soloSicily, the Sicilian villa specialist, is offering its clients booking for 2017 'insider tips' to help them discover the real Sicily, exploring the hidden places, restaurants and beaches off the beaten track that only locals know about.

Celebrating ten years in business, soloSicily's team of local people are passionate about the island and are eager to share their favourite spots. Some of their insider tips include:

North Sicily

Visit Capo Milazzo. Tourists rarely visit this part of the peninsula, but it is worth walking to the very tip, an area of natural beauty with rocky coves and views across the Tyrrhenian Sea towards the Aeolian Islands.

Sample the cannoli pastries filled with fresh sweet ricotta or pistachio cream at Extra Bar, a restaurant in the pretty town of Piana degli Albanese in the mountains near Palermo. Considered by locals to be the best cannoli in Sicily, people drive from Palermo just to eat them.

Stay at villa ll Poggio, a countryside villa sleeping up to nine people, just 30 minutes' drive from Piana degli Albanese. Overlooking the hills and citrus groves around Palermo, ll Poggio is a spacious house with a pool, covered patio, outdoor barbeque and hammock. Guests can explore the hills on horseback with stables right next door. One week at ll Poggio costs from £2,458 (Euros 2,800 euros) in shoulder season to £3,432 (Euros 4,100) in the high season for eight people. Palermo airport is just 45 minutes' drive away. http://www.solosicily.com/il-poggio.aspx 

East Sicily

Rent a pedalo at the Riviera dei Ciclopi and explore the clear waters of this marine nature reserve, situated in the fabled coastal region north of Catania. Swim by the rocks and cool off with a mulberry or almond granita afterwards at one of the nearby restaurants.

Sample Catania street food at N'ta Za' Carmela, an atmospheric restaurant that serves local delicacies such as involtini (thin slices of meat stuffed with cheese) and antipasti and visit La Pescheria, the local fish market.

Stay at villa Baglio degli Speziali, a grand house set in vast grounds, with palm trees, a large pool with a gazebo, tennis court, billiards room and an outdoor kitchen and dining area. Sleeping six, the villa is five minutes' drive from shops and restaurants and 20 minutes' to the nearest beach. One week at Baglio degli Speziali costs from £3,512 (Euros 4,000) in the shoulder season to £4,463 (Euros 5,330) in the high season. Catania airport is 35 minutes' drive.

http://www.solosicily.com/baglio-degli-speziali.aspx 

West Sicily

The sandwiches at the Panificio Stabile e Anselmo bakery in the village of Scopello have a cult following, including the traditional Sicilian Pane Cunzato (bread sliced with tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, herbs and primo sale cheese).

Borgo Bonsignore is a beach on the edge of the Torre Salsa Nature Reserve in West Sicily. It has a long stretch of sand with a dense pine forest that comes right down to the beach. Visit here rather than the more busy beaches of Eraclea Minoa and Torre Salsa, which are a few miles further south.

Stay at Sea Gate villa, which is a 20 minute walk from the beach. The villa sleeps five with a swimming pool and sea views. Prices range from £1,976 (Euros 2,250) for a week in shoulder season to £2,696 (Euros 3,070) in high season. Palermo airport is an hour and 40 minutes' drive away.
http://www.solosicily.com/sea-gate.aspx 

South-east Sicily

The south-east region has a multitude of delicious eateries serving local delicacies. Try Scacce (stuffed pastry) at the Foccaceria Don Puglisi restaurant in Modica, the paninis, cured meats and cheeses at Panificio Caseficio Borderi in Ortigia and the wide range of granitas at Caffé Sicilia in Noto which serves flavours such as Prickly Pear with chilli.

Punta Cirica is a sandy cove only known to locals on the Southern coast of Sicily, which has a small bar - it is further south than the more known Santa Maria del Focallo or Pozzallo beaches.

Stay at Villa Baia Faraglioni, which is two minutes from the beach by foot. This bijou villa, which sleeps four, has private access to the turquoise bay below via a rustic staircase cut into the rock. Prices for a week start from £1,756 (Euros 2,000) in shoulder season to £2,590 (Euros 2,950) in high season. Comiso airport is an hour and ten minutes' drive away.
http://www.solosicily.com/baia-faraglioni.aspx 

soloSicily can arrange many additional services, including cooking lessons, jeep tours to the summit of Mount Etna, wine tours and tastings, boat trips, car rental and airport transfers.

For reservations visit www.solosicily.com or call soloSicily on 020 7097 1413.

Ends

24 January 2017

For more information and images please contact Emma Hill or Tiggy Dean at Hill & Dean PR on 020 8875 9923.

Notes to editors

Founded in 2006, soloSicily is a private villa rental company with a collection of over 40 hand-picked villas in Sicily. The portfolio is designed to suit all needs, with romantic hideaways, chic beachfront villas, family-friendly holiday homes, luxury villas with private pools and aristocratic country estates. Based in Palermo, soloSicily has a dedicated team of people who are passionate about Sicily and use their local knowledge to find the best villas on the island.