May take pets - please enquire Suitable for children Smokers welcome Self-catering
Home description
An old typical Sicilian country house, built at the beginning of the past century by the sharecroppers who cultivated the land. It has been recently completely restored and transformed into an apartment, where its atmosphere is suspended between a fairy tale and an old country house supplied with all modern comforts, without effecting the spirit of the place. The good and elegant taste of the owners is evident in every detail of the furniture and of the objects from the traditional Sicilian culture. Entering the old doorway, you get to a comforting living-room with a simple fire-place around which you can gather in the evenings, through an old door you enter the kitchen, the real masterpiece of the house. Once, in this room, farmers used to gather at the end of the working day to dine and sing at the sound of improvised instruments, here the essence of the place is still the same, an old enamel stove, a fridge from the 1960s, a wide stone sink, everything perfectly restored and working. Next to the kitchen is a small dining-room with a large window that affords a splendid view over the valley. On the back of the house is a room with twin beds and private bathroom with shower, then in a lovely three-level area is a room with a single-bed placed under the stone arch of the stair-case; a fully visible mezzanine floor with a twin-bed hidden by a charming screen and an intermediate floor with another single-bed, a large window and a small terrace where still nowadays hazelnuts are left to dry in the sun. Next to this area is the main bathroom with shower and tub.
The house
View of the mountain
Outdoors
living-room with fire place
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/6386
The Sicily region
The Madonie represent one of the most well-known mountain ecosystems of the whole Mediterranean area owing to the richness of its fauna and the extremely interesting vegetation. The Madonie Natural Park was established in 1989, it extends over a surface of about 40,000 hectares, included in the territory of 15 communes: Petralia Sottana, Isnello, Polizzi Generosa, Geraci Siculo, Collesano, Cefalù, Gratteri, Castelbuono, Caltavuturo, Scillato, Petralia Soprana, Pollina, Castellana Sicula, Sclafani Bagni and San Mauro Castelverde. Pizzo Carbonara reaches a height of 1979 meters and is the second highest top of the island. The woods at the foot of the mountain include many varieties of trees. Up to 1500 meters beech, elm trees, holm-oaks, cork-oaks and even holly grow. In this zone many endemic plants have found their ecological niche. The country villages, most of which were founded by the Arabs and Normans in order to defend the hinterland, afford an untouched view of rural Sicily. The main activities in the Park are sheep-farming and production of excellent cheeses, such as the Primintino that you may taste on the spot; sheep and pig farming with the production of delicious meats and salamis, worth of mention are the farms at Gangi and Margi; there are many different craft-works, well-known are the carpets from Petralia Soprana, the pottery made in Polizzi Generosa and Collesano, stone manufacturing at Geraci, manufacturing of wooden objects, such as barrels, ladders and tool handles, and basket work made with interwoven osier. There are also some small factories that produce a very good olive oil at San Mauro and Scillato, or delicious confectionery like the Panettone made with manna produced by the Fiasconaro brothers of Castelbuono. We suggest you visit the winery Abazia Santa Anastasia at Castelbuono where, in an ancient former convent a delicious wine, exported all over the world, is produced; don’t forget the very pure Acqua Geraci spring, mineral water bottled at Geraci Siculo, or the Castagna factory, in Petralia, which produces pasta with local wheat and spring water. The Park offers many different routes to follow on foot or horse riding and discover the amazing beauties and its hidden charms. Some of the favourite sites are: the natural amphitheatre at Monte Quacella, Piano Cervi and its red beech trees, the Santuario della Madonna dell’Alto, Piano Pomo with very big holly trees, the Grotta del Vecchiuzzo at at Petralia Sottana, the valley of Madonna degli Angeli that winds along the slopes of Monte San Salvatore and the bucolic Valle di Pomieri. If you want to savour real Sicilian country life or admire some architectonic works of art, then we suggest you visit some of the mountain villages such as Castelbuono which affords an imposing castle; Polizzi Generosa that stands on a mountain spur at more than a thousand meters, with a charming historical centre scattered with churches and monuments; Petralia Sottana founded by the Normans and Petralia Soprana the highest municipality of the Madonie, a small medieval village where time seems to have stopped; Geraci Siculo with its narrow and twisting streets; the imposing Gangi that affords a beautiful view of the Madonie mountains. But the Park’s treasures are not yet finished! For the golf players an enjoyable 18 holes golf course has been opened near the town of Campofelice di Roccella, amidst orange, lemon and olive trees. If you like birds then you must visit the falconry at Geraci Siculo where falcons are trained to prey. If mushrooms are your hobby you can get together with other local enthusiasts to go hiking and collect different varieties of mushrooms found in this area. If you are a skier you must go in winter at Piano Battaglia, the only winter resort of western Sicily. At only 15 minutes from the mountains is the lovely sea shore of Cefalù and further on Pollina with a crystal blue sea. If you just want to try the local food, the Park offers the opportunity to taste any kind of typical produce of the area at the numerous tourist-farms or restaurants where you may also eat dishes typical of the Madonie, such as recipes made with wild boar meat, mushrooms, beans, wild fennel, ricotta and sausages. You will naturally find also many cafés and pastry shops where you can eat typical confectionery, such as the Sfogghiu a cheese cake made at Polizzi Generosa. There are many religious and not-religious events that take place all year round, worth of mention are the Good Friday procession of incappucciati (hooded people) at Collesano; the Ventimiglia Tournament at Geraci; the Feast of the Crucifix at Polizzi Generosa; the Maypole dance at Petralia Sottana; the Palm Sunday at Gangi; the Cerca at Collesano; the Sulità at Gratteri. Interessanti anche le fiere-mercato che si svolgono ogni anno nei vari paesi citiamo quelle di San Bartolomeo a Geraci e San Gandolfo a Polizzi Generosa, dove si svolge anche la Sagra delle Nocciole.
