A brief history of Ripsoto and Giarre

In these villages you will find markets, charming cafes, elegant shops and restaurants. There is a daily colourful fish market and at least 20 bakers some of which sell hot bread just emerging from the stone oven 3 or 4 times a day. There are little locally owned grocers as well as supermarkets. In the next village Archi there is a farm and all the available land is cultivated the island’s volcanic soil producing very tasty fruit and vegetables just picked from the earth. The views of Etna and the mounds of colourful aubergines lettuces tomatoes lemons and oranges (to name but a few) make this a special place known only to locals. The food in these towns is exceptionally good- you can start in the morning with a granita which is a sort of very smooth sorbet. They come in a variety of flavours: mulberries, lemons, almonds pistachios coffee chocolate peach and if you are feeling a little naughty you can have cream both on the top and bottom and dip into it with a warm brioche. At breakfast time all the bars teem with Sicilians enjoying dipping bits of brioche in granitas and cream even in winter.

The apartments are self catering so why not get some fresh fish such as dentice, spigola, mupa, masculini pesce spada, tonno and cook these in your apartment washing them down with one of the many great Sicilian wines (there are quite a few wine shops near by and a wine merchant just down the road with a particularly good selection).

There are 3 apartments: ‘Sofia’ overlooks the sea, ‘Ginevra’ overlooks Etna and ‘Lea’ has a view of lemon groves, the sea and Mount Etna.

‘Sofia’ is on the 1^st floor and only the coast road separates you from the beach. It has a large balcony all around, a double bedroom, bathroom, and a spacious kitchen/living room with 2 sofa beds. It sleeps up to 4 with the spare sofa bed should you need it.

‘Lea’ is on the ground floor. There is a large double bedroom, kitchen/living room and a bathroom. From both bedroom and living room there is a good view of Etna. You can fit in 2 extra single beds if needed.

‘Ginevra’ is on the 2^nd floor. You enter a large kitchen/living room with 2 double sofa beds. There is also a double bedroom with an extra single bed and a bathroom.

All 3 flats have the same facilities: car park, air conditioning, TV, cooker, fridge, oven and extendable kitchen table. All have balconies and outdoor car park space next to a lemon grove.