The villa with the oasis garden
7 Guests
4 Bedrooms
4 Bathrooms
Ammalia rises in a panoramic position overlooking the sea and the dramatic coastline of Scopello in northwest Sicily. A recent refurbishment has brought a new vivaciousness to this family home, whose lovingly remodelled interiors flow out onto shady terraces and exotic gardens that evoke the island's Arabic heritage. Then, sitting in pride of place beneath a family of gently swaying palm trees, is the wonderful bio-pool, whose natural forms are irresistible.
Speak to our experts
For expert advice on this villa, things to do in the area, or to discuss how we can make your stay truly bespoke, call our Villa Specialists today. We are open every day of the week, weekends included.
Keyholder highlights
- Curvaceous bio-pool
- Tempting sea views
- Exotic gardens
- Alluring interior design
Gallery
Ammalia rises in a panoramic position overlooking the sea and countryside in northwest Sicily.
The luxuriant gardens at Ammalia.
Ammalia and its bio-pool seen from its gardens.
The well-furnished al fresco sitting area on the main terrace.
A shallow, beach-shelf links the main part of the pool to a hydromassage section.
Includes
- Sole use of the villa and the grounds
- The support of our Villa Specialists to help you select your perfect villa
- The expertise of a dedicated local team to help you fine-tune the logistics of your trip and to plan a range of experiences, many of which are exclusive to The Thinking Traveller
- A Local Specialist, based near your villa, to assist you during your stay (between 9am and 7pm daily, with 24/7 emergency support)
- A comprehensive guide to your villa and its surrounding area, including our restaurant recommendations, cultural highlights and other activities
- An easy-to-use online holiday planner to keep all your booked experiences and services in one place, ensuring that nothing gets missed during your stay
- The ability to coordinate and share the details of your trip with your group via Your Account
- All sales taxes, electricity, gas, Wi-Fi, linen, bath towels, pool and/or beach towels
- A mid-week cleaning and linen change service
Excludes
- Flights
- Car hire
- Transfers
- Meals (unless otherwise specified)
- Tourist taxes (tassa di soggiorno) levied by many town councils in Italy. The amount varies by location and usually amounts to between €1-€3 per person
Scopello, Sicily
Ammalia
Available exclusively through The Thinking Traveller
Dates
Guests
Bedrooms
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The Area
Situated in the northwest of Sicily, Ammalia is well-placed for discovering the wealth of attractions that the area has to offer. Just down the road is the charming hamlet of Scopello, at the centre of which is an authentic old baglio. There are also a couple of good restaurants and pizzerie, a few bars and cafés, and a scuba diving club. For food and wine, there's a superb delicatessen, greengrocer's (with produce grown right there), wine shop and café just below the village. The extremely evocative setting of Scopello's old tuna plant is a great spot for swimming and snorkelling, as is the nearby pebbly beach of Guidaloca, which has lidos and other facilities.
Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve is a 15-minute drive away and offers a range of spectacular walks and a series of idyllic, crystal-clear bays for swimming.
The nearby town of Castellammare del Golfo has a good selection of seafront bars and restaurants, a daily fish market, plenty of shops and a long sandy beach with lidos.
The spectacular Elymian/Greek site of Segesta is about 20 minutes drive away and Erice, Palermo, Trapani and Selinunte can all be reached in under or just over an hour.
Palermo Airport:
52km-32miles-40minsTrapani Airport:
62km-40miles-50minsCatania airport:
280km-173miles-3hrComiso airport:
305km-190miles-3hr45Nearest beach (pebbly):
at Guidaloca, 3.8km-2.4miles-8minsNearest sandy beach:
at Castellammare del Golfo, 11km-7miles-20minsNearest shops and restaurants:
in Scopello, 4.2km-2.6miles-8minsLarger shops, restaurants and amenities:
in Castellammare del Golfo, 11km-7miles-20minsLo Zingaro Nature Reserve:
6.5km-4miles-13minsSegesta:
30km-19miles-25minsErice:
36km-22.5miles-50minsSelinunte:
72km-45miles-1hrMonreale:
60km-37miles-1hr10Palermo:
75.5-47miles-1hr20Local Experiences
Culinary experiences in Western Sicily
Every civilisation that dominated Sicily was inspired by the produce this fertile land offers. In western Sicily it was the Arabs, French and Spanish who shaped the roots of the local culinary tradition, that went on to develop throughout the centuries into the unique, rich and eclectic specialities we find there today.