Palermo / Polizzi Generosa area
Indeed Polizzi Generosa is one of the towns of the Madonie mountains that boasts the most ancient origins. Its history is old and glorious, as the many architectonic treasures that the town has testify. It is said that its origins come from the Palici Gods, sons of the nymph Thalia, from where the name of the spring Naftolia (Nafthalia), at the foot of the town, derives. But the name of the town has changed several times: city of Ceres, of the Palici, Sicilian Athens, Polis Isium, the town of Isis, the town of the god Pollux. The expressions Polizieros, Polizzim, Polis, Polic, Poliz, Polisum derive all from the Greek word Polis, that means town. Under the Arab dominion a mosque was built, while under the Normans another castle was built in addition to the one already existing. The name “Generosa” (generous) was given to the town by Frederick II. The town developed greatly during the dominions of the Byzantines and the Normans, thanks to Count Roger and Countess Adelasia. But Polizzi reached its highest splendour during the Renaissance when it became the central junction of a very important road system, thanks to the opening of two royal “trazzere” (country roads) that connected Palermo and Messina, to the north, and the area of Licata, to the south. Along the two branches of the Imera River, bordered with fields of cereals and wheat and overlooked by Polizzi, ran the “wheat road”, through which wheat was carried to Termini and Roccella, on one side, and towards Licata on the other, to be exported. This road was of great economical interests, so to live in Polizzi and own large estates along the river banks to control commerce and duties, meant gaining a total dominion on the wheat road from the northern to the southern coast of Sicily. So it shouldn’t seem so strange the fact that during the centuries 1400-1500 families from Pisa, Genova or Catalans, Arabs, French lived in Polizzi. The Ventimiglia and Chiaramonte families considered very desirable the generous Town, but Polizzi never lost its freedom preserving the title of state. The noble families that lived in this town, besides introducing the right of primogeniture*, supported the flourishing of architecture, the building of churches (once the town could boast 32 churches) and the presence of many religious orders.
*Big landowners at their death left all their properties to the eldest son, this custom was called “right of primogeniture”. The younger sons, which remained without land, rather than living with the brother, preferred to live an adventurous life or shelter among the various religious orders.
Monuments and historically interesting places Mother Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (or Assunta) built in the 11th century, it contains various masterpieces of art among which a Flemish triptych representing the Virgin with Child; another triptych, dating 1519, attributed to Johannes de Matta, a statue of the Virgin by Giuliano Mancino (1508), a marble sarcophagus by Domenico Gagini (1482), a silver sarcophagus dating 1540, the work of Andrea di Leo and other 17th century relieves representing San Francesco and San Gandolfo by Giuseppe Gagini.
Church of San Gandolfo la Povera Built in the 17th century, it preserves a painting of San Gandolfo by Giuseppe Salerno (Zoppo di Gangi) and another beautiful painting by Johannes de Matta, a Spanish painter that worked in Petralia between 1519 and 1541.
Church of Badia Vecchia or Santa Margherita It preserves a 1611 painting of San Benedetto enthroned between the Saints Mauro and Placido by Giuseppe Salerno (Zoppo di Gangi); a very rich and elegant wrought iron grating with a floral motif; remarkable 18th century wooden stalls and a marble statue of Santa Margherita by Domenico Gagini.
Church of San Nicolò de Franchis 12th century, built by Pietro da Tolosa in 1167, it preserves the remains of the ancient colonnade from the original structure and a 1700 painting representing the Madonna with Child.
Church Badia Nuova or Santa Maria delle Grazie 15th century, preserves many paintings by Giuseppe Salerno (The triumph of the Eucharist, Nativity of our Lord, The Death of San Giuseppe) and a wooden case by Pietro Bencivinni (1697).
Church of Santa Maria della Porta 18th century, it preserves the remarkable painting by Salerno: “The return of the Holy Family from Egypt”, oil on canvas, 1620.
