Set on a low hill amid fertile farmland, this thick-walled stone farmhouse and its outbuildings have been lovingly brought back to life by a young architect, Fausta Occhipinti. Born here but educated in Paris, she has successfully preserved the feel of her cultured family home-within-a-farm. In the lofty sitting room, alongside 4 ancient wine-pressing vats, you'll find a grand piano (occasionally played by her father) and stacks of coffee-table books and childhood photos. Cool corridors lead to 12 bedrooms and suites, with snow-white fabrics, vintage beds and small windows overlooking carpets of yellow chamomile. There are countless nooks, both indoors and out, to sit and read a book, while at the bottom of the walled gardens lies an inviting pool dotted with deckchairs and almond trees.
Come dinner time, tables are laid in the grassy courtyard with colourful platters of antipasti, followed by homemade specialties like pork cheek and pistachio risotto, or braised beef with broad beans and fennel from the garden. Lanterns twinkle, friendly cats brush your ankles, conversation is convivial and multilingual. By day, explore the fabulous Baroque towns of Modica, Ragusa and Scicli (30-45 mins drive), or laze on the sandy beaches of Scoglitti and Punta Secca (20-30 mins). A privileged glimpse of authentic Sicily.
Highs
- Dinner is a highlight: make sure you book yourselves in
- Most rooms are generously sized; several have a sofabed for kids
- Fausta's sister Arianna produces some of the region's finest wines, which you can sample very affordably here, and do a wine tour on request
- Staff and family members are all warmly welcoming, from the smiley reception team to the chefs who offer cookery lessons
- There are lots of activities to please the easily bored, from traditional crafts to horse-riding in the Iblei Mountains
Lows
- Be prepared for insects around the dinner table, especially in spring and early summer; and cats, too
- You'll need a hire car: there's nothing within walking distance
- West from here, the Gela plain is not the prettiest; head east (to the Baroque towns) and south (to the beaches) instead
- The small Torretta room is best suited to a single traveller
Best time to go
Spring and autumn are our favourite times to visit: not too hot, with plentiful wild flowers in March-April and warm seas in September-October. Summer can be incredibly hot in these parts, and local beaches get busy in August. The Modica chocolate festival is held in March/April or October/November, the Vittoria Jazz Festival in June, and the Sortino honey festival in October.
Our top tips
Fans of the Inspector Montalbano TV series should make a beeline - preferably in a battered Fiat Punto - for Punta Secca, whose wave-lined seafront is the location for the inspector's home ("Marinella"). Return via Scicli, whose town hall was dressed up as the police station for the films; and Ragusa, in whose restaurants the gourmet detective finds his solace - and his inspiration.
Location
Baglio Occhipinti is set in farmland between the towns of Ragusa and Gela, in southeast Sicily.
By Air
Comiso Airport is extremely close (9km, 10 mins) but Catania (90km, 1hr 15 mins) has a wider range of flights.
From the Airport
You'll want a hire car, as the hotel is quite isolated.
Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.
More on getting to Sicily and getting around
Airports:
- Comiso 9.0 km CIY
- Catania 90.0 km CTA
Other:
- Beach 20.0 km
- Shops 5.0 km
- Restaurant 5.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 4 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Charming venue. Food was delicious, service friendly. WiFi not so good!
Baglio Occhipinti is like an oasis in the middle of real farming territory. It is a place to truly relax by the pool and switch off from the world. The best things? the food was absolutely superb. Each course was utterly delicious, and what was so lovely is that it was all local ingredients done in a unique but delicious way, for example crispy sage leaves! Who knew that was a thing! Staff were brilliant, although it is a little challenging finding them when you want a drink in the evening as there is no real central point to go and ask for something. Although we were told to go to the kitchen to ask, it at times was difficult as they were getting ready for service etc. Also I would say our room was a little tired (Etna), not really anywhere to store clothes apart from a hanging rack. But saying this I would definitely recommend, and the evenings watching sunsets with fantastic wine and food were incredible.
One of the highlights of our tour around Southern Italy was staying at Baglio Occhipinti. A very stylish and yet understated hotel - felt like staying in a gorgeous country home. The rooms were all simply yet thoughtfully appointed. The standout though was the food, which was excellent. A wonderful menu each day with all courses sourced from the garden or local farming community, with great wine from the estate. The cooking class was also lots of fun and very informative - both us and our children loved it.
Quite remote rural setting but great to come back to after exploring those baroque towns or just to have some downtime chilling out by gorgeous pool. The service was excellent and food delicious - fresh organic home grown produce and inventive menus - but evening sitting doesn’t start til 8.30 pm and after 5-6 courses finishes around 11pm. Very friendly laid back vibe and each room has private seating area as well as range of alfresco dining options.
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape