very accommodation - the ancestral home of the host family. They are gradually restoring it, so it is a little bit of work in progress, but absolutely we recommend it. Sergio and his wife met us to welcome us and show us all the details of the sprawling property, from the romantic garden, the spring (?) water that was so good to drink, the rooftop perch, etc. Linguaglossa is one of the towns/villages on Mt. Etna and part of the "wine road". The world of Mt. Etna vineyards and wineries is very dynamic - we could feel the energy and excitement. We could go hiking on the various parts of the mountain, depending on the weather. And the little restaurants and food/wine scene were wonderful! Sergio and his wife were enthusiastic cultural ambassadors and introduced us to the restaurants catering more to the local residents. Thank you for a wonderful home base!! It is not a modernized hotel experience, but if you love history and local connections, we would recommend it.

While the apartment was very nice, clean, we found the location to be difficult to drive to on narrow and winding rural roads. We felt the town itself to us was overpoweringly confining. We left after one day. The hosts were extremely cordial and accommodating but this just wasn’t our cup of tea. For someone else though it may prove the perfect stay.