Welcome to Wish Sicily travel Blog

Blog Wish Sicily

Browsing CategoryOur Newsletters

The-Sunday-TImes-blog-wishsicily

If you’re attracted by the idea of staying in a villa where you can either walk or rely on public transport to get around, then this week’s Sunday Times round-up of no-drive villas is just what you need. Choose from a selection of villas in Sicily, France, Croatia, Portugal and Greece, including our Casa Franchina. Without a hire car, your main priority is probably being able to walk to the beach and also to at least one or two local shops that will cover your immediate needs, particularly if you’re holidaying with children. If there’s a pizzeria and/or gelateria within…

Continue Reading

visit-sicily-wishsicily

Sicily literally bursts into life in the spring months of April and May, when fields and nature reserves are sprinkled with wildflowers, and market stalls are piled high with delicate spring flavours. Towns and cities are still relatively quiet compared to some of the tourist-packed cities of northern Italy, and mild temperatures and gentle sunshine allow you to indulge in the first of the season’s al fresco lunches. Need any more reasons to visit Sicily in April? Read on to discover our favourite things to see and do in Sicily in April and May. Spring sunshine The good news is…

Continue Reading

villa-rebecca-wish-sicily

How do you go about planning your family holiday?  Does the destination or the villa take priority? And what about the kids – do you involve them or decide that too many opinions will just complicate matters? Finding the right holiday for all the family is never easy so we’ve tried to simplify things by going through some of the questions which crop up year after year amongst our clients. Can we walk to restaurants and the shops? If you want to keep driving to a minimum, you’ll certainly want some shops and a few restaurants within walking distance. In…

Continue Reading

Ortigia-siracusa-wish-sicily

What will your New Year resolutions be when the clock chimes at midnight? If travelling responsibly is one of them, you may be wondering about the best holiday options for 2020. The fact is that plenty of short-haul destinations, from northern France to the most southerly point of Italy, are still easily accessible by train if you’re prepared to spend a little longer getting there. A train journey to Sicily, for example, takes around 28 hours, but when you factor in a night’s sleep, you realise that you won’t actually miss out on that much holiday time. Once you’ve worked…

Continue Reading

sicily-holiday-villas

Are you, or is a member of your family hitting a special milestone in 2020? If so, why not make it even more memorable by celebrating together under one roof? Check in to a villa in the sun and mark the occasion with a relaxing break with all your favourite people. Of course, organising dates and other logistics can be tricky while you’re juggling normal life, when both physical time and mental space are under pressure. However, with time off work and fewer everyday stresses, the Christmas break is a good opportunity to think carefully about what works best for…

Continue Reading

sport-sicily-villa-dioscuri

Do you like to work out even when you’re on holiday? If sport is a big part of your everyday routine at home, the chances are you’ll want to maintain fitness levels while you’re away. The good news is that it’s easy to do that in Sicily where there are plenty of options for anyone who loves an active or outdoors lifestyle. Rocky ravines and spectacular seascapes are obvious backdrops for adventure and water sports and there are also national parks, marine nature reserves and, of course, the thrill of Mount Etna. But the action doesn’t stop there. Find out…

Continue Reading

street-food-tour-sicily

Discover the main Sicilian street markets If there’s nothing you like more on holiday than a mooch round a market, Sicily certainly ticks plenty of boxes. Most towns have a market, even if just once a week. At the bigger markets, where coloured tarpaulins provide shade from the fierce morning sun, get ready for a maelstrom of noise, colour and activity. Some of the markets’ names, such as Palermo’s Ballarò, date back to the Saracen rule of the ninth century and in fact the atmosphere isn’t much different from their Arab counterpart. Stalls display a dazzling range of exotic spices,…

Continue Reading

sicily-holiday-tours-activities

There are plenty of reasons for getting ahead of the crowd and booking your 2020 villa in Sicily now and here’s one more! If you book a 2020 holiday at one of our Early Booking Villas by 29th February 2020, we’ll give everyone in your party a fabulous free Sicily Experience. The offer is available on all holiday dates excluding 27 June – 29 August. Participating in an activity or excursion is a great way to get a feel for the island and there are so many to choose from. Find out about Sicily’s history and culture, get an in-depth…

Continue Reading

Fontane Bianche Sicily

When do you usually start planning your summer holiday? Do you start dreaming of white sandy beaches and sun loungers as soon as the evenings draw in, or are you more of a last-minute sort of person? Making sure you get the best possible price for your holiday is likely to be a part of your decision-making.  If you’re booking your own accommodation and flights, then you’ll certainly want to book your flights when they’re at their lowest price, particularly if you’re a family or a fairly large group. However, the flights are just one element of the holiday. and…

Continue Reading

sicily-holiday-villas

So you’ve packed away your summer clothes, sorted your holiday snaps and are squaring up for a flurry of autumn leaves and shorter days. And if we’re anything to go by, you’re probably also toying with ideas for next summer’s holiday! After all, with so many decisions involved, there’s no harm in some early planning. First up, where in the world do you want to visit? And what sort of accommodation will suit you best? If you’re planning to base yourself in just one, or even two places, rather than touring, consider the many advantages of a villa or apartment…

