Our fourth visit to Cera una Volta, and probably not the last! We just feel so at home in this beautiful traditional Sicilian house tucked away in one of the older parts of Scicli. with friendly neighbours and a view across to the caves. Everything is exactly as it says on the web site.The house is always immaculate. and homely. its uniqueness sets it apart from other holiday homes. Other years we have always eaten out in the evening. however this year, my wife had a swollen knee so I did the shopping and cooked. It was simple fare, but the local supermarket - Deco - and the butcher just down towards Piazza Italia are really helpful, have wonderful fresh produce and really good prices. Everyone is so helpful, and someone even brought round some home made massage oil for Caths knee.Once she was more mobile we went to Donnalucata by bus. We enjoyed lunch at Mezzaparola and a stroll along the sea front in the sunshine.We wanted to venture further afield than we could manage on the bus, and we booked a day trip, by taxi, with Elios in Piazza Italia. We chose to go to Piazza Armerina. We went along the coast toward Gela and then up to the Roman Villa, about a 2 hour drive. Amazing and well worth a visit. Afterward, the three of us went for lunch and then he took us on a scenic route back to Scicli. The driver was brilliant and by the end of the day, I think my poor Italian was a bit better and he had learnt some more English!We ate out on the last two nights, firstly at Quore Matto ( not impressed) and then at Baqqala which was very good. We also went to Millenium for coffee, cakes and Internet. There are a couple of small bars just past San Bartolomeo church which serve excellent coffee and pastries at an extremely cheap price.I revisited a rutti ri Ron Carmelu the museum depicting life in the caves, it is very good.It was sad to say good bye on the Saturday, and used EliosTaxis again to go to Catania.Francesca really makes the stay at Piedagrotta something special. We will be back, hopefully at an earlier time in the year, to see one the amazing festivals that take place.

Francesca is a very attentive and well organised hostess. Her friendly approach made our whole experience of Sicily particularly enjoyable. The house is comfortable and spotlessly clean, only a few minutes walk from the town centre, which has a good selection of eateries, shops, baroque churches and 'Montalbano' locations. Francesca's local map is marked with all the places to visit, the numbers 2, 4 & 6 are the locations of cafes, restaurants and food shops and is part of a comprehensive folder of leaflets about local towns and attractions, available in several languages. Her offer to buy in shopping in advance and to organise car hire if we needed it was also most welcome, particularly as we arrived so late in the evening. An ideal 'home from home' for any couple wanting to visit SE Sicily! We managed to visit the Greek Temples at Agrigento, the seaside towns of Donnalucata and Sampieri, as well as Modica, Noto and Ragusa for their chocolate and baroque highlights and even all the way to Villa Romana del Casale to see the 'bikini girls'. The best meal we had was at Ristorante Majore in Chiaramonte Gulfi, an amazing, unpretentious little restaurant with wonderful service, surroundings and even more importantly great food! The people of the area were all so friendly and helpful they made it a wonderfully memorable holiday. Many thanks to all of you!

My sister and I stayed in the Via Tivoli house for a week at the end of May and really felt that we had been blessed with finding the perfect little house for our needs. We like to stay in places which give a feel for the local life and we certainly achieved that. Francesca was exceedingly helpful both with information before we booked our holiday and then by buying some basic provisions (we were arriving on a Sunday) and meeting at the bus terminal in Modica. She gave us some interesting insights into local life and politics. As we were not a 'couple', we wanted separate sleeping areas and Francesca accommodated our needs by putting a second bed downstairs in place of the sofa. The weather was perfect - mid twenties centigrade and upwards which was a relief after months of relentless wetness at home in Wales, UK. We decided not to hire a car (in spite of being urged to do so by various tourist advisers!) and we really enjoyed using the buses and the train which, with a bit of careful planning got us everywhere we wanted to go. It also had the benefit of being more relaxing and meant that we rubbed shoulders with local people, trying out our embryonic Italian! The restaurants we were directed to by Francesca were great and we had some really good Sicilian food. Our stay also coincided with the festival of Madonna delle Millizie which gave us further enjoyable insight into local customs. The house is easy walking distance from the main square, the shops and all the touristy things you may want to see in Scicli. I would recommend a visit to Don Carmelo's restored cave dwelling which was inhabited by his grandfather. And of course there is lots of interest in the local and neighbouring areas for Inspector Montelbano fans!! I look forward to a return visit to Scicli at some point in the future.

