Home / Local guide
Restaurants, places to see, days out and markets, grouped by home. These are our own recommendations; nothing here is sponsored. Check opening days locally, especially out of season. Where we have no photograph of our own, the card carries our crest rather than someone else’s picture.
Eating out · Bassano in Teverina
A refined osteria in the old village, for the evening you want to remember. Regional cooking, a proper wine list, and the stone-walled atmosphere of Bassano itself. Best for couples and small groups who care about food.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Bassano in Teverina
The easy local choice: a restaurant and pizzeria close to the villa for relaxed Italian meals after a day out. Good with children, good with a group, no fuss.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Bassano in Teverina
An atmospheric dinner in the old stone heart of the village. Quiet, characterful and suited to a slow countryside evening, particularly for two.
Eating out · Bassano in Teverina
Informal and friendly, a short walk from the villa. The place for an easy lunch or a casual dinner when nobody wants to drive.
Places to see · Bomarzo
A sixteenth-century garden of giant stone creatures, tilting houses and mythological figures scattered through shaded woodland. Strange, wonderful and one of the best family outings anywhere near the villa.
Places to see · Bagnoregio
A village on an eroding pinnacle of tufa, reached only by a long pedestrian bridge. Go early or late for the light, and wander the lanes slowly; there are very few of them, and that is the point.
Photograph by Claudio Grande, Unsplash.
Places to see · Bagnaia, Viterbo
One of the great Renaissance gardens of Italy: terraces, box parterres and a sequence of fountains that carry water down the hill. Quiet, formal and beautiful, and a short drive from the villa.
Places to see · Orvieto
A fourteenth-century façade of gold mosaics and carved reliefs on a cliff-top town just over the Umbrian border. Inside, the San Brizio chapel holds Luca Signorelli’s frescoes of the Last Judgement. Pair it with lunch and a glass of the local white.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Days out · Viterbo
Hot sulphur springs have drawn bathers here since Roman times, from the established spa at Terme dei Papi to open-air pools in the fields. A restful afternoon between more active days.
Photograph by Francesca, Pexels.
Days out · Lake Bolsena
Italy’s largest volcanic lake, with beaches, boat trips, lakeside towns and long waterfront lunches. A softer alternative to a day of sightseeing, and good for families.
Markets and neighbourhoods · Bassano in Teverina
Stone lanes, stepped alleys, a medieval tower and a village that still lives at its own pace. Take the evening walk, stop for a glass in the square, and let the neighbours teach you the rhythm of the place.
Eating out · Ciminna
A relaxed village restaurant close to the villa for a traditional Sicilian dinner. Regional cooking, generous portions and a local atmosphere; good for families and groups.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Ciminna
Breakfast, coffee, pastries or a light lunch before heading out for the day. Simple, local and convenient.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Ciminna
A family-friendly spot in the village for pizza, coffee and casual food. The easy option after a long day exploring.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Ciminna
A village café for a morning coffee, an evening aperitivo or a light bite between outings: and the natural place to meet before dinner.
Places to see · Caccamo
One of the largest and best-preserved Norman castles in Sicily, stacked on a rock above the town with views along the valley. A strong half-day, paired with a walk through Caccamo’s old streets.
Places to see · Cefalù
A coastal town under a great limestone crag: a long beach, a Norman cathedral with golden mosaics, and an old town of narrow streets that end at the sea. The classic Sicilian day out, and a full one from the villa.
Places to see · Monreale
On the hill above Palermo, the cathedral’s interior is covered in twelfth-century gold mosaics; the cloister beside it is among the finest in Europe. Combine it with Palermo, or visit on its own for a quieter morning.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Places to see · Ficuzza
A Bourbon hunting lodge, a forest of oak and a long limestone mountain wall. Walking routes, scenic drives and a cool, quiet alternative to the coast on a hot day.
Places to see · Agrigento
The Greek temples of ancient Akragas standing along a ridge above the sea. One of the great archaeological sites of the Mediterranean and a long, worthwhile day from the villa.
Places to see · Castelvetrano
A vast Greek site on open ground by the sea, its temples partly re-erected and the rest lying where they fell. Wilder and quieter than Agrigento. A full day.
Days out · Palermo
Ballarò, the Capo and the Vucciria: Palermo is a city you taste before you see. Arancine, panelle, sfincione and grilled everything, eaten standing up. Roughly an hour from the villa.
Days out · Ciminna
In 1962 Luchino Visconti shot the Donnafugata scenes of The Leopard in Ciminna, using the mother church for the Te Deum and building a false palace front on the square. A gentle walk through the village’s churches, squares and fountains with a film in mind.
Photograph by Franck Ferrante, Pexels.
Days out · Tyrrhenian coast
The nearest coast is north of the villa, with beaches from Trabia along to Cefalù. Treat it as a proper day out: sea, lunch by the water, and the drive back up into the hills for sunset.
Eating out · Exarchia
A much-loved Exarchia mezedopoleio: shared plates, traditional Greek flavours and a charming garden. The relaxed dinner with real neighbourhood atmosphere.
Eating out · Central Athens
A wine bar and restaurant known for wood-fire cooking and natural wines, with a contemporary Athens mood. For couples, food lovers and a stylish evening out.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Valtetsiou Street, Exarchia
A cosy taverna-style restaurant on one of Exarchia’s liveliest streets, with Greek and Mediterranean cooking. Good for groups and for avoiding the tourist-heavy districts.
We have no photograph of our own for this entry, so the crest stands in its place.
Eating out · Exarchia
A modern Greek taverna with a garden and a thoughtful take on regional cooking. A calmer neighbourhood dinner for couples and small groups.
Places to see · Patission Street, a short walk
Greece’s largest museum and the most important collection of ancient Greek art anywhere: the Mask of Agamemnon, the Antikythera mechanism, the bronze Poseidon. Close enough to the apartment to visit in two shorter sittings.
Places to see · Neapoli and Kolonaki
The highest point in central Athens, with the Acropolis below and the sea beyond. Walk up through the pines or take the funicular from Kolonaki, and go at sunset.
Photograph by Francesco Zivoli, Unsplash.
Places to see · Acropolis
The modern museum at the foot of the rock, built over excavations and holding the sculptures of the Parthenon and the Erechtheion. Best combined with the Acropolis itself.
Days out · Acropolis and Plaka
The classic half-day: the Acropolis early, the museum after, and lunch in the lanes of Plaka below. A pleasant walk or a short taxi ride from the apartment.
Photograph by VisualKamikaze, Pexels.
Days out · Lycabettus Hill
Leave the apartment in the late afternoon, climb through Neapoli and the pine paths, and arrive for the light over the city. Simple, close and memorable.
Days out · Exarchia
Murals, independent streets and cafés in the neighbourhood that defines contemporary Athens. For photographers and anyone curious about the city as it is now.
Photograph by Daniel Droscher, Pexels.
Markets and neighbourhoods · Exarchia, Saturdays
Every Saturday Kallidromiou Street fills with produce, flowers, herbs, olives, cheese and fish. A few minutes from the apartment, and the best way to start a weekend in Athens.
Markets and neighbourhoods · Exarchia and Neapoli
Bookshops, record shops, bakeries, wine bars, cinemas and street art on one side; quiet neoclassical streets and corner cafés on the other. The lived-in Athens, on your doorstep.
The map shows each town rather than an exact address. Exact locations are shared with your booking.
Tell us where and when. We check the calendar ourselves and reply with availability and a written quote, usually within a day.
