Tennis in a sylvan setting	The swimming pool

The villa, which was once a monastery attached to the nearby church of Santa Maria, dates to the 17th century. It was built as a fortified farm house - a ‘baglio', a type of building unique to Sicily. The high walls and castellation were designed to keep out pirates and bandits. Within the grounds there is also a separate watchtower, recently restored and bearing the name of the architect and the date of construction - 1584.

Mediterranean garden and pool	The intriguing watchtower

The castellation on the top of the villa	Relax among the orange trees

The three acres of grounds include formal gardens, a Mediterranean garden with private swimming pool, an olive grove and an abundance of fruit trees, pines, cypress trees, bougainvillea and date palms.

The ground floor has its own walled citrus grove - a magical Sicilian garden with a hundred orange and lemon trees. The splashing fountain in the centre is a reminder of the island's Arab heritage. There is a patio with seating for eight people and a portable barbecue.

The swimming pool is in a separate garden set away from the villa. With its vine-covered gazebo, exotic plants and mature shady olive trees, this is a perfect place to relax.

The pool itself, 12 by 6 metres, is lined with mosaic tiles. It has steps going down to the shallow end and is surrounded by a large area for sunbathing, equipped with beach chairs and sun beds.

Guests may also enjoy the private tennis court. Remember that Sicilian winters are short and you can play tennis in Sicily almost all the year round. We provide both racquets and tennis balls.