A casa della nonna

A casa della nonna is on via Salvatore Quasimodo, in the residential quarter that grew up above the Cristoforo Colombo seafront, a short distance from the old centre of Cefalù. The name is not an affectation: the house really was the holiday home of the present owners' grandparents, built in the early years of the twentieth century when there was nothing here but countryside and the olive groves reached as far as the town. The building of recent decades has surrounded the property but has not touched it, and the original garden has remained: an oasis of green among the modern buildings, which is why you sleep in silence a few minutes from the cathedral.

The house and the rooms

The refurbishment of 2015 and 2016 put everything right while keeping the retro feel of the family home: shabby chic furnishings, light colours, an atmosphere more romantic than hotel-like. The rooms are air conditioned, with a flat-screen TV, a fridge, a minibar and a kettle for tea, a private bathroom with a bidet and toiletries, and each has its own terrace. From the shared roof terrace and the solarium the view takes in the whole town as far as the Rocca. In the garden there is a tennis court with a basketball hoop, an unusual detail for a bed and breakfast of this size.

Breakfast, arrival and who it suits

Breakfast is the Italian kind, croissants, bread, jams, yoghurt and espresso coffee, served among the greenery when the season allows. The wifi covers the whole house and parking is free. There is no pool and no wellness area: it is a Sicilian house for adults, without children and without pets, designed for anyone who wants Cefalù within walking distance and a quiet garden in the evening. It is best to arrive by car, which is also needed to reach the beaches and the villages of the Madonie.