Baglio Villa Sicilia Selinunte (Castelvetrano) - Sicily.

Set in the sun drenched countryside of south west Sicily, amidst acres of olive groves, vineyards and palm trees, Hotel Baglio Villa Sicilia occupies a finely restored manor house dating all the way back to the 18th century. This area of Sicily, close to the sea and some of the island's most beautiful beaches, has been inhabited since the times of the Ancient Greeks, as testified by the nearby acropolis of Selinunte, the Temple of Hera and quarries of Cusa.

An old stone arch and a long, tree-lined pathway introduce guests to Baglio Villa Sicilia, a place where time seems to have stood still for centuries. The hotel's suites and apartments, all facing on to the internal courtyard, contain many of the features typical of Sicily's aristocratic country residences, including artistic ceramics from Caltagirone, hand painted majolica, period furnishings, antiques and floors paved with traditional Sicilian terracotta. The discrete integration of modern accessories and technology ensures maximum comfort, whilst conserving the authentic old world charm of the rooms.

Baglio Villa Siclia's magnificent old kitchen, tiled in colorful majolica and home to an antique olive oil vat, transforms in to an intimate dining room in which to experience the best of Sicilian country cooking, enjoying specialties made according to age-old recipes passed from generation to generation. Dishes are prepared using the finest of locally grown ingredients and generous quantities of the highly prized monocultivar extra virgin olive oil produced on the estate. All meals are accompanied by an excellent selection of Sicilian wines.

Baglio Villa Sicilia's sunny terraces overlooking the Valley of Temples provide the idyllic setting for the hotel's splendid seawater swimming pool. When not lazing by the infinity pool, guests might easily be found sunbathing on the establishment's private sandy beach or dining at the sea edge 'Pieds dans l'eau' restaurant', in Selinunte. Birdwatchers will no doubt spend much of their holiday observing the wildlife in the vicinity of Baglio Villa Sicilia small lake. Located in a part of Sicily famous for its ancient spa tradition, the hotel is close to a number of outstanding wellness centers, specialized in treatments using the area's thermal water and mud.