San Giuliano, luxury aristocratic villa near Syracuse, Italy

Inside: the entrance hall of the main house accesses a generous double living room with vaulted ceilings and large fireplace to one side and the spacious dining room with its beautiful original tiled floor to the other. This latter leads into a second double living area and a large kitchen.

Upstairs there are five beautifully appointed double bedrooms (all with en-suite bathrooms). Just across the charming central courtyard with its impressive giant ficus tree are a further three double en-suite rooms. Also on the internal courtyard is a charming nursery wing with three twin rooms and a double room and two bathrooms. The single beds include some mini four posters, (perfect for your little princesses), and with a nanny or an older sibling this wing is great fun for children.

The house has recently been restored and the decor, fixtures and fittings perfectly compliment the beautiful antique furniture and collectable artwork that has been passed down through generations of this remarkable family . All is of an extremely high standard.

Outside: the house is surrounded by sweeping lawns dotted with a wide variety of luscious trees and plants. Palm trees stand to attention around stunning pool providing cooling shade. A few steps from the pool area lead to the exotic hortus conclusus, an enclosed Andalucian-Arabic garden, complete with its original irrigation system. Gently whispering palm fronds, softly trickling water features and heady Mediterranean fragrances all make for a highly sensuous ambience. Beside the enclosed garden is a hard tennis court.

Service: San Giuliano is a fully-serviced villa and the expert, discreet ministrations of the butler, maids and cook will ease you through each moment of your stay making sure you never have to lift a finger. For meals, just let the staff know day by day whether you require lunch and/or dinner, tell them of any preferences you may have and they will organise everything else. Food and drink bills are paid locally, giving you complete flexibility to experience the best and freshest local produce.