My sister and I stayed in the Via Tivoli house for a week at the end of May and really felt that we had been blessed with finding the perfect little house for our needs. We like to stay in places which give a feel for the local life and we certainly achieved that. Francesca was exceedingly helpful both with information before we booked our holiday and then by buying some basic provisions (we were arriving on a Sunday) and meeting at the bus terminal in Modica. She gave us some interesting insights into local life and politics. As we were not a couple, we wanted separate sleeping areas and Francesca accommodated our needs by putting a second bed downstairs in place of the sofa.The weather was perfect - mid twenties centigrade and upwards which was a relief after months of relentless wetness at home in Wales, UK. We decided not to hire a car (in spite of being urged to do so by various tourist advisers!) and we really enjoyed using the buses and the train which, with a bit of careful planning got us everywhere we wanted to go. It also had the benefit of being more relaxing and meant that we rubbed shoulders with local people, trying out our embryonic Italian! The restaurants we were directed to by Francesca were great and we had some really good Sicilian food. Our stay also coincided with the festival of Madonna delle Millizie which gave us further enjoyable insight into local customs.The house is easy walking distance from the main square, the shops and all the touristy things you may want to see in Scicli. I would recommend a visit to Don Carmelos restored cave dwelling which was inhabited by his grandfather. And of course there is lots of interest in the local and neighbouring areas for Inspector Montelbano fans!!I look forward to a return visit to Scicli at some point in the future.

We stayed at the house at the end of a very busy trip to Sicily, and it was a great place to slow down and just enjoy life in Scicli. The house was well equipped and very comfortable. It had a great 'sun deck' at the top of the house, which was a wonderful place to go and enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.

We stayed at the house at the end of a very busy trip to Sicily, and it was a great place to slow down and just enjoy life in Scicli. The house was well equipped and very comfortable. It had a great sun deck at the top of the house, which was a wonderful place to go and enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.

C 'era una Volta is an immaculate charming house in the beautiful town of Scicli. It is in a great location and has a lovely roof terrace with fabulous views. The owner Francesca speaks perfect English and is the most friendly and helpful host you could wish to meet. She arranged transfers to and from the airport for us and gave us local information. We really felt at home. The neighbours and people of Scicli are so friendly. It is a holiday we won't forget. We highly recommend.

C'era una Volta is an immaculate charming house in the beautiful town of Scicli. It is in a great location and has a lovely roof terrace with fabulous views. The owner Francesca speaks perfect English and is the most friendly and helpful host you could wish to meet. She arranged transfers to and from the airport for us and gave us local information. The neighbours and people of Scicli are very friendly. We had a lovely 11 days and highly recommend.

C 'era una Volta is an immaculate charming house in the beautiful town of Scicli. It is in a great location and has a lovely roof terrace with fabulous views. The owner Francesca speaks perfect English and is the most friendly and helpful host you could wish to meet. She arranged transfers to and from the airport for us and gave us local information. We really felt at home. The neighbours and people of Scicli are so friendly. It is a holiday we won't forget. We highly recommend.

We have just arrived home from a wonderful 14 day stay at this lovely well equipped property. If you are looking for a typical Italian retreat away from the crowds and tourists then this is the place for you! The property is located in the old part of town which is only a 5 minute walk way from the outskirts. The beautiful local beach which is highly recommended at Samperi is only a short 15 minute drive away. Sicili is an ideal base for visiting local towns such as Modica, Ragussa and Noto. If you are a fan of Inspector Montalbano you will be in heaven! Francesca was a prefect host and on hand if we had any problems, although we didn't have any or if we required further information. We can highly recommend this property! Thank you for your lovely stay and we will definitely return in the future.

We have just arrived home from a wonderful 14 day stay at this lovely well equipped property. If you are looking for a typical Italian retreat away from the crowds and tourists then this is the place for you! The property is located in the old part of town which is only a 5 minute walk way from the outskirts. The beautiful local beach which is highly recommended at Samperi is only a short 15 minute drive away. Sicili is an ideal base for visiting local towns such as Modica, Ragussa and Noto. If you are a fan of Inspector Montalbano you will be in heaven! Francesca was a prefect host and on hand if we had any problems, although we didn't have any or if we required further information. We can highly recommend this property! Thank you for your lovely stay and we will definitely return in the future.

We stayed for 6 nights (2 people) and loved this house. Excellent hosting by Francesca who responded with care with anything we needed. As we didn't rent a car, we made use of buses and trains, with francesca offering us a lift to Sampieri on one of the days. The accomodation is perfect, great location, peaceful and private. The town is superb and was our favourite after travelling to Ortigia and Avola. Looking forward to returning!

