Casa Roselle is offered as a refined experience of exceptional ambiance, with remarkable food and wine, splendid art and an outstanding natural environment. You can choose from four options:
1. Weekly rental (7 nights) of the main house - up to 6 guests
2. Three days/four nights all-inclusive package - between 4 and 6 guests
3. Weddings, private catered events, mini conventions, photo and video shoots, etc. Please contact us to discuss your specific needs.
4. Dependance/annex weekly rental (7 nights)
The information below concerns only the all-inclusive package, which covers everything from the full use of the property and all its amenities, private guided art tours and nature walks, exclusive culinary and enological events, to relaxing afternoon cocktails by the pool, We hope that the time you spend here will uplift your senses, inspire your imagination and leave you with unforgettable memories.
FOOD/WINE
Breakfast and lunch or dinner will be provided either at Casa Roselle or at upscale restaurants and prepared by cooks, ranging from Michelin star chefs, to the next door Sicilian "nonna". We utilize the freshest local and almost exclusively, organic ingredients. You will have access to our wine cellar at retail prices, which is stocked with quality regional wines, many of which are organic. Wine tastings at two excellent wineries in the area are also included. Coffee, tea, non-alcoholic beverages, fresh fruits, snacks and sweets will be available at all times. We have about 40 olive trees on our property and every late September/early October we make our own extra-virgin, cold-pressed organic olive oil. If you are staying with us during this period, you can participate in the experience of olive picking and olive oil making and tasting. We make our own limoncello, mandarineto and liquore d'arancia amara (lemon, clementine and bitter orange liqueurs) from fresh organic citrus fruits in our garden and, in season, you can take part in their making and tasting. Your bathrooms will be supplied with our own homemade soaps, utilizing our organic, cold-pressed olive oil and aloe vera extract from the plants in our garden.
ART
Your stay will include a half-day cultural excursion to sites of national and global importance in the southeast of Sicily. Elena and Luben will be your tour guides. We hold degrees in painting, sculpture and art history and share a decades-long passion for ancient Greek, Roman, Romanesque and Baroque art. These periods and styles are extensively represented in Sicily in numerous world-famous sites, such as the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, one of the largest best preserved examples of early ancient Greek architecture (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/831); Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, the largest Roman mosaics complex in the world (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/832); Caltagirone, the pottery capital of Sicily; and Baroque architecture gems by masters such as Gagliardi and Sinatra in Ragusa Ibla, Scicli and Noto. All of the above mentioned places are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The format of the tours is relaxed, but with an emphasis on deepening your perspective with external references taken from our broad knowledge of art history. On another morning (depending on the season, availability and your interest) we can choose to spend a few hours visiting a local cultural and/or food festival, or an antiques market. On a daily basis you will be surrounded by the art at Casa Roselle and are welcome to explore our extensive library of art books .
NATURE
We will visit the Nature Reserve of Vendicari, a bird sanctuary and one of few flamingo habitats in Europe. The Reserve also features a beautifully restored old tuna processing factory and a 14th century Norman fortress. Vendicari is an evocative example of the symbiotic cohabitation of natural and cultural heritage. From there we will proceed on a 1 to 2 hour-long hike on one of the picturesque coastal trails in the area. In your free time you can explore and enjoy the beaches near us (Ispica, Pozzallo, Santa Maria del Focallo), all of which have a Blue Flag designation (http://www.blueflag.org) and are within a 5 to 10 minute drive.
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
ITINERARY #1
8:00 AM - Breakfast - Freshly-baked pastries are delivered from a family pasticceria in the area and are served with homemade jams, organic honey from our next door neighbour's bee farm, fresh fruit, freshly squeezed orange juice, homemade yoghurt, local cheeses, tea and coffee
9:00AM - Departure for Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina
10:00AM - Tour of the Roman mosaics
11:30 AM - Departure for Caltagirone
12:00 AM - Visits at a pottery studio and a ceramics shop in Caltagirone
1:00 PM - Departure for Nanfro winery (http://eng.nanfro.it/)
1:30 PM - Six course lunch at the Nanfro winery prepared by the resident chef. The food will be paired with 6 of their organic wines.