Church of the Carmine With the annexed convent that belonged to the Carmelites from the 16th to the 19th centuries, it preserves a wooden Cross and an “Ecce Homo” from the workshop of Frate Umile da Petralia (attributed to Francesco Gallusco, mid 17th century); a beautiful painting by Johannes de Matta representing the Madonna del Carmelo, a Madonna with Child between the Saints Lucia and Agata, from the 18th century, and above an alabaster altar, a wooden statue of the Madonna del Carmine (maybe by Quattrocchi).
Church of the Commenda, Church of Sant’Orsola, Church of San Pancrazio dei Greci, Church of San Francesco, Church of San Girolamo and Church of Santa Maria Lo Piano
An arch aqueduct dating 1480, remains of the Castle fortified by Roger the Norman, Palazzo Carpinello, Palazzo Gagliardo, Palazzo Caruso-Porcaro, Palazzo Gagliardo di Casalpietro, Palazzo Marotta, Palazzo Signorile, Collegio dei Gesuiti, Collegio di Maria
Folklore and tradition Feast of the patron San Gandolfo 3rd Sunday of September, solemn procession during which the devotees carry the relics of the saint preserved in a precious 16th century silver case.
Feast of the Holy Cross May 1-4, it takes place in the Church of the Carmine and it starts with an octave of prayers. On May 1 the “scinnuta du Signuri” (the descent of our Lord) takes place. The statue by Francesco Gallusca is moved from where it usually stands on the altar of the Chapel to the square in front of the Church for the blessing of the fields and then placed on the main altar. In the afternoon breads, displayed in the shape of a cross, are blessed and then offered to the people. On the evening of May 2 the “small” Cross is carried in procession. At dawn of May 3 the typical “arricugghiuta da cira” (the collecting of the candles) takes place. Some devotees and brothers, divided in groups and accompanied by music bands, go along the town to collect the candles decorated with ribbons and flowers that believers, who made a vow, offer to the Cross. And mixing the sacred and the profane, they are welcome by relative and friends and they are given sweets and wine. In the afternoon the solemn procession of the “big” Cross by Gallusca takes place. The Cross is carried by the “nudi”, devotees dressed in white, and accompanied also by the local congregations, the authorities and by the entire population. The evenings during the feast are cheered by fire works and the music bands.
Festival of hazelnuts Last Sunday of August, a traditional event dedicated to hazelnuts, a typical product of Polizzi. There are cart parades and folk groups, both local and international, that will perform in Piazza Trinità, the real centre of the festival. On this square are reconstructed scenes of country life, like the “weighing”, the “haystack”, the “farm”, and of town activities, like the old barber shop, the shoemaker, the blacksmith. The festival includes also cultural meetings, such as picture exhibitions, lectures, guided excursions and gastronomic events, with tasting of local dishes and free offering of hazelnuts.
Festival of the snow 3rd Sunday of July. It is a guided excursion to the natural snowfield of the Fossa della Principessa where, also in full summer, a considerable amount of snow remains. Here participants may taste the “granite”, made in different flavours, according to the old tradition (when refrigerators didn’t exist) with the snow collected in that moment. It is a very instructive and enjoyable experience.
Typical produce Hazelnuts “Primintio”.
Sheep cheese sweets, among which is worth to mention the “sfogghiu” a cake made with a filling of cheese, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon and candied fruit Wild strawberries liqueur “Ferla” (local wild plant). Mushrooms.
Excursions Quacella amphitheatre, Vallone Madonna degli Angeli, Piano Cervi, Piano Battaglia, Pizzo Carbonara Mountain, Manico della Padella, Flomaria dei Mulini.
How to get there
Fly to Palermo or Catania which is 120 kms from Palermo or Catania International Airport.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Falcone e Borsellino: 120 km
Activities near Palermo
Sports: Horse Riding Golf within 30 mins drive
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats
Facilities
General:
Central heating, Satellite TV
Standard:
Toaster, Hair dryer
Utilities:
Cooker, Fridge
Rooms:
Bedrooms (3), Bathrooms (2), Shower rooms (2)
Furniture:
Single beds (2), Double beds (2), Dining seating for 6, Lounge seating for 2, Sleeps maximum of 6
Other:
Linen and towels provided.
Outdoors:
Private garden, BBQ
Access:
Parking space
Further details
On request it is possible to arrange typical local food dinners or lunches at the price of €20 per person.
Conditions
300 euros refundable breakages deposit required; for the use of the heating in wintertime (from 1st October to 30th April) there’s an extra charge of € 150 per week.
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: Euros €
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
30 Dec 2006 - 1 April 200
30 Dec 06
1 Apr 07
1400£1,176
0-
0-
1 Week
1 April 2007 - 30 Sept 20
1 Apr 07
30 Sep 07
1600£1,345
0-
0-
1 Week
30 Sept 2007 - 30 Dec 200
30 Sep 07
30 Dec 07
1400£1,176
0-
0-
1 Week
21
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
Availability
See below for next 6 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/6386
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