Santa Maria

We had a fantastic stay in an elegant and well apportioned villa with everything you could have wished for to make your stay comfortable and relaxing. The gardens, swimming pool and tennis court were perfect. Caroline and Marcelo were always at hand if we had a query and the information provided enabled us to explore with ease the surrounding area, with good restaurant recommendations and the like. We will look to return to a place that gave us a memorable time in a spectacular part of Sicily.

We had a most wonderful stay at Santa Maria. The house is beautiful and intriguing and so relaxing. The orange grove garden and the incredible pool were ideal for days spent at the house. The location was great for days out exploring local towns and beaches in this fascinating part of the island. We would highly recommend this place.

Santa Maria provided us with the perfect location for our first family holiday abroad. We spent a fortnight at Santa Maria this Summer and could not have imagined a more relaxing and elegant break. Along with our children (aged 6 and 3) we enjoyed endless days in the fantastic pool, ate copious amounts of the most delicious gelato and indulged in the wonderful food cooked by Antonella! The accommodation is incredibly spacious with such a welcoming feel. Caroline and Marcello were beyond helpful and so generous with their advice and kindness. We can’t wait to return!

Santa Maria is absolutely beautiful, the gardens are stunning with a wonderful pool and tennis court. Our family and friends had such a lovely week here enjoying the villa but also the local surroundings. Mazara, the local seaside town is an unknown gem full of atmosphere and gorgeous Baroque churches. Other highlights were Selinunte and the Egadi Islands - both magical and well worth a visit. Caroline and Marcello looked after us brilliantly - nothing was too much trouble. Highly recommend this very special place!

Santa Maria complete exceeds expectations - the photographs are absolutely wonderful and yet when you are there in person the beauty is even more staggering, with the sights, the smells, the views and all the little details, both inside and outside. One could happily spend weeks enjoying the property but we also had a fantastic time exploring Sicily, cycling, riding, swimming, playing tennis, visiting Selinunte and of course eating delicious food - gelati and arancini balls galore! Caroline and Marcello were so kind and helpful but also very discreet. We will definitely return.

We spent a wonderful 4 days at Santa Maria before sailing around the Egadi Islands - and what a special place to begin our Sicilian adventure! It is an extraordinary property with a fascinating history (which we enjoyed reading about) and we could have spent all our time just relaxing by the beautiful pool or in the shaded lemon grove. We ventured out to see the stunning ruins at Selinunte and to wander around the local town and sample some traditional Sicilian food and wine. Everything Caroline arranged for us was incredibly efficient and we are so grateful for all her recommendations.

We spent a lovely week at the villa Santa Maria and cannot recommend it highly enough. The villa is as elegant and spacious as previous reviewers have described. Meals in the lemon grove were a joy. It was hard to tear ourselves away from the pool but worth the effort as this is a very interesting region of Sicily. We recommend a trip to Selinunte and popping into Mazara del Vallo for dinner. Home cooking by Antonella on two nights took the stress out of self catering and was a lovely treat. That said, the kitchen facilities were excellent too. Overall, a wonderful place to stay.

We had a terrific holiday at Santa Maria with our 3 teenage children. The property is a beautiful very large farmhouse surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, and it proved a very convenient base for exploring the south and west of Sicily, within easy reach of Selinunte, Segesta, Marsala, and many other fascinating sites. The accommodation is spacious, stylish and comfortable, with access to an enclosed orange grove where one can eat outside in the shade, a superb pool set within manicured gardens, and a tennis court. Marcello and Caroline, the owners, were charming and friendly hosts.

We greatly enjoyed staying at Santa Maria. The house has been tastefully restored. Particular features we appreciated: (a) eating in the shade of the lemon trees (b) elegant courtyard and sitting room (c) being able to play tennis in August because of the shaded tennis court (d) the beautifully tended garden and pool (e) the local olive oil and tomatoes (f) visits to Segesta and Selinunte (g) Alessia's attentiveness if there was anything that we needed.

A magical place steeped in history yet beautifully done up. Very stylish interiors and a gorgeous orange grove where we ate lunch every day. Weather was perfect in October so we were able to appreciate the garden and pool area too. Very comfortable rooms and great big kitchen which made cooking a pleasure! Lots of things to see and do nearby - loved medieval hilltop town of Erice and the Greek temples of Segesta. A hit with the whole family. Will definitely come again!

I stayed with my friends during the olive harvest in October. The property is enchanting, like something you'd expect to see in a movie. I enjoyed many hours in a deck chair reading a book out by the orange and lemon trees with the brightest of blue skies overhead. If you have an opportunity to stay here for the olive harvest you won't be disappointed - the Sicilians LOVE food so you will be spoilt rotten like I was with huge steaks, typical local fish dishes, plenty of wine and of course lots of fresh olive oil like you have never tasted with fresh crusty out of the oven bread. I feel very lu

A beautiful Villa that is so full of character and history. The tennis court is well situated in the shade of tall trees and the large swimming pool accessed by walking through a beautiful garden. During our holiday it was baking hot, so if sight-seeing was out we were able to relax by the pool. At the rear there is a private lemon grove which is great for a barbecue or just sitting out and eating. Nanette was always available if we needed anything sorted out and could not have been more helpful. I would highly recommend Villa Santa Maria and will keep some very fond memories of our holiday.