Continue Reading

Villa Taormina | Wish Sicily

We make sure that our villas and apartments come in all shapes, sizes and styles but it’s not often we come across one as spectacular as Villa Taormina. To be honest, we’re still struggling to decide whether the star attraction at this villa is its infinity pool, its inside-outside veranda or its jaw-dropping location! This is a villa where inside and outside merges into one and sea views seem to dominate every room, terrace, nook and cranny. Sumptuously furnished living and dining rooms are characterised by floor-to-ceiling windows that let in the light and lead out to sea-facing terraces and…

Continue Reading

sicily-villas-on-discount

Looking for some last-minute September sun? In Sicily, you’ll find that summer doesn’t end as September starts.  Daytime temperatures can still reach the high 20’s and the sea retains much of its summer warmth, but the August crowds have largely dispersed on the beach and at Sicily’s key attractions. Better still, if you shop around, you can find some decent holiday discounts. Here at Wish Sicily, we’re currently offering savings of up to 20% at a range of properties in September and October. Coast and countryside Save 20% at newly-built Villa Geranio (sleeps 8-12) and enjoy a winning combination of…

Continue Reading

sicily-villa-holiday-autumn

Unlike much of Europe, in Sicily summer doesn’t stop once you get to the end of August. Far from it. Holiday in Sicily in September and you can expect warm sunshine, blue skies and blissfully quiet beaches. Aside from the obvious benefit of a significant drop in rental prices across the island, find out Sicily’s other main attractions in autumn. Sagra dell’Arancina The 18th Sagra dell’Arancina takes place from 5-8 September 2019 in Ficarazzi on the east coast, in honour of the island’s iconic ‘arancina’. Alongside the classic ‘arancini’ fillings of butter, aubergine and ‘ragù’, expect to find a range…

Continue Reading

northern-sicily-villas

Often overlooked in favour of the baroque splendours of south east Sicily, the mountainous Madonie and Nebrodi national parks and neighbouring coast is the place to be if you’re looking for a truly authentic experience of Sicily.  From awe-inspiring views to extraordinary contemporary sculpture, this fascinating area is guaranteed to give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the island. Read on for suggestions of some of the best things to see and do. Visit Italy’s most beautiful villages Choose from a collection of stunning hilltop towns and villages including Gangi, winner of the ‘Most Beautiful Village in Italy’ accolade in 2014…

Continue Reading

Villa Giacona Venuti, Terrasini

Which sort of holiday booker are you? Do you start planning a trip as soon as you return from a holiday? Or do you keep everyone on tenterhooks by waiting till the last minute? If the latter, you’re in luck! We still have some availability for this month and next at a selection of villas in Sicily. These are four of our top recommendations for this summer. Private pool and jacuzzi  Save 20% at one of Wish Sicily’s most popular villas in the last week of August. Two-bedroom Casa del Carrubo has a private pool, jacuzzi, table tennis, bikes and…

Continue Reading

villa-olmo-sicily-wishsicily

So you’ve booked your villa in Sicily, organised your flights and sorted out your car hire. Now comes the fun bit – planning what you’re going to do when you get there! If you like keeping busy, there’s plenty of choice, from cookery classes to volcano climbs and boat trips. However, the good news is that there’s no need to spend a fortune if you want to do more than just chill by the pool. To help you plan your trip, here are a few of the best free things to do in Sicily. Visit a festival Local festivals and…

Continue Reading

best-villas-in-sicily

Go for up-to-the-minute modern style this summer and splash out on a week of designer living under the Sicilian sun. Fortunately, there’s no need to spend crazy money to enjoy brilliant design features and impeccable taste. At Wish Sicily, we think it’s the tiny details and the ‘wow’ factor that count. So, no two villas in our stylish and contemporary villa collection are the same: while one might have striking modern art, another may be included for its state-of-the-art kitchen.  Nevertheless, when it comes to flair and sophistication, these villas are in a class of their own. Design extravaganza The…

Continue Reading

best-villas-in-sicily

Lunch by the pool or dinner under the stars is one of the great treats of a villa holiday in the sun. In fact we think having an exquisite outdoor space is a real decider when choosing a holiday villa.  From May to September one of the big pleasures of life in Sicily is being outside from dawn to dusk, and beyond. Throw in the luxury of an outdoor kitchen and some dramatic coastal or rural views, and you’re well on your way to a holiday in heaven. Not sure where to start looking for your villa? Read on to…

Continue Reading

villas-italy-sicily

If you’re wondering whether you’ve left it too late to book a villa in Italy with a pool this summer, relax. We’ve added three new family villas to our portfolio, each with a fabulous pool and close to the beach. Villa for sharing Ideal for two families, 6-bedroom Villa Geranio has a stunning pool with views over the Nebrodi mountains, volleyball and, tucked away in a stone-walled outhouse, a jacuzzi spa area. With accommodation split over two floors, with a living room and kitchen on both levels, each family can be comfortably independent. Outside, there are spacious terraces and a…

Continue Reading

top-five-villas-in-sicily-with-pools

If you’re considering a holiday in Sicily this summer, the chances are that you’re going to want to be fairly close to the water. Temperatures in May and June are pleasantly warm but once you hit the peak summer highs, you’ll probably want somewhere to cool down. For those of you desperate to dip a toe into crystal-clear sea water, we have a great selection of villas which are either walking distance or just a short hop in the car to the nearest beach. Of course, there’s nothing quite like having your own private swimming space – we know that…

Continue Reading