Camelia

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
Access to our in-villa wine delivery service – choose from our handpicked menu of the best regional wines and find them waiting for you at your villa
A daily cleaning service (4 hours/day, 6 days a week) and a weekly linen change
Daily breakfast table setup (6 days a week)

Excludes

Flights
Car hire
Transfers
Meals (unless otherwise specified)

The Area

Situated in a panoramic position above the town of Giarre on the east coast of Sicily, about halfway between Catania and Taormina, Camelia is an excellent base from which to discover the area's historic towns, Mount Etna and the fascinating villages that populate its flanks. There are some lovely beaches down on the coast below, including those at Fiumefreddo and Marina di Cottone, which have received several consecutive "Bandiere Blu", attesting to the cleanliness of the water and their general ecological excellence. The chic lidos and evocative beaches below Taormina are just up the motorway, while an 18-hole golf course is a 45 minute drive away.

Local Experiences

Helicopter tours in East Sicily

A helicopter trip in Sicily over Etna and to the Aeolian Islands is a highly moving experience, enough to reduce grown men and women to tears! Book with us for a truly unforgettable addition to your Sicilian holiday.

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Private boat charters in East Sicily

The coastline between Taormina and Catania is one of the most dramatic and idyllic in Sicily, thanks to its sandy-pebbly coves, its sea stacks and its transparent waters. The best way to explore it is by boat, and we can arrange a wide variety of full-day, half-day and sunset trips. From your port of departure, you'll head to the lovely fishing villages dotting the coast, such as Aci Trezza and Aci Castello, before sailing north towards the Bay of Giardini Naxos below Capo Taormina. Once there, your skipper will drop anchor so that you can enjoy an unforgettable swim under the awesome gaze of Mount Etna. If you can tear yourselves away from this majestic setting, your trip will continue north to the gorgeous Bay of Isola Bella, one of Sicily's most evocative and picturesque sections of coastline, where lush vegetation imbues the brilliant blue water of the Grotta Azzurra with an emerald green hue.

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Culinary experiences in East Sicily

From the bounty of Mount Etna to the fish-rich sea below, the Ionian Riviera is home to a host of gastronomic delights. Our culinary experiences in the area will give you the knowledge and the skills to recreate some of eastern Sicily's best-known dishes.

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Wine tours on Mount Etna

Some of Italy’s finest wines are now being made on the flanks of Mount Etna. A new generation of Sicilian producers are realising the full potential of the mountain’s climate, its autochthonous grape varieties (NerelloMascalese - red - and Carricante - white), its ultra-fertile soil and its unique terroir. To discover just how the natural magic of the mountain combines with the perseverance and passion of man to create outstanding wines, let us arrange a chaufferued wine-tasting tour for you. A delicious lunch is included, so you’ll get a full experience of Etna’s gastronomic abundance.

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Private Guided tours in East Sicily

Sicily is, quite simply, one of the world’s most fascinating places, with a uniquely rich history, geography and cultural heritage. The Eastern side of the island has a seemingly endless variety of treasures to discover, from the architectural gems and culinary delights of the main towns, to UNESCO Heritage sites, to the geological phenomena and breath-taking landscapes of Mount Etna.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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Beach clubs and relaxing activities

The Ionian Riviera has a great selection of beaches and rocky lava stone coves starting just north of Catania which continue all the way up and past Taormina. A day spent at the beach is a brilliant way to relax and enjoy this stretch of fantastic coastline as a family. If you're looking comfort and full facilities, we highly recommend heading to one of the coast’s many beach clubs (also known as Stabilimenti Balneari) which are private areas of beach with different kinds of facilities such as loungers and umbrellas, cafés/bars and restaurants, kayaks, windsurfing, changing rooms etc., particularly useful for children and to get away from the crowds. But this area of Sicily isn’t all about the sea, so if the beach isn’t for you, a great alternative is spending a day at one of Etna’s renowned wineries.Take some time to tour the winery, sample the delicious wines produced there, and take advantage of the other facilities available for an enriching and relaxing day out.

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Private guided tours in Southeast Sicily

The southeastern tip of Sicily is home to mile after mile of largely unspoilt sandybeaches and an impressive list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica, the towns ofthe Val di Noto, and Villa Romana del Casale.

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Private boat charters in Southeast Sicily

From here until the southeasternmost tip of Sicily, the coastline is an uninterrupted stretch of sandy beach, dotted with picturesque little resort towns, including Punta Secca (Inspector Montalbano's home), Marina di Ragusa, Donnalucata, Cava d'Aliga, Sampieri and Marina di Modica. The last strip, made up of several miles of dunes, is where the Allied forces landed in the 2nd World War. At the southernmost tip of Sicily is Isola Delle Correnti, offering an almost African scenario. Indeed, here we are considerably further south than Tunis.Just around the southeastern tip and heading north up the east coast, are the beaches of Marzamemi, San Lorenzo and Vendicari Nature Reserve. The reserve's salt water lagoons and varieties of flora offer the ideal habitat for a wide range of fauna, including nesting turtles and migrating flamingos.Continuing up the east coast, between Vendicari and the historic Greek town of Syracuse, are the popular sandy beaches of Marina di Noto, Calabernado, Marina di Avola, Gelsomineto, Fontane Bianche and Arenella.

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From the Guest Book

Read the thoughtful reviews that travellers have left after their time with us.

What stood out about Camelia were the views, the fruit trees, the terrific accommodations. I would highly recommend it to all.

Anonymous September 2024

Camelia was beautiful and so was its setting. It was a beautiful experience for my family.

Anonymous June 2024

Although it was a very very hot week in Sicily we had a wonderful stay at Camelia. the villa is an oasis of calm with a unique architecture. The people around were amazingly helpful and made our stay special!

Anonymous July 2023

Camelia was exceptional. Beautifully designed and appointed. The grounds and surrounding orchards/groves were beautiful. The views were outstanding.

AS, United States of America September 2022

We really enjoyed meeting the owners of Camelia and Ortensia and learning more about the origins of the architectural project and his thinking behind the design. Very inspirational. We ended up loving the houses so much we spent less time discovering Sicily and hanging out more together as a family at the house.

SP, United Kingdom September 2022

Overall we had a great stay at Camelia. Everything was as described and stated.

DV, United States of America September 2021

Giarre, Sicily

6 Guests

3 Bedrooms

3 Bathrooms

Looking to know more about Camelia?

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The Area

Catania airport:

Palermo airport:

Trapani airport:

Nearest shops/supermarkets:

Nearest beaches:

Nearest restaurants:

Taormina:

18-hole golf course:

Mount Etna:

Syracuse:

Noto: