Villa Duilio Italy

Villa Duilio is located high in the valley of Grotticelli, between Castellammare del Golfo and Scopello. It is surrounded by an untouched Sicilian countryside, which extends towards the bay of Castellammare in the east, and mountains which dominate the horizon to the west. Fields scatter the expansive landscape below, ebbing towards the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The interior of the property is light and summery thanks to the many windows through which the sun pours. Tastefully chosen paintings and ornaments which pertain to the sea faring culture of the region embellish the bedrooms, of which there are two, each with ample wardrobe space. There is a small reasonably priced selection of local wines on offer in the kitchen, a thoughtful touch for weary travellers!
Outdoors, the property takes on a new life- a balcony from which to admire the natural beauty of rural Sicily, where rolling hills and rocky crags meet the beach of Guidaloca. An arbour shades the veranda, which is equipped with wooden benches and a table. The rustic dry stone wall which offers seclusion to the private swimming pool and the charming wooden fence which runs the perimeter of the garden give the villa an unmistakeable bucolic charm.
West of Palermo, just after Castellammare del Golfo, the coastline becomes rugged and spectacular. Part of this coastline is Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, which stretches for 7km between the lovely village of Scopello in the east to near San Vito Lo Capo in the west. Created in 1981, this park and its surrounding areas are one of the most beautiful parts of western Sicily.
Lo Zingaro has been shaped by nature to dramatic effect. Cliffs drop precipitously into the azure sea and the series of pebbly beaches hidden amongst a myriad of coves are as lovely as you can find in the Mediterranean. The park attracts both walkers and bathers alike and in the summer, when many beaches are overcrowded, it is a good idea to head for Lo Zingaro, walk for half an hour and find relative isolation on a virtually deserted beach.
At the edge of the Zingaro Nature reserve lies the ancient Scopello (from the Greek word “Skopelos” that means “cliff”), a small, pleasant village that was built around a 16th-century “baglio”, on the site of a former Moorish hamlet. As you will discover, this nice courtyard is now the heart of the village. Here, ceramics and souvenirs shops, as well as boutiques, cafés and restaurants lie under the shadow of a large eucalyptus. On the road to Trapani one can spot the idyllically situated Greek temple of Segesta, one of the Mediterranean’s finest archaeological sites.
Castellammare del Golfo is an attractive seaside town between Palermo and Trapani. The historic fishing port has a picturesque location, below steep mountain slopes; with a handsome curved harbour at the foot of a small headland topped with a castle. There are still small working fishing boats, and you may see fishermen mending their nets on board, or selling the day’s catch. Castellammare has a pretty little central park, opposite the elegant town hall on Corso Mattarella. The park has a small children’s play area, shady trees, and benches with views over the harbour.At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. If there is anything you would like to arrange for your stay, please contact the Excellence Luxury Villas VIP Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can usually put you in touch with the right people arrange any of the following:
– Cook/catering – Maid service/extra cleaning – Local day-trips or tours – Airport pick-up/drop-off – Babysitting service – Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge – Hairdresser / beautician – Car rental/ sport fishing/ boat rental – Kitesurfing/ windsurfing/ canoeing
This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please just contact Excellence Luxury Villas VIP Concierge Team to help you arrange any of those little extras that can really make the difference.