After over a year of restrictions, the benefits of escaping to a completely different environment are immeasurable. Different food, culture and a new environment are a sure fire way to lift your spirits. Add to that some powder-soft sand and sun-baked sea and you have a winning combination. Read on for inspiration on how to feed your soul and boost your physical wellbeing on a holiday in Sicily.<\/strong><\/p>\n While most of us want to spend our summer holiday outside, and possibly stretched out by the pool, don\u2019t underestimate the value of staying in a villa filled with beautiful things. Cue Villa Dionisio<\/a> where double height ceilings and vast picture windows fill the open-plan living room with light, and eye-catching art works adorn the walls. Whip up a meal in the super-stylish kitchen, do a quick work out in the gym, then pamper yourself in the sleek, hotel-style bathrooms.<\/p>\n Imagine a villa in the midst of olive groves, with views to the mountains and the sea. Casa Turi<\/a> is that villa, a traditional Sicilian country house with sprawling terraces fitted out with comfy lounge furniture and hammocks.\u00a0 Chill by the pool with a glass of wine as the sun goes down over the mountains and linger over leisurely meals prepared in the superb outdoor kitchen. At the end of each sun-drenched day, luxuriate in a vast sunken bath, perfectly placed by sliding doors to the garden in the master bedroom.<\/p>\n Most of us recognise that eating well makes us feel good and one of the joys of a holiday in Sicily is the healthy Mediterranean diet. In eastern Sicily, feast on fresh seafood, freshly-picked fruit and vegetables, and wine made from vines that have grown on lava-enriched soil on the slopes of Mount Etna. By late summer, the peaches and sweet Etna cherries will be disappearing from market stalls and, in their place, nuts such as pistachios and almonds. Rich, flavour-filled mushrooms and chestnuts start to emerge a little further into autumn. Thanks to Etna\u2019s rich pastures, you can also enjoy wonderful cheeses, such as ricotta and pecorino, and forays into the villages and vineyards to sample exceptional wine, throughout the year. \u00a0At Terrazza sul Mare<\/a>, a 2-bedroom apartment perched above the tiny fishing port at Pozzillo, start your day with a visit to the pop-up fish stall on the street corner.<\/p>\n Whiling away the hours simply watching the movement of the sea can be wonderfully restorative. Waking up to the sound of it even more so. At Villa Lo Scoglio<\/a>, flit between a series of panoramic terraces and verandas for sea views that will leave you transfixed. There\u2019s even a roof terrace with heart-stopping vistas along the coast. And when the temperature rises and you need to cool down, just slip down the private steps through the garden to the water\u2019s edge.<\/p>\n If you take your holiday in September or October, sinking back into the bubbles in your own jacuzzi is a real treat. Choose from a selection of villas such as Villa Geranio<\/a> where you can sneak off into an away-from-it-all jacuzzi and sauna. The villa\u2019s open-sided, covered dining space also makes it a great choice for autumn holidays when temperatures may be a little cooler. Visit our full collection of villas with hot tubs and jacuzzis here<\/a>.<\/p>\nSurround yourself with beautiful things<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Villa](\"https:\/\/www.wishsicily.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/AM_6520-1.jpg\")
Tranquil location<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Casa](\"https:\/\/www.wishsicily.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/holiday-villas-in-sicily-2.jpg\")
Food for the soul<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Terrazza](\"https:\/\/www.wishsicily.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/F4A6365.jpg\")
Sea views<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Villa](\"https:\/\/www.wishsicily.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/DJI_0030.jpg\")
Jacuzzis and spa bliss<\/strong><\/h3>\n