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Private boat charters in West Sicily
Transparent waters lap dramatic, time-scarred sea stacks and weather-beaten cliffs, home to tumbling prickly pear trees and 16th and 17th-century watch towers. The old tonnara (a tuna fishing hub) is set evocatively between the cliffs, and a little time spent snorkelling here will be time well spent indeed. Then it’s off again, sweeping through the limpid waters of Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, whose towering mountains rise majestically from the sea. Idyllic pebbly coves break up the sheer rocky masses, and before you know it you’ll be rounding the headland and sailing west to Sicily’s most northwesterly town, the fishing village and seaside resort of San Vito Lo Capo, renowned for its golden sands, electric blue waters, and delicious fish couscous.
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Private guided tours in West Sicily
From first glance, it would seem that the Saracen and Norman rulers of Sicily could have had very little in common. The former had arrived from North Africa and were part of the Golden Age of Arab civilisation that had made such huge strides in the fields of mathematics, economics, agriculture, science, poetry, and architecture. The latter were an offshoot of the Vikings from the frozen north of Europe, adventurers and hardened warriors.When the Normans ousted the Saracen forces in 1090, however, there was no obliteration of all things Arabic. Indeed, the men from the north were hugely impressed by what they found, and rather than destroying Arabic culture, they embraced it. Many institutions were retained, Islam was tolerated, and Saracen landowners were allowed to keep their estates. North African habits were adopted by many Normans as they acclimatised to life in the middle of the Mediterranean. Souks prospered, cool Arabic courtyards were de rigueur, and many Normans, including some of the sovereigns themselves, lived more like Emirs than knights. Where the fusion of cultures really stood out, however, was in the architecture.
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Private Guided Tours in Southwest Sicily
Our private guides are tried and tested experts in their field, with many holding PhDs in their particular specialism. Book a tour or two with them and you'll come away with fascinating insights into your destination's towns, archaeological sites, food, wine, landscapes and geology.
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Wine tastings in Southwest Sicily
The triangle of Menfi, Marsala and Sciacca is one of the oldest outpost for wine production in Sicily thanks to the versatile and mite climate created by the sea breeze coming from the coast. Some of the most important Sicilian indigenous grapes, such as Grillo and Inzolia were born here and throughout the centuries have been wisely combined to produce among the most popular wines of the region. If you want to start exploring Sicilian wine you should probably start here, and we would be pleased to help.
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Bike rental
Menfi, that haven of vineyard-carpeted hills sloping down to crystalline-sea-lapped sandy beaches, has redefined the term “riding the rails”. Where a narrow gauge freight railway once ran, connecting Sciacca, Menfi and Porto Palo, there are now 20km of cycle paths, allowing locals and visitors alike to pedal (or run) through the area’s gorgeous landscapes without worrying about traffic. It’s an ideal way to discover the area and you can even stop off for a swim in the waters of the Mediterranean to cool off.
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Culinary experiences in West Sicily
The west of Sicily is a great destination for food lovers. Inland, the scenery is dominated by vast expanses of vineyards and olive groves, and some of Sicily's best wines – for example those of the Alcamo, Trapani, Erice and Marsala areas - and olive oils are produced in this corner of the island. Restaurant menus offer a fabulous array of fresh fish and seafood dishes. Fish cous cous is one of the signature dishes, a tradition that is celebrated every September at San Vito’s international Cous Cous Fest. Other stand-out specialities include busiate al pesto trapanese - a homemade pasta served with a pesto of tomatoes, garlic, almonds and basil - and spaghetti alla bottarga - salt-cured tuna fish roe grated on steaming pasta.
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