Aci Castello: Joinsicily - The Suite Under The Castle

This was our second stay after several years away and we must say we were not disappointed.This is an absolute gem of an apartment, very clean, comfortable and above all very tastefully furnished (with great appreciation of the ceiling frescos).Valeria's hospitality is exceptional providing, maps, guides and recommendations on restaurants regarding Aci Castello and surrounding areas. We particularly enjoyed the terrace with its wonderful sea views and beautiful sunsets.We would holeheartedly recommend this apartment to eveyone.

Vi assicuro che non esagero: vale la pena di andare in Sicilia anche solo per rilassarsi sdraiati nel terrazzo sul mare di quest'appartamento comodo ed arredato con gusto. La casa, A 30 metri dal Castello normanno e dalla piazzetta del paese, offre un panorama e tramonti stupendi. Valeria, la proprietaria, precisa e professionale ciò nondimeno già alla seconda telefonata ha instaurato un rapporto pari a una conoscenza e famigliarità di lunga data.

Traumhafte Lage am Meer, sehr schöne kleine Stadt (mit gefährlich engen Gassen fürs Auto), Parkmöglichkeit ca. 200 Meter am Meer, erstklassige Unterkunft, freundlichen, hilfsbereite Vermieterin Valeria, sehr seriös und sehr schön.

The no-smoking apartment is situated in a narrow street just off the Piazza Castello, which is the centre of the local community. A long flight of steep stone stairs lead up to the apartment which is pleasantly furnished and spacious. The pro’s far outweigh the con’s. It has all the fittings a holidaymaker could expect, including a very large and comfy bed, a well-appointed kitchen and a wide patio/balcony which offers plenty of room to relax, with a view across the harbour to Aci Trezza at the other end of the bay. The patio gets full sun from dawn until early afternoon, after which it provides a shady place to relax and enjoy the view and the cooling sea breezes. The front balcony is much smaller than the rear and overlooks Via Gugliemo Marconi, which is a relatively quiet street which leads from the harbour to Piazza Castello. The kitchen is compact but very usable, with a gas cooker, fridge freezer and all the usual utensils and crockery. The shower is very good, however a larger person might have trouble getting in an out as the door opening is limited. Wi-Fi is available, but it can be intermittent as the internet connection is via the local mobile phone network, as opposed to a dedicated broadband connection. Food and drinkThere are some very excellent restaurants in the vicinity of the apartment, particularly around Piazza Castello, most of which specialise in fish and seafood. Meat dishes are not so easy to find, with the possible exceptions of spaghetti carabonara and pizza diavola, but the standard of food is as exceptional as it is authentic. There are a couple of very intimate and pleasant wine bars, though not of the sort the average English city dweller would recognise. Sit outside and relax with a glass of the local wine for around Euro3 and don’t forget to bring a 1ltr plastic bottle to take some home with you. We found the best one was Cantina Palu, on Via Salvia. It is literally on a street corner and features large vats of local wine for filling the aforementioned plastic bottles, as well as the usual cocktails and spirits. It is very small but all the better for that. Right opposite is the restaurant Il Cortile Delle Fate (Courtyard of the Fairies), which is the best restaurant we’ve been to in Aci Castello.