Stylish, architecturally renovated, spotless, charming in a tiny quiet lane at the end of town yet only 5 mins walk in a stunning village with wonderful architecture and landscape. Apartment has everything you need and description is accurate . Francesca is a treat and communication and generosity faultless

My girlfriend and I have visited C'era una volta three years in a row and we love it more than ever!! Situated in the charming Unesco world heritage town of Scicli - in my opinion the most beautiful town in south east Sicily - the property is on a gorgeous, very traditional street which will make you instantly feel at home. The views from the property are stunning and Francesca and Luigi have provided everything you could possibly need for a wonderfully relaxed and stress-free stay. The recurring feeling you get from C'era una volta is that you are very much at home. The surrounding streets are very safe and quiet and you can feel totally relaxed walking around late at night. Scicli is also absolutely ideally located to explore south east Sicily. The gorgeous Sampieri beach is only a very short distance and the Baroque towns of Ragusa and Modica are no more than 20 minutes' drive away. That said, it is a 20 minutes you will not want to end as the scenery can be utterly breathtaking. Another wonderful aspect of C'era una volta is the family who own the property. Francesca, Luigi, and their daughters Marta and Sara have really made us feel like part of the family every time we have visited. They are incredibly kind and without any hesitation will do everything possible to make your stay as stress-free and memorable as possible. I really recommend visiting C'era una volta - you honestly will not regret your visit and I know for certain you will feel as at home as we do!! We will certainly be visiting for many, many more years to come!!

This was our second stay in Scicli at C'era Una Volta. We had been looking forward to it for months and everything was just as we remembered. It was a joy to meet Francesca again, and the house, in one of the older parts of Scicli immediately felt like home. Everything is clean,comfortable and well maintained. Although we did not cook, everything is there should you wish to do so. It is only a short walk into the centre of town, lots of restaurants to choose from, and so many things to see. We also got the bus to Ragusa (via Modica) and Donnalucata. We were made so welcome, by neighbours, shopkeepers and restaurant staff. We had breakfast sometimes at Millenium, a great "people watching" point, and had several delicious meals at Al Galu. The supermarket near St Bartolomeo stocks everything, and has lovely fresh cheeses and meats for lunch on the terrace. Francesca, is the most welcoming of hosts, and her friendliness and local knowledge help make you feel part of the community. The house is traditional in style and is a home rather than a typical "could be anywhere" holiday rental. We definitely recommend staying here, and hope to back again for a longer stay next year.

The local beaches, especially Sampieri, are fantastic places to chill out....we actually spent more time there than we had planned, because it was so nice (and also because we had over-estimated our ability to sight-see in temperatures over 30C....we'll have to return in cooler weather to see everything else!). All the nearby Baroque towns are well worth a visit, and we especially enjoyed our drive to Chiaramonte Gulfi and the Greco/Roman archaeological site at Palozzolo Acreide. There are some very interesting restaurants in Scicli.....we'd particularly recommend Satra and Al Galu....but the real gastronomic thrill was the fresh fish in the local pescheria; we prepared simple but excellent dishes with fresh local tuna and anchovies.....it's all about the ingredients.....and the local wine was good too! Also, for a quick snack on the way back from a day out, Francesca's recommendation of the Palazzo Rosso take-away was first-class. Unfortunately, it's back to a stricter diet again now....I gained rather too much of a liking for brioche con gelato and granita alla mandorla.....! So, we had a truly memorable holiday in C'era Una Volta.....a wonderful property, in a beautiful setting, with fantastic hosts......Bellissimo!!

