Balestrate holiday villa: Balestrate

Very good value, and easily the best location. 1 km to Balestrate and straight into the main street. Plenty of food shops/bakers. Good restaurants. Best beach is on the far side of town, follow signs for Touristic Porto. Church Square has an excellent caffé with beautiful pastries. Also on the square is a tour office "Sim" with a very helpful girl who speaks very good english. Very few people speak any english at all so you must learn some italian. Ciro, who owns the villa lives close by, and is very helpful. The villa is well equipped and everything works. There is a field of Lemon trees, olive trees and vines directly in front which looks great and shields the villa from a local quiet road (very little noise), and you can see and hear the sea from the terrace. Nearby beach is a healthy walk at least 800m partly through a small, beautiful pine forest (national tourist park) but in winter the end of the path is under water and mud. Nearby town of Castellmare (15 mins by car down A29) is worth a regular visit for the old town buildings & streets plus very high standard ristorante on the quayside (signs = touristic port). Also Mazara on the South Coast and Palermo (1.5 hours on the train, buy tickets in Tabac shops, timetable left at the villa) all worth at least a day trip. You must hire a car, essential. travel around is easy, as the main motorway (2 lanes) in the west - A29 - has Balestrate junction is only 2 km away. I would certainly stay again, hopefully next year. Ciro was an excellent host and landlord.