5:00 PM - Departure for Casa Roselle
ITINERARY #2
9:00 AM - Transfer to Noto and breakfast at Cafe Sicilia (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caff%C3%A9-Sicilia-Noto/59815635165)
10:30AM - A walking tour of the historic centre of Noto
12:30PM - Transfer to Giasira winery for a light lunch and wine tasting (http://www.lagiasira.it/)
2:00 PM - Transfer to Casa Roselle for an afternoon siesta
4:30 PM - Transfer to Modica for a walking tour of the historic centre and a visit to the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, reputedly the best and most famous chocolatier in Sicily (http://www.bonajuto.it/en/)
7:00 PM - Transfer to Casa Roselle
8:30 PM - Dinner at Casa Roselle, featuring homemade pizza cooked in our wood-fired oven. This is intended to be a hands-on, participatory, educational and fun experience. A representative from nearby Planeta winery (http://www.planeta.it/en/territori/noto-buonivini/)will serve a selection of their wines to accompany the food.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF-DIRECTED ACTIVITIES
Marzamemi - a nearby picturesque fishing town, famous for its beautiful main square, vibrant nightlife and an acclaimed International Film Festival (http://www.cinefrontiera.it/)
Day trip to Malta - the ferry terminal is only 20 minutes away and there are morning and evening (return) crossings (90 minutes one way)
Ragusa Ibla - a gem of Baroque architecture, 45 minutes away (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragusa,_Italy)
Rock catacombs in Cava d'Ispica - neolithic and early Christian tombs carved in the cliffs of a picturesque canyon. Only 10 minutes by car.
Catch a late-night film projection in our open-air movie theatre between the four walls of the courtyard in Casa Roselle. Tonight's feature - The Bicycle Thief, Vittorio De Sica's Italian Neorealism masterpiece (http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-bicycle-thief--bicycle-thieves-1949).
Below are images of some of the things we've done at Casa Roselle and some of the places we've visited with our guests in the past
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
ITINERARY #1
8:00 AM - Breakfast - Freshly-baked pastries are delivered from a family pasticceria in the area and are served with homemade jams, organic honey from our next door neighbour's bee farm, fresh fruit, freshly squeezed orange juice, homemade yoghurt, local cheeses, tea and coffee
9:00AM - Departure for Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina
10:00AM - Tour of the Roman mosaics
11:30 AM - Departure for Caltagirone
12:00 AM - Visits at a pottery studio and a ceramics shop in Caltagirone
1:00 PM - Departure for Nanfro winery (http://eng.nanfro.it/)
1:30 PM - Six course lunch at the Nanfro winery prepared by the resident chef. The food will be paired with 6 of their organic wines.
5:00 PM - Departure for Casa Roselle
ITINERARY #2
9:00 AM - Transfer to Noto and breakfast at Cafe Sicilia (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caff%C3%A9-Sicilia-Noto/59815635165)
10:30AM - A walking tour of the historic centre of Noto
12:30PM - Transfer to Giasira winery for a light lunch and wine tasting (http://www.lagiasira.it/)
2:00 PM - Transfer to Casa Roselle for an afternoon siesta
4:30 PM - Transfer to Modica for a walking tour of the historic centre and a visit to the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, reputedly the best and most famous chocolatier in Sicily (http://www.bonajuto.it/en/)
7:00 PM - Transfer to Casa Roselle
8:30 PM - Dinner at Casa Roselle, featuring homemade pizza cooked in our wood-fired oven. This is intended to be a hands-on, participatory, educational and fun experience. A representative from nearby Planeta winery (http://www.planeta.it/en/territori/noto-buonivini/)will serve a selection of their wines to accompany the food.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF-DIRECTED ACTIVITIES
Marzamemi - a nearby picturesque fishing town, famous for its beautiful main square, vibrant nightlife and an acclaimed International Film Festival (http://www.cinefrontiera.it/)
Day trip to Malta - the ferry terminal is only 20 minutes away and there are morning and evening (return) crossings (90 minutes one way)
Ragusa Ibla - a gem of Baroque architecture, 45 minutes away (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragusa,_Italy)
Rock catacombs in Cava d'Ispica - neolithic and early Christian tombs carved in the cliffs of a picturesque canyon. Only 10 minutes by car.
Catch a late-night film projection in our open-air movie theatre between the four walls of the courtyard in Casa Roselle. Tonight's feature - The Bicycle Thief, Vittorio De Sica's Italian Neorealism masterpiece (http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-bicycle-thief--bicycle-thieves-1949).
Below are images of some of the things we've done at Casa Roselle and some of the places we've visited with our guests in the past