Hotel Elimo, Erice

Hotel Elimo, Erice

Erice is surely one of the most romantic towns in all Italy, let alone Sicily. Perched atop a mountain, around half a mile above the valley floor below, this ancient town has stunning views down over the coastline of western Sicily. The Mediterranean glitters far below and in the distance one can see the Egadi Islands. On a clear day, the eagle eyed will even be able to sight Tunisia, far away on the coast of North Africa.

And the Hotel Elimo, on Via Vittorio Emanuele, in the 'centro storico' of this marvellous town, is the perfect base. This is a charming old building, its lounge area cosy with wood beamed roof, the restaurant serving the best in delicious traditional Sicilian cuisine. This Erice hotel has just 21 guest rooms, each one a little different from the last, each with its name taken from Greek mythology. Traditional yes, but with no compromise on modern comforts - each room has a minibar, bathroom with bath tub and shower, TV and phone, and comfortably air conditioned. Each room has a balcony too, and there is a lift/elevator to all floors.

Erice is on your doorstep of course. A very ancient town, dating back to (at least) the 12th century BC, it has the remains of the ancient Phoenician walls, and there are two surviving castles - the Saracen Castello Pepoli, and the Norman Castello di Venere. There is also the Temple of Venus (a very complete ruin) and some lovely public gardens at Giardini del Ballo.

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Double room from €95