We have recently returned to the UK following a wonderful 12-night stay in Francesca's lovely property in beautiful Scicli. We had flown with Alitalia from London City (highly recommended airport and airline!) to Catania, where we explored for a couple of days prior to hiring a car and driving down to Scicli. The drive is straightforward, mostly on an autostrada, and Francesca guided us in once we had arrived in nearby Sampieri. The road into the property is pretty narrow, so one tip is to make sure that you hire a small car (useful more generally in Scicli, anyway...!) The property itself is exactly as previously described, with a lovely shady dining room/kitchen, spacious double bedroom on the middle floor, and roof terrace with fantastic views of both sides of the gorge, on which we had our meals. Even in mid summer, the sun doesn't come into the house until 8.00am (because of the location in the gorge), so our advice is to rise early, plan the day ahead and prepare breakfast in the cool, then take the breakfast up to the roof for sunrise! The kitchen is well equipped with crockery and cutlery, and although there is no oven, we were able to prepare some delightful meals on the hob......all around the house, everything was spotlessly clean. The house gives visitors a real taste of local life, which is exactly what we were after.....including the sounds of local people, birds, crickets and even the occasional goat bleating and cow moo-ing! The only sound that could be annoying, and therefore we feel should at least be mentioned in order to be completely honest, was that of barking dogs, mostly during the night, although I am sure that we were more aware of this because we kept the roof door open all night for cooling, rather than use the air conditioning in the bedroom? Scicli centre is a (virtually flat) very short walk away....we were pleasantly surprised by just how close it is, and a little supermarket is the first shop on way into town.....and the walk back gives a superb view of San Bartolomeo church nestling in the gorge. Scicli really is beautiful. We visited all of the nearby towns (Modica, Ragusa, Noto) that we had considered as a base, but every time we returned to Scicli in the evening, and we were hit by the fragrance from the lime trees in Piazza Italia, we knew that we'd made the absolute best choice!

Fantastic , the only word that comes to mind. Excellent location in Scicli and an ideal base for touring the south east of Sicily.We had a wonderful time made all the better with the advice and recommendations of Francesca. I have recommended this house to friends and family--- need I say more

We are a retired American couple spending the year cycling through the Mediterranean and beyond. The start of our trip took us to Sicily in April, where we spent a week in the town of Scicli at C'era una Volta. After being on the road, the house was a wonderful respite. It was spacious, exceptionally clean, and everything worked! The multiple floors gave us personal space and the rooftop deck was perfect for our morning coffee and our evening happy hour. Although the kitchen is small, we were able to cook full meals each night of our stay. The house was perfectly located in the wonderful town of Scicli, close to everything we needed. Being without a car, we did not have any problems shopping or sight seeing from this location. What made the stay exceptional was our hosts, Francesca and Luigi (and their twin daughters Sara and Marta). Even before arriving, Francesca was in touch with us regarding the details of our arrival. Our questions were answered promptly. While we were at the house, Francesca was a phone call away and was able to help us with local shopping and getting train tickets. This house was an exceptional value for the price we paid and all of its amenities. It is owned by a wonderful couple who want to provide a home away from home in a beautiful part of Sicily.

We, Mireille (French) and Pieter (Dutch) and living in Bordeaux, spend a very pleasant week from the 18th to 25th August 2012 in this recently renovated terraced house, which is situated in one of the oldest parts of this lovely town Scicli. Upon our arrival we received a very warm welcome together with a tour of the house. We also received very detailed information about local shops and restaurants, as well as a map of the town, which was very useful. We found the house to be very clean and very nicely decorated and furnished, and with a mix of modern versions of the traditional ceramic lampshades which added to the authenticity. The house is in a pedestrian part and one is immediately immersed in the traditional way of life here, where the local people sit in front of their houses chatting away until midnight and no doubt solving all the problems in the world. The town centre with its numerous historical buildings and churches is within a five/ten minutes walk from the house. The house is on three levels, ground floor with kitchen, living area and toilet, 1st floor with bedroom and separate shower room with toilet. A flight of stairs leads from this bedroom to the roof terrace where we took our breakfasts and dinners. However, one has to be organised to take up all the plates, food etc. thus to avoid too many ups and downs from the ground floor kitchen to the 2nd floor roof terrace should one forget to take something. This being said, it is really worth the trouble because the panoramic view from this terrace is magnificent and it looks out onto the two mountain ranges between which the house is situated. This is an excellent base from which to explore this delightful town, which appears to be undiscovered by tourists, and the surrounding towns of Modena, Ragusa, Noto and Syracuse, amongst others. Also for combining sightseeing with sunbathing, one could not do better with spending time on the coast 15 minutes away by car. Sampieri has a wonderful sandy beach 3km long.

My partner and I have a wonderful stay at C'era Una Volta. The house was lovely and traditional, very nice roof terrace that we spent our evenings on before heading into Scicli for dinner and drinks. Francesca was a warm host, helping us with directions and supplying us with a great deal of location information and knowledge to make our stay as memorable as possible. As we arrived on a Sunday Francesca even offered to collect some supplies for our late arrival which was extremely helpful. Scicly itself is a beautiful town, we returned again in October 2011 and loved it so much we will be getting married there in June 2012. Francesca made our holiday hassle free and enjoyable and the house had everything we needed.