 |
quality villas in Sicily |
|
 |
| Villas in Sicily | About Sicily | About thinkSicily |
| November 2005 |
|
|
|
The Temple of Hera in Selinunte | |
| Sicily....a land of myth and legend |
|
“Cyclops pursued and hurled a massive rock, torn from the hill, and though its merest tip reached Acis, yet it crushed and smothered him.” This excerpt from Ovid’s Metamorphoses is as good a place as any to start discovering how much Greek mythology was based in Sicily. The extract comes from the story of Acis (a mortal youth) and Galatea (a Nereid sea goddess) whose love so infuriated Polyphemus on the foothills of Mount Etna that he killed the unfortunate Acis. Galatea, taking pity on her lover, turned him into a gushing river running all the way down from the volcano to the Ionian Sea where Acis and Galatea were forever reunited. The present day River Aci forks in several places before arriving at its destination and the towns that find themselves on these branches are Aci Castello, Aci Trezza, Acireale, Aci Catena, Aci San Antonio and Aci Bonaccorsi. Continue reading.
| | |
| Activities with a difference for children...... |
|
 Three of thinkSicily’s staff have young children and in our experience Sicily provides a great deal of stimulating, adventurous activities for the more youthful members of your group. Certainly there are no zoos like London Zoo and the theme parks are not like Disney Land, but all you really need is a little imagination. Read on for some suggestions that we have tried out and tested on our very own offspring. thinkSicily properties ideal for families
| | |
| Green cauliflowers? Whatever next? |
|
 "Mummy! Look! There's a green cauliflower .... !". "Don't be silly darling." Nothing silly about it... Sicilians eat (and grow) enormous quantities of green cauliflowers, for which they have an equally extensive number of recipes. It can be eaten cold as a salad with a dash of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, "affogata" - literally drowned - with anchovies and cubes of strong melted sheep's cheese, fried in a light batter (my favourite) or made into a pasta sauce, this month's recipe
| | | |
| Constantly learning...... |
|
 Two or three times a year, thinkSicily's three client managers from the London office pack their bags and head south. Not on holiday exactly, but on a mission to gain an in-depth knowledge of new Think Sicily properties, revisit other older ones to refresh their memories and to get a feel for the different areas where the villas are located. Three weeks ago it was Renata's turn and here's her description of a relaxing Sunday in Palermo before taking off on a 1,000 mile tour of Sicily to visit 12 Think Sicily villas.
| Read more See the villas visited by Renata | |
| Featured wine: Monreale Syrah IGT - Cantina Spadafora |
|
 This month's wine is an ideal companion to the cauliflower pasta recipe above. Produced by the Azienda Agricola Spadafora in the hills south of Palermo, it has a ruby red colour, strong, penetrating fragrances of forest fruits and a long aromatic finish. All Spadafora's wines are available in England and the US from Vernonwines Limited (tel.020 8991 4006) and Banville & Jones Wine Merchants - New York (tel. 212.268.0906). Alternatively if you want to try it where it's made, have a look at Virzi'.
| | |
| Featured Property: Villa Farli' |
|
| |
| A touch of class...... |
|
A top-class addition to thinkSicily’s portfolio for 2006 is Villa Farli', an 18th Century converted farmhouse that stands proudly in its own extensive gardens. Hidden away in the countryside between the lovely Baroque town of Scicli and the sea-side village of Sampieri in the extreme south-east of Sicily, Villa Farli’ offers peace and tranquility, space and, above all, an extremely high level of comfort. As we speak a brand new pool is being installed in preparation for a launch on the market that promises to be a great success. Daily cleaning and an excellent chef, who for years ran her own Italian restaurant in Greece, are sure to make your stay not only effortless but also gastronomically memorable. To learn more and to whet your appetite further why not pay a visit Villa Farli’. | | |
|
| You are subscribed as: $$EMAIL$$ |
|
|
|