Kim Wilson
Season 2 of TV series The White Lotus elevated the Sicilian village of Taormina’s international profile and reinforced the Italian island’s image as a playground for the rich and famous. It certainly cemented my impression of a place abundant in romantic settings, postcard-perfect views and impossibly turquoise water.
Travel searches for Sicily reportedly surged by 300 per cent after the series aired, and my husband and I were among those increasingly seduced by what we saw. Another show, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, a food series featuring the actor, only added to the appeal. This year, we were finally there, with two weeks to explore the island for ourselves.
Clifftop resort town Taormina ticked all the expected boxes, along with a few we hadn’t anticipated, including Gina Rinehart and Pauline Hanson turning up at the hotel behind our Airbnb. Cefalù, on Sicily’s northern coast, and Ortigia in the south-east were more beautiful than we had imagined.
One of the trip’s more surprising highlights was well away from the coast, at an isolated former agricultural estate surrounded by wheat fields and rolling hills, 30 minutes from the nearest town. The boutique Susafa hotel, in the province of Palermo, on the western side of Sicily’s interior and close to the Madonie mountain region, lies well off the tourist trail. In fact, we questioned whether we were going the right way as we dodged potholes along the near-deserted narrow road that led to the rural oasis.
The Saeli-Rizzuto family has owned and farmed the property since 1870 and Manfredi Rizzuto began converting the estate into an intimate hotel in 2008. It remains a working agricultural property, producing wheat and olive oil and drawing heavily on its gardens and orchard.
History and legacy are felt throughout the thoughtfully designed hotel. Glorious stone walls, handmade Sicilian terracotta floors, original chestnut ceiling beams, and furniture commissioned from local craftspeople fill the space.
The restaurant, Semente, occupies the magnificent old granary, while guest rooms have been cleverly created in former stables, an armoury, and farmworkers’ quarters. The chic and inviting bar was once the wine-pressing area.
Susafa’s remote location means meals are predominantly taken on site, either in the restaurant or at a charming outdoor kitchen by the pool. There is an emphasis on freshly harvested, local ingredients with a curated à la carte or signature tasting menu for dinner and more relaxed options for lunch. The house-made granita selection from the bar by the pool was a treat.
A standout meal was, ironically, one we made ourselves in an engaging and entertaining pasta-making class. Resident instructor Melissa generously shared family techniques and recipes to create simple but stunning local dishes, which we enjoyed with a crisp glass of wine after the workshop. It was a wonderful way to learn more about Sicilian culture through food and how it differs from other parts of Italy.
There is no village at the gate and nowhere to wander for a pre-dinner drink, so there is little inclination to leave.
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Susafa exudes understated elegance and charm. With just 18 rooms, the pace is unhurried, the service attentive but not overbearing, and the environment is blissfully peaceful.
There is no village at the gate and nowhere to wander for a pre-dinner drink, so once you have made the journey in, there is little inclination to leave. The pleasure lies in the food and serenity, swimming, reading by the pool, walking through the estate, and watching the light shift across the fields.
We also indulged in a signature Susafa olive oil massage in a magical open-air treatment room nestled into a quiet corner of the estate. Sheer curtains billowed in the warm breeze as we soaked in the scents from the herbs and flowers, serenaded by cicadas, birds and bees.
This is primarily an adults-only hotel because of the size and layout of the rooms, the secluded location, the refined, produce-driven menus and the sophistication of the amenities. However, we were travelling with our 15-year-old daughter, who enjoyed some downtime during our two-day stay (thankfully the internet connection was good). We shared the junior suite, which had a daybed that was converted at night for her to sleep on.
Sicily’s most popular itineraries tend to trace its edges, for understandable reasons. Palermo, Cefalù, Taormina, Syracuse and Ortigia are among Italy’s great destinations. You need only look from a terrace towards the sea to understand why people have been coming for centuries.
But heading inland opens up a very different landscape of mountains, farmland and hill towns. The reward is a landscape that feels surprisingly untouched by the intense tourism found elsewhere on the island.
Near Susafa, the Madonie mountains are dotted with historic hill towns such as Petralia Soprana and Castelbuono. Further south, just outside Piazza Armerina, the UNESCO-listed Villa Romana del Casale is renowned for its extraordinary Roman mosaics. And in Sicily’s south-east, Scicli is one of the eight UNESCO-listed Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, but remains less prominent on many tourist itineraries than neighbouring Noto.
Don’t miss the sweeping sea vistas, clifftop towns, beautiful villages and vineyards in the shadows of Mount Etna. Be aware, though, that some of the island’s most evocative landscapes and experiences lie in the interior. If you have time, you must explore both to appreciate all Sicily has to offer.
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